Booking In

Women are referred by their General Practitioner or Obstetrician following confirmation of pregnancy, or self refer, and make an appointment to see the booking in midwife.
At this discussion information is provided on the services, facilities and models of care offered. An initial history and hospital booking is completed, and an appointment for the appropriate antenatal clinic is made, or return to your private Obstetrician.
Booking sessions are held Monday to Thursday on level five on the main Base Hospital building. (Refer to map)
To make an appointment please call (03) 5320 4221.
Please note: If you wish to use disposable nappies you need to provide them along with all other personal items and clothing for your baby.

Models of Care

Women attending Ballarat Health Services - Base Hospital to have their baby have the option of seven models of care:

Shared care with General Practitioner:
This is the most common option and involves 3 to 4 visits to the antenatal clinic and the rest of their care being with their General Practitioner.
Each woman has a shared care card which she keeps with her to bring into hospital when she is admitted in labour.
In labour she is cared for by the maternity unit team composed of midwives, resident doctors, and consultant obstetricians.

Primary Midwifery Care Program (PMCP)
A low risk, continuity of carer model where women are cared for by a known midwife for all their pregnancy, labour and postnatal care.

Midwifery clinic care:
A low-risk clinic where women are seen by a team of midwives throughout their pregnancy to maintain continuity of care and are cared for by midwives in the delivery suite.

Teenage pregnancy clinic and aboriginal women's clinic
A service specifically for teenage and Aboriginal women and their partners, run in conjunction with the Midwives Clinic.
In labour these women are cared for by the maternity unit team.

Maternity unit team care
This group includes all women with complicated pregnancies who are cared for at antenatal clinic and for their birth by the maternity unit team of midwives, resident doctors and consultant obstetricians.

Midwife for Aboriginal Services
A service specifically for Aboriginal women with the care shared between the venues of the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative and BHS.

Private patients of specialist Obstetricians
If you have private health insurance or are paying your own way, you can select care by an Obstetrician of your choice throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.