Rebecca Stimson, the clinical midwifery educator at Temora Health Service, has worked in various roles over the past 12 years. Photo: Murrumbidgee Local Health District.
Rebecca Stimson loves nothing more than the small country community of Temora and looking after its women and their babies.
The clinical midwifery educator at Temora Health Service has worked in various roles over the past 12 years, including as a registered nurse and midwife at Temora Hospital.
Rebecca said it was “wonderful to see first-hand positive impacts” the staff could make in providing women-centred care to birthing mothers in the Temora community.
“There is a bit of a misconception in our area that birthing mothers do not have proper access to maternity services in our smaller towns,” Rebecca said.
“I want to assure our community that we are a capable team of 10 midwives who are dedicated to providing quality maternity services to the birthing mothers in our region.
“For many years we have used a ‘grow your own’ approach to our team, and are excited to welcome a student midwife to complete their midwifery degree with us next year,” the midwife said.
The clinical midwifery educator said many of the midwives at Temora Health Service were local women.
“Many of our midwives have completed midwifery training here at Temora,” she said.
“These dedicated women are motivated to stay here, to live and work within our beautiful community.”
The registered nurse said midwives were highly specialised and had the space to form long-lasting relationships.
She said the relationship could extend from prenatal to after the birth of a baby.
“As midwives, we engage and collaborate with so many people, including GPs, obstetricians and paediatricians, to provide care throughout the antenatal, birth and postnatal experience of the patient,” Rebecca said.
“However, what is the most important thing for us, is the relationship and trust we build with our birthing mothers and their families.
In honour of Perinatal Mental Health Week Rebecca had an important message for the community about reaching out and asking for help when it was needed.
“Being pregnant or becoming a new parent can be both exciting and daunting,” Rebecca said.
“We encourage people to be open about the changes and feelings they have. If the ups and downs develop into something more serious, we are there to encourage people to get more help,” she said.
Rebecca said midwives could offer sound clinical advice leading up to birthing and in the weeks that follow.
“A friendly face to confide in or some reassurance, it is all part of our journey together,” Rebecca said.
Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia started Perinatal Mental Health Week in 2005.
Perinatal Mental Health Week’s focus is to help the community and health professionals to better understand perinatal mental health.
This year, Perinatal Mental Health Week’s theme was ‘Building Your Community of Care’.
To find out more information about Temora Hospital Maternity Services, please call 02 6980 0200.
If you’d like to join the team of dedicated midwives in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, find your next opportunity here.
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