Victorian towns in the midst of a baby boom

Victoria is experiencing a post-lockdown baby boom, with one town set for a whopping 51 per cent spike. See where the new bubs are being born.

Victoria is in the midst of a post-lockdown baby boom. Picture: Josie Hayden

Victoria is in the midst of post-lockdown baby boom, with an extra 1423 babies expected by the end of next month.

The extra births — due between April and August — show a spike compared to the same period last year, with some health services expecting up to 50 per cent more births.

The increase in birthing numbers has been linked to the extended coronavirus restrictions that were in place across Victoria in 2020.

New mum Hannah Martin and baby Soren who is part of Victoria’s baby boom. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

Western District Health, which includes Hamilton Base Hospital, is expecting a whopping 51 per cent increase in babies, while Bendigo is set to welcome 43 per cent more bubs in the period from April to August.

The state government will bolster Victoria’s hardworking midwifery workforce with a $13.2 million package to meet the growing demand for public maternity services.

Health Minister Martin Foley on Friday announced the funding for extra staffing to ensure mothers and their babies can get the very best and safest care during the current surge in births.

An extra 175 staff will be funded across the state to help relieve pressure for busy midwives at 38 health services across Victoria.

This package includes funding for increased frontline care on priority shifts such as night duty and to improve rostering across the system.

In the past 12 months, 6679 babies have been born at Joan Kirner Women’s & Children’s Hospital in Sunshine — the highest on record.

It’s a seven per cent rise — 480 births — more than the previous year.

In March alone, 621 babies were born.

The Royal Women’s Hospital will also be supported to implement new workforce models that will rapidly deploy frontline supports to the bedside where they are needed, supporting mothers and babies of higher need.

The global pandemic has also created significant pressures on the healthcare workforce, particularly among midwives, which is why this maternity workforce boost is so important.

New mum Hannah Martin said her little bundle of joy was “absolutely a (planned) Covid baby”.

“We just thought ‘well we’re going to be stuck here for a few years, not going overseas and the time is right now’,” she laughed.

Health Minister Martin Foley said: “The pandemic has had a lasting impact across Australia, including an unexpected increase in birthing activity that is delivering a one-off surge in demand on our maternity services.”

He added: “Our dedicated midwives are some of the hardest working in the country and this investment in the maternity workforce reinforces that we will always back them — and the extraordinary work they do.

“All Victorian mothers deserve the very best and safest maternity care. Extra staffing will relieve pressure on midwives, giving them more time to dedicate to mothers and their babies and take the breaks they truly deserve.”