Bendigo Health offer a range of evidence based information sessions to help support & prepare you for the birth of your baby & the transition to parenthood. Due to our health service response to COVID-19, ALL of our group sessions will run online via ZOOM for the remainder of 2021.
Labour, Birth & Early Parenting: 3 hour session – From 26 - 32 weeks of pregnancy.
Childbirth & Early Parenting Education Sessions - A Registered Midwife/Birth Educator will address topics covered within the online resources & pre-readings in more detail. You can discuss any questions you have regarding labour, birth & early parenting. Topics may include; when to come to hospital, early & established labour, coping strategies, pain relief, midwifery led care, labour/birthing preferences, medical assistance, caesarean births, the postpartum period, healthy relationships, newborn care & behaviours. A support person is encouraged to attend with you. These group sessions are running online until the end of 2021.
Saturday 9am – 12noon
Sunday 9am – 12noon
Sunday 1pm – 4pm
Next Birth After Casarean (NBAC) Session – Women planning their NBAC are invited to attend an evidence based information session created to empower & support you with your labour & birthing preferences. This session will also build confidence & knowledge surrounding your choices & having discussions with your care providers. These group sessions run every second month on a Saturday at 1pm – 4pm. A support person is encouraged to attend with you.
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Breastfeeding & Lactation Preparation: 1 hour session - From 28 - 32 weeks of pregnancy.
During this session a Lactation Consultant will go through breastfeeding & normal newborns feeding patterns in the first weeks of life, as well as some strategies to assist you with this transition. These group sessions run online via ZOOM on Wednesday’s & Friday’s between 11-12pm.
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Bendigo Health Resources
Bendigo Health have created a virtual tour of our Maternity Ward to make navigating the hospital during your pregnancy that little bit easier. Bendigo Health will no longer run the Saturday tour. If you have any questions please contact us and our staff will speak to you.
Our clinical head of obstetrics and gynaecology Dr Nicola Yuen details the risk of COVID-19 to pregnant women and the benefits of vaccination.
What’s the risk of COVID during pregnancy?
Maternal
Pregnant women with COVID-19 have a higher risk of certain complications compared to non-pregnant women with COVID-19 of the same age, including:
Newborn
COVID-19 during pregnancy also increases the risk of complications for the newborn, including:
What’s the advice regarding COVID-19 Vaccination for pregnant women
Pregnant women are a priority group for vaccination.
RANZCOG and ATAGI recommend that pregnant women be routinely offered the Pfizer vaccine at any stage of pregnancy.
Vaccine is recommended because the risk of severe outcomes from Covid is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby.
There is evidence that the Pfizer Covid vaccination is safe in pregnancy.
The first trials of Covid vaccination excluded pregnant women so there was limited evidence in the initial stages of vaccine roll-out overseas.
Over time real world evidence from other countries has demonstrated that the vaccines are safe in pregnant women.
The antibodies from the vaccination cross the placenta and provide protection for newborn babies.
In the UK around 58% of pregnant women declined the vaccine during the roll-out in very early 2021.
In the last month more than 100 women have been admitted to hospital in the UK with Covid – none were fully vaccinated and 5 were partially vaccinated.
These women have developed serious complications including pre-eclampsia, preterm birth and emergency caesarean sections.
No pregnant woman who has been fully vaccinated has been admitted to hospital with COVID.
More information on the Pfizer vaccine for pregnant women can be found here.
Women's Clinics
Ph: 03 5454 7288
