Birthing on Country
Model Of Care
Maternal Child & Family Health, Sexual Health & Reproductive Services
Birthing On Country
Birthing on Country (BoC) is a continuation of thousands of years of knowledge and practice for Aboriginal women. At Waminda, our Birthing on Country program is about our women from Community, led by our Elders and Aunties, taking back control for our Mingas (mums) to birth healthy beautiful Gudjagas (babies) in a safe space that is centred around culture.
We provide holistic, wrap-around maternal and child & family healthcare for women and their families, embedding cultural integrity and safety in the care provided to women during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period. As a primary healthcare service, we continue to provide health and wellbeing support throughout the continuation of Minga’s and Gudjaga’s life cycle.
PREVENT THE SPREAD
Please self-isolate if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, including a sore throat, coughing or sneezing, or flu-like symptoms. Call our reception to make a telehealth appointment with one of our doctors.
Minga Gudjaga
Mother & Baby Programs
Minga Gudjaga, meaning “Mother and Baby”, offers maternal, child & family health services, as well as sexual and reproductive health services within Waminda.
Minga Gudjaga provides holistic care within a safe and nurturing environment. Our goal is to provide evidence-based care to women and children that is culturally and clinically safe; and to enable women to make informed decisions relating to women’s pregnancy, sexual, reproductive and child health, over the continuum of maternity care and for their children up to school age.
We are now able to offer continuity of care via Minga Gudjaga Midwifery Practice. Each woman will be allocated a primary midwife at the beginning of pregnancy and will receive the majority of care from this same midwife. The midwife will be on call to attend the birth and provide care during labour at Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital. The midwife can also provide home visits during pregnancy and once you are discharged from the hospital until baby is 6 weeks old.
Our Child and Family Health Practitioners provide care for your baby from 6 weeks old until 5 years old. We use a collaborative approach to personalise family plans and support women through a range of services such as growth and development, feeding and nutrition education, breastfeeding advice, and sleep and settling.
Schedule Of Visits
At the beginning of your pregnancy journey, you don’t need to see a GP first. Instead, you have the option to get in quicker at Waminda by booking an appointment with an Endorsed Midwife who can request early pregnancy blood tests and ultrasounds.
During your pregnancy, you will see a midwife and an Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) for the following visits:
- AHP visit each trimester
- Monthly visits up to 28 weeks pregnant
- Fortnightly visits up to 36 weeks pregnant
- Weekly visits up to birth
- Postnatal check-ups as needed up to 6 weeks after birth (including breastfeeding support and baby weights/checks)
Access to GP’s, immunisations, counselling and health checks within Waminda
Our Birthing On Country Services Include
Minga Gudjaga FAQ’s
When do I engage with the Minga Gudjaga program?
We encourage all pregnant women to engage with the mums and bubs program as soon as you think you may be pregnant.
Early pregnancy care is vital to ensuring early detection of any underlying health issues for you and bub. The Minga Gudjaga team work from Nowra between 9am to 5pm, 10 Osbourne Street, Nowra.
What support does Minga Gudjaga team help with?
Minga Gudjaga are a team of midwives and nurses that provide care to you during your pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum journey.
Midwives can do the following for you either in your home, outreach (your country) or the midwifery clinic at 10 Osborne Street, Nowra:
- Antenatal Checks
- Labour and Birth Support
- Postnatal Checks
- NSW Health Blue Book – Child growth & Development Checks
- Immunisations
- Women’s Business
How can we get involved in the Minga Gudjaga program?
The Minga Gudjaga team are in the office Monday to Friday so please feel free to give us a call on
(02) 4421 7400 to book an appointment.
Can I Get Transport To My Appointments?
Yes, transport is available for all maternity services. Please contact us if you wish to arrange a transport.
Gudjaga Gunyahlamia
Birth Centre & Community Hub
The Gudjaga Gunyahlamia Birthing Centre and Community Hub implements the rollout of a full Birthing on Country Model of Care, embedding cultural, spiritual, physical, and evidence-based high-level support for women and their Aboriginal families during pregnancy, labour, birth and early childhood development.
Community consultation has been integral throughout the entire design process, from the initial conversations with women about what they want from maternity services in the area, to yarns with Elders, Senior Balaang, and Waminda’s Cultural Committee about design elements in the birth centre and the continual collaboration with Papesch Architecture who have made everyone’s ideas come to life.
We anticipate the build will be complete by mid-2026, and we can’t wait for the first breath of the first bub born.
RISE Safely & The Molly Wardaguga Research Institute
Have you had a baby with our Minga Gudjaga Midwifery Practice (MGMP)?
We are inviting women to be part of the RISE Safely Research Project because we value your expertise, knowledge, and experiences in maternity care. We want to understand more about your experience with Waminda’s Birthing On Country Program so we can provide better care for Aboriginal women and families. Partners and/or support people are also invited to participate to share their experiences.
Participation will involve yarning with our Koori researcher for approximately 30-60 minutes, at a time and place of your choice. All participants will receive a $50 gift voucher as a thank you for your time and knowledge.
This project is in partnership with Charles Darwin University’s, Molly Wardaguga Research Institute for First Nations Birth Rights, which is part of a global movement for
Birthing on Country.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Waminda’s Birthing On Country Team
Birthing On Country Researcher: 0427 384 133
Waminda Reception: 1800 997 330
Contact Birthing On Country
10 Osborne Street, Nowra NSW 2541
Program operating hours are between
9:00am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday.
For more information, including appointment times and transport availability, please call;
Waminda Reception: (02) 4421 7400
Free Call: 1800 997 330
Links To Resources
Prevent The Spread
Please click here to find out more information about COVID-19 and how it has affected Waminda services. Please self-isolate if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, including a sore throat, coughing or sneezing, or flu-like symptoms. Call our reception to make a telehealth appointment with one of our doctors.
Our practice has an appointment booking system for all consultations, we can accommodate walk in consultations with the clinical team, but it is encouraged to make a booked appointment. On arrival you will be triaged by an Aboriginal health worker prior to seeing the Doctor. If you are unable to attend face to face due to symptoms, we have the option of a telehealth appointment.