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Nowra first Aboriginal owned and midwifery-led free standing birth centre

June 13, 2024 10:25 am in by

Nowra will be home to the first Aboriginal owned and midwifery-led free standing birth centre in Australia, with a significant contribution of $21.3 million investment from the Minns Labor Government. 

Waminda’s Gudjaga Gunyahlamai Birth Centre and Community Hub will support culturally safe holistic maternity care for Aboriginal women and their families in the South Coast region.

Birthing on Country supports Aboriginal women and babies by providing culturally safe continuity of midwifery care including antenatal, birthing and postnatal support.

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Birthing on Country models have been shown to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, including women attending more antenatal visits, being less likely to have a premature birth and being more likely to exclusively breastfeed on discharge from hospital.

Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has worked closely with the South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation (Waminda) to support the implementation of its Birthing on Country initiative.

This initiative will complement the Binji & Boori Aboriginal Maternal Infant Child Health Service, increasing access to culturally safe and respectful care for Aboriginal women and families in Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.

We know people across the state are doing it tough right now, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for families in NSW to make ends meet.

The budget will prioritise building better communities, ensuring we have the essential services the people of NSW rely on, that pays our essential workers fairly and that keeps our communities safe.

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