A popular private post-natal service is expanding into North West Tasmania, giving mums-to-be more care options in their newborns’ first days.
The St Lukes Private Post-Natal service gives parents the choice of either a three-night luxury hotel stay with baby equipment provided and visits from a midwife or lactation consultant, or they can be visited in the comfort of their own home.
The program has been running in northern Tasmania for around seven years, and is expanding to the Coast following recent changes to the North West Regional Hospital’s obstetric offering.
St Lukes Chief Health Officer, Luke Cameron said the organisation was proud to bring this service to North West families.
“St Lukes’ vision is to make Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet, and to do that we support our members through their whole life journey,” Mr Cameron said.
“The first days of a new baby’s life are wondrous, but can be overwhelming. This service ensures North West mums have everything they need to feel safe and supported.
“It is personalised to the needs of new and growing families, providing further choice and certainty around post-natal support.”
St Lukes members will be able to choose:
Hotel care:
- Launceston and Devonport: a three-night stay at a luxury hotel for the mother, baby and a support person, with a bassinet, change table and other necessary equipment provided. The package includes visits from a midwife or lactation consultant twice a day.
At Home care:
- Launceston, Burnie or Devonport: Support in the comfort of members’ own homes within a 25km radius of the cities*, including in-person visits from a midwife or lactation consultant twice a day.
- Out of Region: phone support from a midwife or lactation consultant twice a day.
Midwife Sharni Siely, from service provider Salveo Healthcare, said as well as nurse and lactation support, all meals are provided, and members will receive a physiotherapy appointment, cleaning voucher and a pamper package.
“We try to provide continuity of care, so that the same midwife is visiting the family for the duration of their care with the postnatal service, providing feeding support, and just generally keeping in touch with the family to ensure that the transition from hospital to home is nice and smooth,” Ms Siely said.
“Their family can come and visit them in the hotel, there aren’t any restrictions, there so all of their support networks can still see them.”
Mum-of-three Vicki Macdonald said the service had made a huge difference following the arrival of baby Jimmy.
“Getting back in the newborn stage, you forget a lot of things, so it was really nice to have someone who was so welcoming and made us feel really comfortable to give us that information,” Ms Macdonald said.
“We spent three days in the hotel being very well looked after by the staff and then obviously our midwife as well. It just made life nice and easy in that transition back to home.”
St Lukes’ North West Private Post-Natal Service launched in late 2023. The Tasmanian not-for-profit has been offering the program for new mums at the Launceston General Hospital since the Calvary St. Vincent private post-natal unit closed in 2016.
Full details are available here.
*Within a 25-kilometre radius of the Launceston General Hospital, North West Regional Hospital or Novotel Devonport.
ENDS
Contact: Emily Woodgate, Timmins Ray Public Relations: 012 828 802 | emily@timminsray.com.au