Local mum praises Margaret River Midwifery Group Practice following happy arrival

A local mum has praised WA Country Health Service’s (WACHS) Margaret River Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) following the birth of her second child at Margaret River Hospital.

Kylie Windle was ably supported throughout the birth of her son Jordy by WACHS Clinical Midwives Karen Ireland and Melony Halsall and the experienced MGP team.

Ms Windle said that she was so happy with the midwife-led birth of her first child that she knew that’s how she wanted to give birth the second time.

“It was really important to me.

“My first birth was midwife-led and it was a great experience, so I knew that was the direction I wanted to go in this time as well,” she said.

Ms Windle was full of praise for midwife Melony and everyone involved in providing the service.

“I think it’s crucial to have a service like this that allows women to birth locally.

“The midwives are so experienced and they’re all so lovely – I felt like I was in very safe hands,” Ms Windle said.

Launched in the South West in 2022 as the fifth MGP in the region – and one of eight in regional WA – the award-winning MGP service provides continuity of midwifery care for women including support with birthing for low-risk pregnancies and shared antenatal and postnatal obstetric care for women with complicated pregnancies.

Importantly, Midwifery Group Practices have shown to assist with increased parental satisfaction with care, lower postnatal depression rates, increased breastfeeding rates and shorter lengths of stay in hospital.

WACHS Coordinator of Midwifery Kate Reynolds said the MGP service was proving to be popular with South West families.

“We know that continuity of midwifery care has such a fantastic, positive effect on maternity outcomes and has huge benefit for mums, babies and the whole family,” Ms Reynolds said.

“The MGP model is an internationally-recognised, evidence-based initiative that provides quality and sustainable midwifery-led, multidisciplinary care and we’re very proud of the work we’re doing to support rural and remote mums in this space.”

Ms Reynolds said the MGP model was one of several key WACHS initiatives supporting families to birth locally.

“We’re also providing 24/7 support to midwives, obstetrics teams and non-birthing sites through the Midwifery and Obstetrics Emergency Telehealth Service (MOETS), via the central Command Centre.

“These services are changing the way we deliver care – and babies – in the bush,” Ms Reynolds added.