NALHN Midwifery Outreach Clinic for young parents

08 September 2021

For over two years Jaime Robins has been utilising her skills and knowledge as a midwife to support young people to continue their secondary education while preparing for parenthood at the Northern Adelaide Senior College through a midwifery outreach program delivered in partnership between the Department of Education and SA Health’s Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN).

Twice a week Jaime holds a ‘Bubs and Me’ program available for young parents aged from 14-25 in Adelaide’s northern suburbs until their child is 12 months of age.

“Classes are held in an informal, relaxed environment where I encourage the young parents to ask questions and share their personal experiences, or those of family and friends, with the group,” said Jaime.

“Each week we cover a new topic and I bring different equipment to the classroom so they become familiar with some of the items they may come across during their pregnancy and labour, making the experience less daunting.” It also empowers the young parents with a lot of knowledge before they reach the hospital.”

The outreach program supports young parents to obtain their SACE while receiving their antenatal care removing some of the barriers, such as childcare, that prevent young parents from completing their education. Parents can bring their babies to classes or take advantage of the free onsite creche, making it easy to breastfeed in between classes.

Pictured: Young mums Angel (left) and Paige are regular attendees of the ‘Bubs and Me’ program with their child, Cobyn and Lyla.

Angel, mother of six-month-old baby boy Cobyn, has been attending the classes since she became pregnant after hearing about the program from her school and colleagues at work.

“The classes have been really good, I have learnt a range of things from the variety of contraception available for women to what to expect during pregnancy, birth and as a new mum,” said Angel. “It’s also been good to meet other mums around my own age.”

“Jaime helped me to become a lot calmer during my pregnancy and has been available to answer any questions I have had. “She just wants to do the best thing for you and your baby.”

According to Jaime she has seen significant progress in Angel since she began taking the classes. “She always participates in classes, asking questions and sharing her experiences of childbirth and pregnancy, which encourages others to interact and helps them to understand what they may experience.”

Angel is determined to finish her SACE as she is working towards becoming a midwife, an ambition she has had since she was four. “Childbirth is an incredible thing, I want to support mothers through labour making sure they are safe, and help bring a healthy baby into this world,” said Angel.

For Jaime working at Northern Adelaide Senior College is extremely rewarding. She first began supporting mothers in the northern Adelaide suburbs 21 years ago where she worked for five years as a Mother Carer with NALHN before becoming a midwife. Since 2008 she has been employed as a midwife at Lyell McEwin Hospital, and now splits half her time between the hospital and Northern Adelaide Senior College.

“As someone who grew up in the area, and was a young mum, it is really rewarding empowering young women to have the knowledge and confidence to become good mothers, and remain engaged in their education,” said Jaime.

NALHN also provides an outreach clinic at the Northern Adelaide Senior College campus providing early contraception advice, pregnancy testing, antenatal care, preparation for labour and birth, general baby health checks and blood tests. Any young person can attend the clinic which is open between 9am to 3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

To learn more contact Jaime at Northern Adelaide Senior College on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s between 9am to 3pm on 08 7285 1605, or call BAUL on 08 8282 0749.