Alfred Health : Maternity and Newborn Services at Sandringham Hospital

Maternity and newborn services

Sandringham Hospital offers a range of Women’s & Children's Health services including a small, friendly, 17 bed Maternity unit, 4 Birthing Suites, a level two Special Care Nursery and Paediatric Services.

These services support families from the surrounding community areas including cities of Kingston, Port Phillip, Glen Eire and Bayside.
We care for ‘low to moderate risk' women during pregnancy, labour and birth, post natal and provide a home visiting service.

A Breastfeeding Support Service is available to mothers & babies between the ages of newborn to 3 months who are having feeding difficulties.

The unit also provides antenatal classes held by the midwives and physiotherapists and postnatal exercise classes held by the physiotherapists

Sandringham Hospital Specialist Clinics

Models of antenatal care

Five models of antenatal care are offered at Sandringham Hospital:

Sandy Midwives Care - where the patients have the majority of their antenatal checks performed by the midwives, post first visit consultation with an obstetrician.

Family Medicine Obstetric Clinic - antenatal care is given by a group of accredited GP's in the clinic attached to the hospital.

Specialist Obstetrician - for patients with complicated pregnancies.

Shared Care - if the patient's family Doctor is accredited with the hospital, he/she may share the patient's antenatal care with the Doctors in the clinic. Costs depend on the family Doctor's fees for antenatal care.

If a patient chooses one of the above options for antenatal care, they will be cared for by the midwives and GP Obstetrician on that day. Paediatricians, anaesthetists and obstetricians are called in as necessary.

GP Obstetric Care - all antenatal care and birth care is given by an accredited GP. The doctor sees the patient in his rooms. Costs depend on the GP's fees for antenatal care.

Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC)

Sandringham Maternity supports VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) providing informed choice and Specialist Obstetric antenatal appointments to discuss planning for your birth following previous Caesarean Section. For more information please refer to booklet Birth Choices what is best for you…Vaginal or caesarean birth? by Allison Shorten available from Capers Bookstore

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Referral and management guidelines for general practitioners

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How to refer to our service

Please provide your patient with a referral letter that they can forward with a Maternity Booking Form by either fax to 9076 1515, or post to: Maternity booking clerk, First floor, 193 Bluff Rd, Sandringham Vic 3191.

Maternity VSRF (Victorian State Referral Form) in printable Word format
Maternity VSRF (Victorian State Referral Form) to install for Medical Director format
Maternity Booking Form printable pdf format (for patient to complete)

Usually within a week of receiving both the referral letter and the booking form from your patient, our booking clerk will contact the patient to make a booking-in appointment and first obstetric appointment at the outpatient clinic. You can refer patients to our website www.alfredhealth.org.au/maternity for further information on our services.

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