About Maternity Services at Peninsula Health
Frankston Hospital offers comprehensive pregnancy care, with a number of antenatal and postnatal programs available. The Frankston maternity ward is known as the ‘Women’s Health Unit’. It is made up of a 5 bed pregnancy assessment unit; a birth unit, and an antenatal/postnatal unit, with 36 beds in total.
Midwifery Unit tours are conducted every Sunday at 2.30pm. Meet us in front of the Women’s Health Unit entrance, and one of our lovely midwives will show you around. No appointment is necessary for this tour.
Frankston hospital has a level 2 Special Care Nursery which provides facilities for up to 13 babies from 32 weeks pregnancy onward, needing closer observation or specialised treatment.
Visiting Hours
Frankston Hospital
Birthing Suites:
Open access for partner and one other identified support person
Antenatal and Postnatal Suites:
6.30am – 1.30pm
3.30pm – 8.30pm
The ward is strictly closed to ALL visitors between 1:30pm and 3:30pm
Women have the option to express a ‘No Visitors’ request at any time during their stay
It is therefore advisable for visitors to ensure access will be allowed prior to arrival.
Visiting during ward closure is by pre-arrangement only.
Children visiting the ward are to be supervised at all times and should not be left unattended by partners or visitors
Partners and visitors who are unwell should refrain from accessing the ward to avoid the spread of possible infectious illness to mothers and babies.
To ensure patient comfort a maximum of 4 visitors at any one time is advised.
Links
Services for Women
Many options are available for women on the Peninsula. Care incorporates antenatal, postnatal care and women’s health services.
- Childbirth Education – there are two different types of classes for expectant parents through the hospital. Saturday classes are an all day class from 9-3.30pm, and include information on labour, birth and breastfeeding. Evening classes run on a Monday or Wednesday evening, from 6-9pm four weeks in a row. These classes include a ward tour, and cover the remainder of the antenatal period, tests offered, how labour starts, labour, coping mechanisms, pain relief, birth, breastfeeding, early parenting, and healthy relationships. The classes are capped in size, and it is recommended that you book as early as possible due to popularity. This will allow you to choose the class that best suits your needs. This can be organised for you at your booking appointment.
Clinics
- Booking In Clinic – The first step in your pregnancy. It is advisable that you make this booking as early as possible in your pregnancy to ensure you receive the important information regarding pregnancy care. It is the opportunity to meet the midwives and discuss the options and programs available to you throughout your pregnancy.
To make a booking for this clinic ring:
Frankston: 9784 2600
Mon – Fri: 9am-4pm - Midwives Clinic – our team of midwives provide antenatal care for healthy women with low risk pregnancies. These run Monday and Wednesday 5.30pm-9pm, and Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm.
- Early Pregnancy and Postnatal Assessment Service (EPPAS) – provides triage, assessment and management for women experiencing vaginal bleeding and/or pain in early pregnancy
- Young Woman’s Clinic – specifically for woman under 22 years.
- High Risk/ Obstetric Clinic – specifically designed for women requiring medical management in a high risk category.
- Speciality Midwife Clinic – specifically for women experiencing alcohol / drug dependency issues, mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities.
- Women’s Health Clinic – this clinic is staffed by a female general practitioner and experienced family planning midwives. Services provided include contraceptive advice, preventative health screening including pap smears, breast examination and menopausal health issues.
- Breastfeeding Support Service – Lactation Consultants provide individual expert help to both antenatal [pregnant] and postnatal women. Priority is given to women who have birthed at Peninsula Health or who live within the service boundaries of Peninsula Health. The service operates 3 days per week, two at the Frankston campus and one of those days (Thurs) at the community health centre in Hastings. This is located at 185 High Street, Hastings. Bookings for all breastfeeding clinics either at the Frankston or Hastings sites can be made via 9784 2600.
Models of Pregnancy Care Available at Peninsula Health
- Midwife care
- Team Midwifery (a continuity of care model with a philosophy towards natural birth)
- Antenatal GP Shared Care – Over 60 local GPs are affiliated with the Hospital
- Obstetricians – both public and private care