Midwives meet birthing celebrity

Birthing celebrity Jane Palmer from Birth International has hosted a two-day active birth workshop for Blacktown Hospital’s graduate and junior midwives.

The workshop helped Western Sydney’s newest midwives boost their knowledge and skills to support women in giving birth with minimal interventions.

It also explored the use and benefit of different positions and non-pharmacological options for labour and birth.

Jane has been working in the field of childbirth education for more than 26 years.

Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals’ Divisional Nurse Manager for Women and Children’s Health Helen Konowec said Blacktown Hospital is an attractive place to work for aspiring midwives.

“This year alone, Blacktown Hospital surpassed all previous records with more than 330 births recorded in a single month,” Ms Konowec said.

“This baby boom will be supported by the expansion of maternity, birthing and paediatric services as part of the NSW Government’s $700 million redevelopment of Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals.

“The new facilities include new birthing rooms, most with birthing pools, expanded newborn care for babies who need extra support and new paediatric services including wards with comfortable carer zones so a parent can stay overnight.”

The Local Health District thanks the Blacktown Workers Club for the funding via their Club Grants program to host the two-day workshop.