Statistics show Campbelltown Hospital baby boom beats number of births at Liverpool

IT’S official. Campbelltown Hospital is experiencing a baby boom and it’s edged ahead of its nearest rival for the first time this year.

James Dean Butler, Bernadette Pameti and Alyssa Reed. For the first time, more babies have been born at Campbelltown Hospital than Liverpool Hospital. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

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IT’S official. Campbelltown Hospital is experiencing a baby boom with more babies being delivered there than at Liverpool Hospital for the first time this year.

Latest year to date figures show 1193 babies have been born at Campbelltown compared to 1142 at Liverpool.

Campbelltown Hospital birthing unit nurse unit manager Caroline Bester said an average of 295 babies, but often 300 babies, are born there each month.

“Liverpool Hospital used to be ahead of us but now we are starting to edge away a bit,’’ Mrs Bester said.

She said the increase in births was being fuelled by the Macarthur region’s population growth.

Campbelltown Hospital midwifery unit manager Linda Goulding agreed.

“We are having a steep incline in births and it’s because of the development and the new housing estates all around us,’’ she said.

“We were on a slow curve (of rising birth numbers) but now it’s s steep curve and it’s happening fast.’’

An average of 295 babies are born at Campbelltown Hospital each month. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

As reported in the Macarthur Chronicle, the region’s population will skyrocket to reach 500,000 people by 2036, making it larger than the Sunshine Coast, Northern Territory, Wollongong and Canberra.

Campbelltown Hospital currently has about 100 midwives.

Mrs Bester said a number of measures were being put in place including to recruit more midwives and looking at different models of care.

“We are looking at introducing more midwifery support at home so mums are able to go home sooner,’’ she said. “It’s a cultural shift (to go home sooner) but if women have recovered quickly they can go home to their own environment.

Campbelltown Hospital is experienceing a baby boom.

“Really only sick people should be in hospital and having babies is a normal and natural process.’’

Mrs Bester said another measure was increasing its post-natal care support, and models such as team midwifery, where a team would be responsible for each mum to ensure continuance of care.

Mrs Goulding said in anticipation of the growth in demand, the hospital’s pre and post-natal ward was revamped 12 years ago into a state-of-the-art facility.

“We have already outgrown it but we have the capacity to grow further,’’ she said.

The birthing unit currently has seven acute beds and four birthing rooms.

Mum gives tick of approval

FIRST-time mum Ingrid Medina said she chose to give birth to her son at Campbelltown Hospital for two important reasons.

Ms Medina, 29, whose baby James Dean Butler was born on Thursday weighing 3.34kg, said she chose Campbelltown Hospital’s birthing unit because it was closer to her and her partner’s home at Spring Farm.

She said she also chose Campbelltown Hospital because she developed hypertension during her pregnancy and she wanted to be well cared for during her pregnancy and son’s birth.

Ms Medina said she was surprised to hear Campbelltown Hospital had overtaken Liverpool Hospital for the first time and more babies, 1193 compared to 1142 at Liverpool, had been born at Campbelltown so far this year.

Ingrid Medina (29) with baby James Dean Butler. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

“I thought a lot more babies would be born at Liverpool Hospital because it’s a more established area,’’ she said.

Ms Medina was induced three weeks early due to hypertension and said if she had more children she would return to Campbelltown Hospital to give birth there.

Campbelltown Hospital midwifery unit manager Linda Goulding said maternity services at the facility catered for mums and families from all over the Macarthur area and its new housing estates including those at Spring Farm, Oran Park, Gledswood Hills and as far south as Tahmoor.

“We also get referrals from Bowral Hospital and their high risk patients also come here,’’ Mrs Goulding said.

She said maternity services also provided midwifery support at home after new mums and their babies left the hospital.

Linda Goulding Midwifery unit manager with and Lina Versace.