Better births not baby bundles – that’s what the president of an Illawarra advocacy group would have liked to see in the 2018 Budget.
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Giselle Coromandel runs Better Births Illawarra, which is running a campaign to improve birth options and facilities at Wollongong Hospital.
She welcomed some aspects of the state government’s $157 million ‘Parents Package’ outlined in Tuesday’s Budget, though felt it did little to improve birthing facilities locally.
She was sceptical about the promised ‘baby bundle’ for new parents – which will cost the state $7.6 million and will include items such a baby sleeping bag, thermometer, wipes and nappies.
“I feel there’s a real disconnect between the baby bundle and what new parents really want,” Ms Coromandel said, “and that is for services and facilities that genuinely support mothers and babies to be healthy and safe.
“When you look at the condition of the facilities women are giving birth in at Wollongong Hospital, and the support services available for them afterwards, you can see many areas where these millions could have been better spent.
“For instance it could be used to implement the government’s own Towards Normal Birth policy, which aims to see 35 per cent of women having access to midwife-led continuity of care.”
The government’s new Parents Package also includes funding for 100 more midwives as well as extra child and family health nurses to support new parents in hospital and at home.
“More midwives are welcome – but we’re yet to find out how many of these will be allocated to Wollongong, where there’s a desperate need,” Ms Coromandel said.
Meantime Wollongong Hospital is one of several hospitals to share in $2 million for a paediatric amenity upgrade under the package.
An Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District spokeswoman said Wollongong would receive $250,000 for its upgrade, to be completed in the 2018-19 financial year.
“The paediatric amenity upgrades may include revitalising indoor and outdoor play areas so that access to these areas is bright, interactive and inviting for children,” she said.
“The upgrades will help enhance the physical environment for many children, including those with mobility issues and those connected to medical equipment in hospital.”
Ms Coromandel praised the statewide Mental Health Infrastructure Program announced in the Budget, which will see funds allocated to build new specialist mental health units for mothers and their babies.
“When women are hospitalised for mental health issues they have to go straight to a standard psychiatric unit, rather than a facility for mothers and babies, so this new measure is welcome,” she said.
“However it means women in Wollongong will still have to travel to Sydney to get that specialist care. With the high rates of postnatal depression and mental illness, it would make a huge difference to have a facility in our region – more so than nappies and baby wipes.”