Maternal and Child Health Service

To make a maternal and child health appointment booking please either click on the "Make a Booking" link below

Make a Booking

or scan the QR Code.

The hospital where you have your baby will notify Council of the birth.  A maternal and child health nurse will contact you within a few days after discharge from hospital.

If you have not been contacted by your maternal and child health nurse within a week of coming home or you are having problems, please telephone 0409 166 891.

Your maternal and child health nurse will initially make a visit to your home and then make an appointment time for you to visit the maternal and child health centre.

Upon the birth of your baby, you will receive a child health and development record book that your maternal and child health nurse will use to record your child’s progress, immunisations and other important events in their development. Remember to always bring your record book with you to the centre.

Appointments can be made in advance.

If you have recently moved into Loddon Shire, please telephone 0409 166 891 to make an appointment with the maternal and child health nurse in your nearest centre.

Loddon Shire Council operates six (6) maternal and child health centres.  You can visit by calling 0409 166 891 or emailing earlyyears@loddon.vic.gov.au for an appointment.

When you go to the centre, the maternal and child health nurse will review your child’s health, development and learning, discuss any parenting issues and talk to you about your own health and how the experience with your baby has been so far.

Information about the baby’s health and development is recorded in the record book.

Visits are an opportunity for you to ask questions about your child, yourself or anything that you are concerned about.

Your own health and wellbeing is very important and can be discussed with the maternal and child health nurse at any time during your visit. 

Parents may attend the centre as often as they feel is necessary, however visits typically occur at the following recommended key ages and stages:

• 2 weeks
• 4 weeks
• 8 weeks
• 4 months
• 8 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 2 years
• 3 ½ years

The enhanced maternal and child health service is a free home visiting service for families.

Families requiring additional support with sleep/settling and parenting concerns are offered additional visits and/or support by the enhanced maternal and child health nurse. 

For further information please contact 0409 166 891 or email earlyyears@loddon.vic.gov.au 

Loddon Shire Council runs new parent groups for mothers and fathers.

This is organised by the maternal and child health nurse. 

Our new parents group is a free facilitated program open to parents. Held in a relaxed, supportive environment, the new parents group is an opportunity for you to gain information and support from a maternal and child health nurse, as well as the opportunity to meet other first time parents in your area.

Maternal and child health nurses are available to assist with breastfeeding and breast milk issues.  Additional services provided by breastfeeding professionals can be arranged if required.

Once at home, breastfeeding and lactation support is available. These may include home visits by a maternal and child health lactation consultant, telephone support and a breastfeeding clinic.

We can help you with

• difficulty attaching your baby to the breast
• sore, cracked or inverted nipples
• too much or too little milk                                                           
• mastitis
• engorgement and/or breast pain
• unsettled/unhappy baby
• baby not gaining weight
• refusal of breast by your baby
• difficulty expressing milk

• breastfeeding twins
• breastfeeding a premature baby.

Better Health Channel - Maternal and Child Health Service

Better Health Channel- Maternal and Child Health Line

Australia Breastfeeding Association

Royal Childrens Hospital Melbourne YouTube: Play Is All Around Us!

Safe Seats Safe Kids

Consent

We need your consent to create your child's health record and to collect and store information.

Your maternal and child health nurse will answer any questions you may have and then ask you to sign a consent form to allow us to collect and store information in your child's health record.

You are able to change your consent at any time.

Privacy

Your child's health record can only be accessed by a member of the maternal and child health team and there are laws that protect your child's health record.

Information in your child's health record is private and we must keep it safe in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic) and Health Records Act 2001.

We will not share this information with anyone unless you provide written or verbal consent, or otherwise only in accordance with information sharing legislation.

The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme and Child Information Sharing Scheme explicitly recognise that a child's safety takes precedence over any individual's privacy. Consent is not required from any person prior to sharing information that is relevant to assessing or managing the risk of family violence to a child or promoting the wellbeing or safety of a child.

For example, it may be useful to share information with your family doctor or when referring to another service. Sharing of information (with your consent) may be done in a number of ways such as face-to-face, telephone, email, post or by text message.

The maternal and child health service is state-wide.  If you move, your child's health record can be transferred to another maternal and child health centre.

Non-identifying statistics are also reported regularly to Council and the Department of Health and are used for service planning purposes.