Better Labours For Young Mothers

Expecting mothers are set to experience better labours.  Young Hospital’s maternity unit now has it long awaited mobile cordless baby monitor which will now give mothers freedom to move around while in labour.  It will also improve safe birth outcomes and wellbeing of mother and newborn, and lead to fewer emergency transfers to larger hospitals which are no less than two hours away.

The Lions Club of Young and the Young Health Service Auxiliary raised $15,141 between them and the Lions NSW-ACT Public Health Care Foundation contributed a maximum grant amount of $15,000 for the purchase of the machine for $30,141.

Young’s nurse manager Wendy Dewar said research shows that women who are moving around during their birthing experience have shorter and more comfortable labours.  “Which is what we want to provide,” Wendy said, “it will make a huge difference to the workload of our midwives.”

Up until a week ago women were forced to stay in bed to have their baby’s heart beat monitored because the sensors were attached by cord to the old machine. “Now they will have much more freedom to move around, whether it be in the bath, bed or walking, and don’t have to be strapped to a bed,” Wendy said.

back, left to right, student midwife Jackie Cooper, Lions Club district governor Barbara Andrews and Young Lions Club president David Tame; front, nurse manager Wendy Dewar, LIONS Helen Sell AND Jan Foreman, midwife Sandy McKenzie, LION Carmel Price and Nola Noakes (Young Hosptial Auxiliary).