Frequently asked questions
You do not need a referral to book into any of our services Although if you think you are pregnant or are very early in your pregnancy, it is still a good idea to visit your GP and discuss your pregnancy with them. They will do some initial screening tests required for your first booking in appointment at the hospital and also provide you with a referral for care.
The contact details for the birthing unit of your hospital is located on the top of your yellow card or antenatal record of care. Don’t forget to bring this with you when you come into hospital.
After the birth of your baby, it’s important that you take each opportunity to rest and recover from your birth. We understand that the birth of a new baby is very exciting and a very important event for families, however we encourage you to restrict visiting until you and your baby have returned home.
Visiting hours are between 7am and 8pm.
MNCLHD encourages feedback to ensure our services are the right fit for our local communities. If you wish to provide feedback, either positive or negative, or are interesting in providing your story for our Maternity page, please contact MNCLHD Consumer Relations.
To book in for antenatal classes you can either speak to your midwife during your antenatal clinic visit or contact the clinic receptionist directly to assist you.
That’s O.K. you don’t need them to register your birth or to apply for Medicare. This can be now done online.
Generally, there is no restriction to the number of support people during labour. However, it is often a nicer birthing environment for you, if you only choose one or two key people with whom you trust to support you through your birthing journey.
If you are having a procedure or staff require access to help you or your baby, we may ask you to limit the number of people within the birthing unit rooms.
If you have bleeding and are worried about your pregnancy before 20 weeks you can contact your local GP, go to your nearest Emergency Department of you may contact the Early Pregnancy Assessment Services at Coffs Harbour Health Campus and Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
If you have any concerns or are worried about the health of you or your baby you can contact the maternity unit outside of your antenatal appointment. The midwife will ask questions about your pregnancy and your concerns and may also suggest you come to the hospital for further assessment.
As COVID-19 infections remain present in the community, we appreciate this can be a stressful time, especially for pregnant women. See NSW site for further information on COVID-19 advice for pregnant women and new parents | NSW Government
Talk to your doctor or midwife if you have any questions or want to find more about:
- staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines (vaccination is recommended for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning pregnancy).
- ways you can protect yourself from getting COVID-19
- testing advice if you have COVID-19 symptoms (runny nose, sore throat, cough, or fever)
- while antiviral medicines are generally not recommended if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and test positive to COVID-19, there may be other treatments available
- What happens if I’m pregnant or in labour and I’ve tested positive?