Your Birth
The Birthing Suite
The Birthing Suite comprises of three modern birthing rooms that ensure a personal and safe environment for your birthing experience, each suite features private ensuites with one birthing suite containing an enormous bath with enough room for mother and partner to enter together. Labouring women and their partners are offered flexible choices to ensure a positive and safe birthing experience.
We encourage your partner and/or support person to be involved in your care during labour, in each birthing suite we provide a double fold out bed to facilitate this.
The Hospital License approves Kareena Private Hospital to provide maternity services and admit mothers who are after 32weeks gestation and of low to moderate risk. The Hospital is not able to provide maternity services to mothers less than 32weeks gestation. However in these circumstances your private Obstetrician will make alternative arrangements for your care. In the event that you require maternity services and are less than 32weeks gestation, we recommend you contact your Obstetrician or the Hospital for advice. Your Obstetrician will discuss options with you, which will include your transfer to another facility for ongoing care.
When to contact the Delivery Suite
Please contact the Delivery Suite if you have any concerns or worries on (02) 9717 0118. Our telephone is answered by midwives 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We are also in 24 hour contact with your Obstetrician. It is very important to contact the Delivery Suite if any of the following occurs;
- Your waters break or you notice continuous leaking of fluid from the vagina
- If you have vaginal bleeding
- Onset of contractions before 37 weeks
- Onset of regular contractions after 37 weeks that remain persistent or change in frequency or intensity
- If you are concerned about the movement of your baby
- If you feel unwell
- If you have any concerns regarding your pregnancy or onset of labour
- If you feel concerned or anxious
It is important to communicate with the birth suite Midwives when you feel you are going into labour. Please call them on (02) 9717 0118. 24 hours a day. They will be able to offer you support over the phone and advise you when you should come into hospital. Please remember to bring your antenatal card with you when to come into the hospital.
Preadmission visit with our midwives
We understand the value of being prepared and meeting with those who will be involved in your birthing experience. Every birth is different, at Kareena Private we encourage our mothers to meet with one of our experienced midwives prior to the birth of their baby, this can be organised by calling our Maternity Booking Officer on (02) 9717 0226 or via email to maternity.krp@ramsayhealth.com.au
It is important to remember to bring along your antenatal card that you will have received from your Obstetrician to this appointment.
Your Birth Plan
Some people choose to have a birth plan. They see it as an opportunity to write down any thoughts or wishes they have about their labour and /or stay in hospital. It is very important that you discuss your plan with your Obstetrician and midwifery staff. This will give us an opportunity to let you know what we have available to meet your wishes and what is safe and practical according to your individual circumstances.
You will need to be flexible and be prepared to do things differently if complications arise for you or your baby. Childbirth is not always `normal’ and intervention may be required under certain circumstances.
If intervention is required your Obstetrician/Midwife will explain why the intervention is necessary and the associated risks and benefits of the intervention.
If you have any questions in relation to this information please do not hesitate to contact your Obstetrician and/ or your Midwife.
Monitoring your baby when you are in labour
To assist us to provide optimum care of your baby during labour and birth it is important that your baby's heart rate is monitored. Depending on the situation there are different ways that this can be done:
Using a small portable ultrasound (doppler)
Using a machine called a CTG (cardiotocograph). The baby's heart rate and your contractions are monitored electronically
An electrode can be placed directly on the baby's head to record the heart rate( this is only used occasionally when it is difficult to record the heart rate using the two methods outlined above)
At all Ramsay Health Care maternity facilities a CTG is performed on admission. This establishes a baseline and re-assurance of the baby’s state of health or heart rate. The CTG is repeated intermittently throughout your labour unless there are indications for continual CTG monitoring.
Kareena Private is proud to be one of the first Hospitals to offer our mothers wireless CTG monitoring in the Sutherland and St George area, this means that for babies who need continual monitoring mothers are able to freely move around their birthing suite without being restricted to a single area.
Please note: If you have any questions in relation to this practice contact your obstetrician or the maternity unit manager of the Ramsay maternity unit you have chosen to have your baby.
What to bring to Hospital
We have made a checklist below to help you for your stay.
Delivery Suite
- Antenatal card
- Large T-shirt/ sarong
- Dressing gown if desired
- Slippers
- Socks
- Chap stick, lanoline for lips
- Toiletries e.g. deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, dry shampoo, fragrance free body wash, face wash and fragrance free moisturiser
- Brush, clip and/or hair tie for hair
- Relaxation music loaded to iPod/ CD (iPod speakers are provided)
- IPad or laptop loaded with your favourite movies or TV series’ for you and your partner to watch and charger
- Lollies to suck during labour e.g. barley sugar, jelly beans or lolly pops
- Camera and charger
- Extra’s to assist during labour e.g. massage oil, tennis ball or massage tool, water spray bottle
- Pen and note pad
- Snacks for partner
- Swimmers and change of clothes for partner
- Your own pillow
- Gel heat pack (wheat packs not permitted)
- Birth plan (optional)
Maternity Ward
- Breast pads and 2 x breastfeeding bras
- Maternity sanitary pads x 3 packets
- 1 week supply of underwear / disposable underwear
- Nightwear with open front if you are breastfeeding
- Dressing Gown
- Comfortable clothes for daytime
- Toiletries e.g. deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, dry shampoo, fragrance free body wash, face wash and fragrance free moisturiser
- Reading material
- IPad or laptop loaded with your favourite movies or TV series’ for you and your partner to watch and charger
- Slippers or comfortable shoes
- Hairdryer
- Nail scissors or nail file (to cut / file your nails short in preparation for breastfeeding)
Baby
Kareena Private will provide disposable nappies, clothes for daily wear, bunny rugs and bed linen for your baby whilst in hospital. If you wish you may dress your baby in clothing of your own choice.
If you are planning to use artificial formula to feed your baby, you may bring the formula of your choice, bottles and teats. However, we do supply certain formula (Nan and Aptamil) with bottles and teats if you prefer.
Infant restraint
You are legally required to have your child appropriately restrained with an approved child restraint while travelling in a motor vehicle. Please make sure this is fitted well before you need to take baby home. For more information, please visit https://www.childcarseats.com.au/legal-requirements
Information for Partners
During labour and birth we encourage partners to stay with the labouring women, to help this process we provide meals for the partner until the baby is born. Following the birth partners are welcome at all times, and may also stay overnight, some conditions and charged may apply.
Support People during Labour
Please advise your friends and family that no visiting is allowed whilst you are in the Birthing Suite. You may elect to have up to two support people with you during labour (your partner and one other). Please note that these two support people are not interchangeable during labour. Visitors are encouraged to wait until the next session of visiting hours.
Support People during a Caesarean Section
If you are having an elective (planned) caesarean section with an epidural, your support person will be able to attend. Should you require an emergency Caesarean Section your support person will be able to attend unless a general anaesthetic is given.
However, this decision is dependent on your Doctor and the Anaesthetist. It is important for you to ask when you are planning your caesarean section. Should you require an emergency caesarean section your support person / partner may not be allowed to attend.
Skin to Skin following a planned Caesarean Section
We understand the importance of `skin to skin’, following the birth of your baby. It is advised that you discuss this with your Obstetrician.
Downloadable Patient Information