Ingham maternity service celebrates nine years with fantastic four

A remarkable four babies birthed within 24-hours has helped mark the 9th anniversary of Ingham Health Service’s maternity service reopening.

Giorgia Firmi, Marites Carao, Hannah Bestmann, and Leah Dingwell’s children will forever have a special bond, having been born within the same 24-hours on April 7 and 8.

First time mother, Ms Firmi said despite her long labour she was so grateful for her midwife Kelly.

“I was in labour for probably 15 hours, and it was a really long night but she stayed for probably longer than she was supposed to,” she said.

Ms Carao agreed with Ms Firmi and only had praise for the birthing team.

“As a first-time mum, it’s a very exciting journey and the midwives and doctors supported me throughout my entire pregnancy, through to the delivery and aftercare,” she said.

Baby Jesse was Ms Bestmann’s third pregnancy but the first-time giving birth at a rural hospital.

“The first two were born at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, and while the facilities at SCUH are more aesthetic and fresher, the expertise of my two midwives here in Ingham was noticeably significant,” she said.

“I felt more and more confident in their care with each appointment, and they helped me trust my body to naturally labour without interventions which I appreciated and had hoped for.”

The birthing service had been closed for 10 years before community advocacy saw the service reopened on July 1, 2016.

Senior medical officer Dr Carmel Cockburn said the birthing service had much to celebrate over the past nine years.

“The ability to provide a safe and consistent rural birthing service despite workplace shortages across rural Australia has been a huge achievement,” she said.

“It has required constant dedication from our team and community.

“Our team includes midwives, rural generalists with obstetric and anaesthetic skills as well as theatre nurses for those times caesarean section or operative complications arise.”

Clinical midwife Jodie Nema said the service was important to the community that there was continuous access to maternity services in the region.

“We provide an essential service that encompasses antenatal, birth and postnatal care to pregnant women and their families in the Hinchinbrook area,” she said.

“The midwifery group practice has capacity to provide services both at the hospital, and where appropriate, in-home care.

“We also work closely with maternity services at Townsville University Hospital when higher levels of care or support are required.”

The service accepts referrals via local GPs or self-referral, by calling 07 4720 3050.