Public homebirth service to launch in Geelong

Barwon Health will launch a homebirth service in 2024, and the pilot case has detailed her experience giving birth in her Ocean Grove bedroom.

Midwives Lynne Pyke and Jenny Jackman on the outside with Dom and Olivia Spiller with week old Rafferty and two-year-old Clementine. Picture: Alan Barber

Barwon Health is launching the region’s first publicly funded homebirth program.

The new service will be offered to women who meet clinical criteria and live within 30 minutes of Geelong hospital, and will begin taking formal bookings from next year.

The homebirth service is modelled on Western Health’s program in Melbourne.

The new program is an extension of Barwon Health’s Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) service, which provides continuity of midwifery care to women and their families throughout pregnancy, birth and for the first two weeks at home with a new baby.

It’s understood homebirths will be attended by two midwives and no obstetrician.

Ocean Grove’s Olivia Spiller was the homebirth program’s pilot patient, and gave birth to her son Rafferty in her bedroom last Wednesday.

Ms Spiller had her first child, two-year-old Clementine, at Geelong hospital.

When pregnant with Rafferty she reached out to midwife Jenny Jackman, who had cared for her through the MGP during her first pregnancy, and offered herself as a trial patient for a homebirth program.

Ms Spiller had check-ups at home with Ms Jackman, and an obstetrician prescribed medications she might need for her to keep at home.

She had an appointment with Ms Jackman last Tuesday, and flagged she believed labour was imminent.

She was experiencing contractions every 15 minutes from about 2am last Wednesday, and later that morning her husband called Ms Jackman.

About the time the couple would have headed to hospital he again contacted Ms Jackman, who lives nearby.

She came over and was soon joined by another midwife, Lynne Pyke.

Rafferty was born about an hour later.

Midwives Lynne Pyke and Jenny Jackman on the outside with Olivia Spiller and week old Rafferty. Picture: Alan Barber

Mum and bub have had several check-ups with Ms Jackman at home since.

Ms Spiller said she valued the privacy and convenience of the experience.

“I’m incredibly grateful I got the opportunity to do it,” Ms Spiller said.

“We feel very lucky to have Rafferty be the first once to have that amazing homebirth experience, which is generally quite expensive, and doing it through the public system we didn’t have to pay for it.

“Now I’ve done it I don’t think I could do it any other way.”

MGP manager Kylie Cole said midwifery, obstetric and pediatric staff had worked closely with Ambulance Victoria in the planning process for the new service, in the event that a transfer to hospital was required.

She said there had been interest in a local homebirth service being offered in the Geelong community.

It’s expected the service will start with two homebirths a month, increasing gradually.

“The choice of a planned home birth appeals to some women and their families, so we’re pleased to offer this service through Barwon Health,” Ms Cole said.

“The process of accepting women into the homebirth program includes an assessment of suitability, taking into account the clinical criteria and their proximity to the hospital.”

Epworth Geelong’s maternity unit closed in March.

However, Barwon Health delivered less babies in the 2022-23 financial year (2626) than the 12 months prior (2772).

An information forum on the homebirth service will be held on December 14 at the Deakin Medical School Heath Education and Research Building (HERB) Lecture Theatre or online via Zoom.

More information is available online at: www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1152660

Originally published as Public homebirth service to launch in Geelong