During your stay with us, our midwives and nurses will provide education and information to enable you to confidently care for yourself and your baby in preparation for going home. While at Mater Mothers’ Private Townsville, you will have 24 hour access to our expert, caring midwives, nurses and clinical support team at the press of a button.
Where to go for admission
Admission during the day
For admission to Mater Mothers’ Private Townsville during the day, please present to the main entrance of the hospital at our Hyde Park Campus, closest to Oxford Street. If you can walk, please go to the main reception. If you are in strong labour and too uncomfortable to move from the car, or you need immediate assistance, please remain in the car and ask your support person to request urgent assistance at the hospital's main reception.
After hours admissions
If you’re coming to hospital after hours (between 8.30 pm and 6.00 am) there is a video intercom to enable you to contact the ward, who will remotely open the door for you. The front doors to the hospital will be electronically locked between 8.30 pm and 6 am.
When to contact or come to hospital
Please phone ahead before coming to the hospital so that we can best prepare for your arrival. You should contact the immediately hospital if:
- you experience any vaginal bleeding or spotting
- your waters break, even if you are not experiencing any contractions
- you are experiencing regular, painful contractions
- you are experiencing increasing discomfort, either abdominally or in the lower back
- you think your baby’s movements have reduced
- sudden increase in swelling or puffiness of your face, hands or feet
- persistent, frequent headaches
- blurred vision or spots before your eyes
- persistent vomiting
- sharp, constant pain in the abdomen (with or without bleeding)
- sudden increase or decrease in the amount of urine passed, or if you experience burning when going to the toilet
- you are concerned or unsure about what is happening.
Accommodation
At Mater Mothers’ Private Townsville, our rooms are designed to ensure your stay is comfortable. Each single room includes an ensuite bathroom, phone, TV, refrigerator with a minibar menu, coffee-pod machine with a selection of tea and coffee, breastfeeding lamp, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The unit also has five private rooms with a double-bed, where partners are welcome to stay overnight. Please enquire on admission if you would like to stay in one of these rooms.
Birth suite
Our birth suites have been designed to create a harmonious, safe and personal environment for the birth of your baby.
Your midwife will help you achieve your individual birth plan, and make the most of pain relief options. Refreshments are provided for you and your support person. Meals and snacks for your support person can also be ordered through our food service.
For that extra measure of safety, a fully equipped operating theatre is nearby to deal with any complications, as well as our special care nursery.
Operating suite
If you have a caesarean birth with a spinal anaesthetic, we welcome one support person into the operating suite and will provide your support person with appropriate theatre clothing. If you need to have a caesarean with a general anaesthetic your support person will not be permitted in the operating suite. No additional visitors are allowed in the recovery room.
Room service
Mater Mothers’ Private Townsville is proud of its food service menu, which provides a wide selection of tasty, nutritious meals. The established menu varies each day and is designed to cater for low fat to diabetic diets. However, if you have additional dietary needs such as gluten free, or other specific requests, please inform reception when you book into the hospital so that specific meals can be organised prior to your admission.
Meals for partners can be ordered from the menu at a cost of $10 for lunch and dinner, and $15 for a hot breakfast. This fee will be charged to your account and invoiced to you on discharge. Tea and coffee making facilities are available from the Café Bar and an individual coffee-pod machine with a selection of teas and coffee is located in your room for convenience. Vending machines for snacks and drinks are available in the Education Room.
Special Care Nursery
Mater Mothers’ Private Townsville’s Special Care Nursery (SCN) cares for babies born at 34 weeks gestation and over, who do not require ventilation. The nursery is located within the unit and therefore has easy access to your room. If your baby requires more intensive treatment, a transfer to the Townsville University Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may be required. This decision will be made in consultation with you and your paediatrician.
Our special care nursery contains eight monitor equipped cot bays, plus:
- humidicrib/isolettes
- heated water beds (Kambeds)
- apnoea monitors
- phototherapy equipment
- resuscitation equipment
- hi-flow oxygen
Close monitoring of your baby's condition will be performed until their condition stabilises. Our team will regularly check your baby’s temperature, heart and respiratory rate, oxygen saturations, and blood sugar levels.
Visitors
Visitors are welcome at Mater Mothers’ Private Townsville during visiting hours, 8am to 8pm daily.
We recommend limiting the number of visitors to ensure you and your baby get time to rest. Please encourage your visitors to phone before they come so you can suggest a time convenient for you and your baby. Partners can visit at any time.
Visitors should only cuddle your baby with your permission and must wash their hands before doing so. For the health and safety of you and your baby, and other mothers and babies, please ask your family and friends not to visit if they have an infectious illness or have recently had contact with an infectious disease. Please ensure children are supervised at all times.
Rest period
We encourage mothers and their newborns to rest between the hours of 1 pm and 3 pm every day. During this time, there will be no visitors permitted to the wards except a partner or support person. Phone calls will be diverted to the midwife’s staff base, unit lights dimmed and we recommend that mobile phones are switched off during this time.
Caring for you pelvic floor
We encourage you to care for your pelvic floor before and after the birth of your baby. If you would like to see one of our Women’s Health Physiotherapists, you will be asked to make a booking prior to your admission to hospital. If you have not made a booking but decide you would like to see a physiotherapist once you are at hospital, a visit will be organised through reception.