Maternal & Child Health Service

Hobsons Bay City Council's Maternal and Child Health Service supports families in all areas of parenting, child health and development, family health, well being and safety. We provide a free Maternal and Child Health service to all families with children from birth to 6 years of age.

Further Information

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/maternal-and-child-health-services

 

Who are Maternal & Child Health Nurses

Maternal and Child Health Nurses are Registered Nurses and Midwives who have Postgraduate qualifications in Child, Family and Community Health. Our Nurses work closely with other health and support services and are able to link or refer families to early intervention and specialist assistance as well as local Community supports

Your Hospital Midwife will notify us of your baby's birth. A Maternal and Child Health Nurse will contact you by phone and offer you a home visit as part of the program. Other visits are then generally conducted at your local Maternal and Child Health Centre. These include visits to check your child's growth and development at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 4 months, 8 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2 years, and 3.5 years.

Additional centre or home visits are offered to families with particular needs.

For all appointments or cancellations please call our central booking line on 9932 1300 from Monday to Friday between 9am and 3.30pm.

 

What services are provided?

The service provides a wide range of information, advice and support including

• breastfeeding and formula feeding information and support
• nutrition through all stages
• immunisation
• adjusting to parenthood and education
• changing relationships within the family
• sleep and settling difficulties
• child and health development
• childhood illness
• child safety and injury prevention
• parent groups, community networking
• Maternal physical and emotional health information and support
• After hours sessions at some designated centres
• Interpreters are provided to non English speaking families

 

 

Baby and Toddler Sleep Settling Program

Sleep and settling concerns are common issues affecting young families. Register for a free 90-minute online group session to better understand baby and infant sleep and tips and strategies to promote positive sleep patterns. Parents can sign up for a group session for ages 0 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, and 18 months to 3 years. Email sleepsettling@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au, complete the online form, or contact MCH Central Bookings 9932 1300 to book into a session. This program is funded by the state government. 

 

Out of hours Maternal and Child Health Appointments

Hobsons Bay City Council offers twice-monthly Saturday morning sessions from the Newport Gardens Maternal and Child Health Centre. For further information or to make a booking, speak with your MCH nurse or call MCH bookings on 9932 1300.

 

Maternal and Child Health Open Sessions (closed school holidays and public holidays)

• Newport Gardens Early Years Centre, 51 Maddox Rd, Newport, Tuesdays 1.30pm to 3pm
• Powlett Street Kindergarten/MCH, 65 Powlett St, Altona Meadows, 1st Wednesday of each month, 1.30pm to 3pm

For further information, speak with your MCH nurse or call MCH bookings on 9932 1300

 

Breastfeeding support service

In addition to routine Maternal and Child Health appointments, a breastfeeding support service is also available in Hobsons Bay. To book an appointment, please ring 9932 1300 or talk to your local MCH nurse.

Support can also be provided by contacting the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268.    

Understanding breastfeeding video

Maternal and Child Health Nurse Jane Howard simplifies breastfeeding information for you and your baby and speaks with local mums about their experience breastfeeding and a local dad about his support role. View the video on YouTube.

Breastfeeding Welcome Here

All parents should feel safe and comfortable feeding their babies in public. The Breastfeeding Welcome Here sticker, displayed across council venues and participating businesses in Hobsons Bay, aims to make it easier for parents to find a safe and welcoming space to breastfeed their baby in public. For more information and to register your business, please visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/BreastfeedingWelcome.

Enhanced Maternal & Child Health (EMCH)

This is an outreach service which provides a more focused and intensive level of support for vulnerable families experiencing early parenting difficulties.

For further information please contact your local Maternal and Child Health Nurse or call 9932 1300

Circle of Security Parenting group

Free eight-week parenting program, for parents/carers with a child from birth to three years who are concerned about their relationship with their child and/or their child's behaviour. The program is based on decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened. To register, book online. For more information, read the Circle of Security Parenting brochure(PDF, 738KB) . 

For further information please contact your local Maternal and Child Health Nurse or call 9932 1300.

Baby Makes 3 Online

A program offered to all new parents in Hobsons Bay

Baby Makes 3 is a health promotion initiative that provides support to both parents as they transition into parenthood. The program is run over a three-week period, with one session per week. Each session is two hours in duration. The sessions are provided by two facilitators - a male and a female. 

All groups will be run via Zoom, with a link sent to participants. 

For group dates and further information, please contact your MCH nurse, call 9932 1300 or complete online form. 

 

Centre locations

*Denotes part-time centre.

Covid Safe Pandemic Guidelines

We have made some changes to keep your family safe and healthy.

Face to face appointments have now resumed for all infants/children. Telehealth appointments are still available upon request. All families are encouraged to wear a fitted face mask when attending a Maternal Child Health Centre or in their home when staff are conducting a home visit. Do not attend a face-to-face appointment if you or your child/children are experiencing cold/flu symptoms or unwell.

Parent Groups have resumed face to face and masks encouraged if indoors. Please adhere to social distancing

 

For further Enquiries Maternal and Child Health Leadership and Administration can be contacted on 9932 1300.