Maternal and Child Health (MACH)

We offer home visits to all families with newborns with a referral from their midwife. This first visit is an chance to discuss the wellbeing and any health issues of you and your baby. It can also provide you with information about local services for parents.

Please contact the CHI team for more information.

You can visit the MACH nurses for information and advice on parenting, child health, breastfeeding, nutrition and feeding issues, keeping your child safe, toddler behaviour issues, adjustment to parenthood and maternal emotional health.

You can also make an appointment for your Child’s Health Check.

Please make an appointment through the CHI team.

Drop-in clinics are available for brief visits between booked appointments. These clinics are best suited for quick questions and updates, not comprehensive health checks. Self-weigh facilities are also available at most clinics.

You don’t need to make an appointment for these clinics and most visits are kept to a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes per client.

The New Parent Group is a 4-week program run by our MACH nurses. It gives you the opportunity to meet other first-time parents with babies of a similar age, discuss topics and issues about parenting and caring for yourself and your baby and find out how to access services available to you in the community.

This group is available to parents of infants under 4 months.

Please book well ahead of time through the CHI team.

We offer several groups to help you improve sleep and settling for your baby.

Early Days

Early Days are group sessions that provide information and support for breastfeeding, bottle feeding and settling infants under 3 months.

Sleep and settling information sessions

Sleep and settling groups provide information about how to get your baby to settle and sleep better. We hold 3 age specific sessions for:

• 3 to 8 months
• 9 to 18 months
• 19 months and 3 years

Please book an appointment through the CHI team and bring any equipment you may need to care for your baby to the appointment.

Please do not bring children or toddlers to the session as they can interrupt group learning and communication.

When a baby starts to cry, and you feel your emotions rise, it’s time to take a break. Try using calming exercises or put your baby down, close your eyes and take long, deep breaths.

Keep your baby monitor close and check in on your baby with a quick visit evert 10 to 15 minutes or until you feel calm enough to pick them up.

If this doesn’t work, reach out and call someone you feel comfortable talking to.

You can also try using some of the relaxation methods below:

• listen to music
• take a warm bath
• exercise
• watch TV
• continue with your usual routines
• talk to someone
• remember to laugh often
• sleep when your baby sleeps

Contact the MACH Nursing Service through the Central Health Intake line on 02 5124 9977, speak to your GP or visit the Period of PURPLE Crying website.