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Mums and Bubs

Baby One Program

Baby OneApunipima’s award winning Baby One Program® was launched on the 1st of July 2014.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker – led, home visiting Program engages with women and families from pregnancy until bub is 1000 days old (nearly three).

The Baby One Program® has been hugely successful with the majority of pregnant women in Apunipima’s catchment attending five or more antenatal visits (as per World Health Organisation best practice recommendations) as well as the majority of children being fully immunised.

Reasons for the Baby One Program’s® success include:

The Baby One Program® is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker – led

A health worker led program means community based health workers are looking after local women. Familiar faces providing culturally appropriate care make the difference in improving outcomes. It also means that community women are trained and employed as maternal and child health workers resulting in positive changes to the socioeconomic fabric of the community.

The Baby One Program® is a home visiting program

15 home visits take place from pregnancy until bub is 1000 days old. This means that women are able to engage with our health service regardless of whether they make it to the local health centre or not. It improves access to our service, supports close relationships between the health worker and woman and her family and enable the woman to get the support she needs regardless of whether she makes it into the clinic.

Incentives

The Baby One Program® provides fruit and veg vouchers at key points during pregnancy to ensure high engagement with antenatal services, ‘Baby Baskets’ containing items to support mum and bub before and after birth.

Mum’s health

Your health as a new mum is very important, for you, your baby and your family. We will talk to you about your own situation.

In the meantime this is general information for all mums:

Whopping Cough and Tuberculosis (TB) Immunisations (Needles)

Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about Whopping Cough and Tuberculosis needles. They will talk to you about what the illnesses are, what could happen to you or your baby and how the needles can stop you both from getting sick. Feel free to ask them as many questions as you like.

Your Six Week Check Up

Your Health Worker, nurse or doctor will want to see you at around six weeks to check on how you are recovering from pregnancy and delivery. If you had a C Section they will check your incision to make sure it is healing properly.

We will do an overall health check for you to make sure everything in your body is going back to normal and talk to you about a range of things that you may have been wondering about. This is the time to let us know if you are feeling uncomfortable or having any symptoms (e.g. pain, cramping) and signs (your C-Section is leaking) you are worried about. You do not have to wait for this check-up to ask questions. If you have concerns speak to your local Health Worker or clinic worker.

Your Health and Wellbeing

Sometimes as a new mum you can experience the baby blues in the days and weeks after giving birth. If you’re worried or just want to talk to someone your Health Worker and child health nurse are able to support you and answer any questions.

Mums and Bubs group

When you feel you and your baby are ready you may want to join a mums and bubs group. Ask your Health Worker for about your local group.

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Take care of yourself so you take care of others

Make sure you look after yourself as taking care of bub is a lot of work

Coming to Cairns

If you are reading this you are very close to having your baby! We will support you before, after and during your trip to Cairns.

Before you come to Cairns

Go to your local Health Centre and make arrangements for the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme which helps you with travel and accommodation arrangements. There are a number of places to stay and your Health Worker will run through these. Mookai Rosie is a popular choice for many new mums and children are welcome

If you are flying to Cairns, Apunipima’s Client Travel Service can pick you up from the airport. Ensure your Health Worker organises this for you. You will need to know how many of you will be travelling, what time you arrive and where you are staying.

If you are driving remember you will need a car seat to bring baby home. Remember to keep your fuel receipts to be reimbursed by patient travel.

Make sure your Health Centre or Health Worker has your contact details for Cairns so our team in Cairns can make contact.

What to pack to come to Cairns

  • ATM Card
  • Licence or 18+ Card
  • Medicare Card
  • Healthcare or Pension Concession Card
  • Your Birth Certificate
  • Toiletries
  • Comfortable clothes for before and after the baby
  • Contact details for friends and family
  • Your travel paperwork

If you do not have some of the cards you need talk to one of the Health Workers.

Arriving at Cairns Airport

When you arrive at the airport collect your bags. If you are travelling on an Apunipima bus to your accommodation you will see the Apunipima bus and our friendly bus driver will be expecting you. A small meal is provided to you on the bus.

Have a talk to our bus driver if you would like to know where you can find food and groceries. Also let the bus driver know if you have any appointments you need to go to while you are in Cairns.

Arriving at your accommodation

Check in, it is now time to relax and prepare yourself for the arrival of your baby.

After you are settled Maternal and Child Health Worker Tamara and Midwife Nie will contact you and arrange to meet you.

We will talk you through the birth and labour process and also let you know about the birthing classes for women only. It is very helpful and you will be with other new mums to be. There are also classes with partners and one just for young mums. Your support person is welcome.

You will have a booking in appointment with the doctor. We can help and support you with these appointments and with the Cairns Hospital visit before you go into hospital to have your baby.

If you or your partner is worried about becoming parents, we can talk to you about what may be worrying you.

If your partner wants to talk to a Men’s Health Worker we can organise that.

We will give you your second Baby Basket so you are ready for your stay at hospital.

Usually you will stay in hospital up to five days.

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Baby Basket 2 (of 3)

Apunipima’s Baby Basket program provides essentials such as nappies, singlets and toiletries to pregnant and new mums.

After bub

Congratulations! Our team will do follow up visits at the maternity ward after you have had your baby. You will have postnatal check-ups both at the hospital and your accommodation.

When your midwife is happy that you and bub are doing well it is time to make arrangements to head home. Keep in mind you will be in Cairns a week after your baby is born. This will be different if your baby is born earlier and your doctor will talk to you about this.

Going home

Every mum's journey is different: the following information is a general guide of what to expect after you have had your baby.

Post Natal Check Ups

You will receive postal natal check-ups daily whilst you are the hospital to make sure you and baby are doing well and have everything you need. By now you would have met our team and can call on them if you need any advice or support.

Back Home

When you get back home show off your baby by visiting the clinic and make your six week check-up appointment while you are there.

First Few Months

The first few months can be rewarding but also very overwhelming as you and your baby get to know each other. Your child health nurse can be contacted if you have any questions or concerns you would like to talk about.

Your community Health Centre will perform a six week check-up for you and your baby and also carry out immunisations. Don’t forget to take your child’s red personal health record book to every appointment. At your six month appointment you will receive your third Baby Basket.

You will be given lots of information after your baby is born, here’s some general information that will come in handy

Immunisations (Needles)

In your child’s red personal health record book is a list of needles and the age they can be given.

Breastfeeding

We will talk to you about breastfeeding and have some handy information for you to take home with you. Remember, you may think your questions are silly, but to us there’s no such thing.

Let a member of the Family Health Team or your child health nurse know if you would like to talk or be given more advice and information. You can also head to the Breastfeeding Association’s website for more information.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

SIDS means the sudden and unexpected death of an infant less than one year of age during their sleep. Go to the SIDS website  for more information and tips on how to keep your baby safe.

Click here to download Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Safe Sleeping Resources. 

Development

It is exciting to see your baby grow and develop. Your child's red personal health book has useful information about what to expect at each stage.

Your Health Worker or child nurse will also be able to answer questions about your child or point you in the direction of someone who can.

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After bub

The first few months can be rewarding but also very overwhelming as you and your baby get to know each other

Mums and Bubs

The Maternal and Child Health team’s role is to support the health of women, babies and children through midwifery support, health advice throughout pregnancy and beyond, child health checks, vaccinations and immunisations, ear health and family planning.

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Measuring bub

The Maternal and Child Health team support women, babies and children

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  1. Before Bub