A postnatal service from leading Tasmanian health and wellness organisation St Lukes is celebrating a triple milestone: more than 1,000 babies supported in 10 years, and its 100th north west baby following a recent expansion to the region.
The St Lukes Private Postnatal Service, in collaboration with Salveo Healthcare, has supported families in northern Tasmania since 2016 and expanded to the Coast around two-and-a-half years ago following changes to the North West Regional Hospital’s obstetrics offering.
St Lukes Chief Health Officer Luke Cameron said the service fills a critical gap across the state’s north and north west by providing more choice and expert care, connecting parents with ongoing support as they transition from hospital to home.
“As we reach 10 years of the St Lukes Private Postnatal program, we’re very proud to have supported over a thousand new babies across north and north west Tasmania,” he said.
“As any parent knows, bringing a new baby home is incredible, but overwhelming. After the closure of regional private maternity services we saw a critical gap for St Lukes to step up and fill, providing parents with greater choice so they feel connected and supported.
“Helping to ensure babies get the best possible start in life, and empowering parents with the knowledge they need to support their child’s wellbeing, is all part of our vision to make Tasmania the healthiest island on the planet.”
Midwife and lactation consultant Dianne Haworth is the program’s Northern Service Coordinator. She said the program’s strength is its personalised approach and continuity of care.
“Our service is very individualised,” she said. “Specialist midwives visit each family several times, and we’re able to spend as much time as they need.
“We can follow up if there are ongoing challenges with feeding, mental health or any other issues. If they need any ongoing support after our time together, we know them so well that we can refer them exactly where they need to go and connect them with a healthcare community.”
Ms Haworth’s niece Amelia Harris has used the service twice, with her eldest son Charlie in 2023, and now eight-week-old Elliot. While her transitions home from hospital were very different, both were made much easier by the program.
“As first-time parents, our midwife answered our questions, gave us problem solving tips and reassurance that we were on the right track when there’s so much to learn,” she said.
“Charlie was eight weeks early and spent a month in hospital getting 24/7 care, so having the Private Postnatal service meant we didn’t all of a sudden feel on our own when we came home. Then when we had Elliot, the program meant we could get home to our family sooner.”
She said the breastfeeding support was especially helpful after moving from nursing a two-year-old to feeding a newborn, a very different experience from caring for a premature baby.
“Our midwife could assess our set-up at home, remembered Charlie and checked how we were coping with two kids, and we never felt rushed,” she said. “Her care was holistic, she picked up on an infant skin issue and referred us to the right doctor. The whole service is extremely valuable.”
About the service
St Lukes’ North West Private Postnatal Service launched in late 2023, following the closure of private maternity services at the North West Regional Hospital. It has run in Launceston since the Calvary St. Vincent’s private postnatal unit closed in 2016.
Eligible St Lukes members receive meals, a physiotherapy appointment, cleaning voucher, pamper package and can choose:
Hotel care:
Launceston and Devonpport: 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 midwife or lactation consultant twice a day.
At Home care:
Launceston, Burnie or Devonport: Support in the comfort of members' own homes*, including in-person visits from a midwife or lactation consultant twice a day. Out-of-region members receive the same support via phone.
*The service is available within a 25-kilometre radius of the Launceston General Hospital, North West Regional Hospital or Novotel Devonport. Learn more at stlukes.com.au/private-post-natal-service.
ENDS