New cots for baby and mother centre

Monash Medical Centre’s mother and baby unit are the grateful recipients of two new, and much needed Oostwould cots, after The Honda Foundation stepped in with a generous $11,972 donation for their purchase.

Six beds and six cots make up the in-patient mother and baby unit, which is available to women with perinatal psychiatric and psychological disorders and their infants.

Perinatal psychiatric and psychological disorders include pre and post birth disorders such as depression and anxiety. Australian statistics have shown that postnatal depression alone affects between ten and twenty percent of all new mothers.

Women who are admitted to the Mother and Baby Unit with pregnancy related disorders are carefully treated through a specialised assessment and management program. This program is designed to care for the emotional and physical development of the infant and the psychiatric care of the mother. Unique features of the unit require the use of special cots which meet Australian standards, occupational and health standards, and issues relating to infection control and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Managing the health of the mother as she learns to adjust to the hormonal changes induced by pregnancy and birth, is a large factor to consider, though not the only one. Caring for the health of the new born, with infants up to twelve months of age being accepted into the unit, is equally important to the program.

“The new cots are light and very easily portable which allows us to have mothers and older babies staying in a room together, which is so important at this time. The previous cots were larger meaning that older babies were cared for in a separate room to the mother” said Barbara Minto, Nurse Unit Manager of the Mother and Baby Unit.

“On behalf of Southern Health we would like to thank The Honda Foundation for their generous donation which has made an enormous difference to the wellbeing of our clients.”

The Honda Foundation’s chairman, Lindsay Smalley said “The care unit provides a safe space for new mothers to receive much needed support and understanding, as they work through a difficult adjustment period. We are glad to be supporting Australian doctors and nurses in any way we can.”

Image:
(Lt-Rt) Rebecca Lovitt, Manager Monash Health Foundation, Lisa Lynch, Director Early in Life Mental Health Services, Lidor Arbel, Operational Manager Bed Based Stream ELHMS, Elise Hendriksen, Public Relations Administrator Honda Foundation, Lindsay Smalley, Chairman Honda Foundation, with mum, dad and baby in the Mother Baby Unit at Monash Medical Centre.