Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide

Women's and Babies Division

Patient Care Units

Wards

Postnatal Midwifery Home Visiting Service

Women who are low risk and well now stay in hospital a relatively short time after their baby is born.

The hospital stay is not long enough to complete all the education and information needed for life with a new baby.

Most women find it helpful to get further education and support in their own home. They sleep better in their own environment and have more time to take in the information that they need.

How to Access the Service

The Postnatal Midwifery Home Visiting Service is offered to women who live within a set boundary from the WCH, when they leave the hospital after their baby is born. If you live outside of the WCH boundary, you will be referred to the Metropolitan Referral Unit for further follow up care at home.

A home visiting service is also provided by experienced midwives from the Special Care Baby Unit (Neonatal Early Discharge Program).

A referral form will be completed on discharge by the postnatal midwife. Women will be informed of their planned first visit prior to leaving hospital. On the morning of the planned visit, the home visiting midwife will contact you by text or phone to advise you of the approximate time they plan to visit.

Most women require one to three visits (dependant on your length of stay in hospital) and are then encouraged to follow up with the Child and Family Health Service and then their GP when baby
is 2 weeks and 6 weeks old. Additional breastfeeding support is available through the Australian Breastfeeding Association.