Maternity Care
Integrated Maternity Care services for Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Region
The journey toward parenthood is an experience that can be joyful and enriching but it can also be unpredictable, unexpected and challenging.
At ATUNE, we have the capacity to support you through the whole journey, from preconception to postnatal and into early parenthood. Every couple, every woman and every pregnancy is unique, which is why we provide Integrated Maternity Care for clients in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.
Integrated healthcare provides a collaborative approach to medical therapies, complementary medicine, psychology, counselling, and community services. Integrated care isn’t about every practitioner being involved in your care. It is about offering you a range of services that complement each other to ensure that you receive the best support possible. Integrated Maternity care involves an assessment of your needs and coordination of therapy through the development of an Integrated Maternity Care Plan.
Your practitioner will consult with you to identify your needs and develop a Maternity Care Plan that is achievable, affordable and appropriate for you. ATUNE Maternity Care Plans are unique because they utilise the skills, knowledge and experience of a range of practitioners across multiple areas of health. The number of services that you utilise is up to you.
We strive to provide Maternity Care that focuses on pre-conception care, continuing support and whole family health and well-being. This service can be used in conjunction with your GP, obstetrician, and a midwife.
Conception, pregnancy and parenthood all have their own challenges. At ATUNE we believe that preparation, for both men and women, is important. We aim to educate and support individuals to improve their health prior to conception. This may include dietary advice, exercise programs, breathing therapy, manual therapy or support counselling. We want to help your family have the best start possible.
There are many factors that affect fertility and for some couples conceiving can be a challenge. Our dietitians and naturopaths can provide advice about healthy lifestyle changes or the appropriate use of natural therapies to enhance fertility.
If you are interested in pre-conception health care, please contact our friendly reception staff who will direct you to the profession and the practitioner most appropriate to your needs.
Common conditions clients often consult our integrated team for include:
- Nutritional needs before, during and after pregnancy (Naturopaths/Dieticians)
- Pain during pregnancy such as back pain, pelvic pain or headaches. (Physiotherapists/Osteopaths)
- Pregnancy-related symptoms such as morning sickness, fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty sleeping, lower limb swelling, reflux or constipation (General Practitioners)
- Postnatal pain (Physiotherapists/Osteopaths)
- Exercise before, during and after pregnancy (Exercise Physiologists)
- Pelvic floor dysfunction, bladder weakness and incontinence (Physiotherapists)
- Lactation, mastitis and feeding difficulties (General Practitioners)
- Pregnancy and postnatal depression or anxiety (Psychologists)
- Stress management (Psychologists)
For more information about what each modality can address, please refer to the modalities section below.
Modalities
The purpose and beauty of integrated care is its ability to address multiple areas of health by utilising the skills and knowledge of a range of practitioners.
To make an appointment, please contact our reception. Our practitioners can better serve your needs if they know ahead of time whether you are considering pregnancy, already pregnant or in the post-natal period. If you feel comfortable to do so, please notify reception at the time of booking.
Dietitians apply the art and science of human nutrition to help people understand the relationship between food and a healthy life. They can advise you of dietary choices that prevent illness, treat disease, and improve and maintain health.
For maternity clients, our dietitian offers nutritional assessments and advice to ensure adequate nutrition for you and your baby. Consults can be conducted through all stages of pregnancy including *the *pre-conception and postnatal periods.
Dietitians can assist you with:
- Weight management before, during and after pregnancy
- Infertility as a result of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or Insulin Resistance
- Monitoring foetal and newborn growth
- Pregnancy-related symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, constipation, fatigue, iron deficiency, morning sickness and gastrointestinal issues
- Management of Type 1 and Gestational Diabetes
- Menu planning - easy nutritious meal options and cooking for families
Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a holistic system of medicine that improves health by considering the body, mind and spirit. Naturopaths strive to find the cause of disease and resolve symptoms by addressing whole body function. Assessment involves in-depth clinical histories and use of functional pathology and physical diagnostic tests. Naturopaths promote healthy clean living using an array of therapies and techniques including nutrition, herbal medicine, stress management, sleep hygiene, and breathing management.
Preconception
Preconception healthcare
Management of endometriosis, PCOS or unexplained infertility
Nutritional assessment of men and women
Address nutritional deficiencies and allergies
Detox and weight loss advice
Regulation of hormonal imbalances and menstrual irregularities
Low sperm count and motility
Pregnancy
- Pregnancy-related symptoms such as morning sickness, constipation, haemorrhoids, reflux, fluid retention, thrush, cramps and iron deficiency
- Optimal weight gain and nutrition
- Preparing the body for labour
- Development of labour care plans
Postnatal
- Mastitis
- Milk supply imbalances
- Optimal nutrition
- Postnatal depression
- Optimal healing post labour
Physiotherapists are experts in movement and function who work to prevent disease and improve health through physical means. For maternity clients, our physiotherapists focus on increasing the fitness of men and women by providing tailored pre-conception, pregnancy and postnatal exercise programs. Treatment may include manual therapy, soft tissue massage, core stability and strengthening, pelvic floor exercises, postural education and stretching.
Physiotherapists can assist you with:
Preconception
- Health and fitness for men and women
- Pelvic floor and core strength training
Pregnancy
- Pregnancy-related symptoms such as back pain, sacroiliac pain joint pain, sciatica, pubic pain, piriformis muscle spasm and carpal tunnel syndrome
- Rectus Diastasis (abdominal muscle separation)
- Pelvic floor and core strengthening
- Pregnancy exercise classes
- Relaxation exercises
- Bladder control and incontinence
- Constipation and/or straining
- Preparation for labour
- Use of external supports and braces
Postnatal
- Post labour pain including neck, shoulder, back and sacroiliac joint pain
- Rectus Diastasis (abdominal separation)
- Post caesarian discomfort (after healing)
- Pelvic floor pain and discomfort
- Bladder and bowel incontinence
- Constipation and/or straining
- Pelvic floor and core strength exercises
- Bladder, Uterine or Rectal Prolapses
- Individualised exercise programs
- Mum’s and Bub’s exercise classes
- Mastitis
Osteopathy is a holistic manual therapy that recognises the important link between the structure of the body and the way it functions. Osteopaths are skilled in the evaluation and diagnosis of musculoskeletal and functional disorders. They utilise a wide range of gentle, hands-on techniques that facilitate the body’s natural healing ability and restore health. For maternity clients, osteopathy assists the body to adapt and be dynamically balanced throughout pregnancy so that a minimum of pain and discomfort is experienced.
Osteopaths can assist you with:
Preconception
- General review to screen for and address pre-existing injuries or restrictions that may become symptomatic during pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy-related symptoms such as:
- Back pain and sciatica
- Pelvic and pubic pain
- Neck pain and headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Reflux
- Constipation
- Sinus congestion
- Fluid retention
- Exercise prescription
- Preparing your body for birth by ensuring optimal functional mobility of mother and baby
Postnatal
- Restore normal body mechanics and mobility
- Relieve postural pain associated with breast feeding
- Mastitis
- Feeding difficulties
Massage is the practice of stimulating and relaxing soft tissues with manual therapy. Effective massage can relieve pain, improve circulation, and increase lymphatic drainage and the elimination of wastes throughout the body.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, massage therapy can assist with:
- Pregnancy related pain including back pain, neck pain or headaches.
- Relaxation and stress reduction
- Increasing circulation to reduce fluid retention
- Facial massage to reduce sinus congestion
Post-natal
- relaxation
- labour recovery
Psychologists work within the field of human behaviour, looking at the processes determining how people think, feel, behave and react. Psychologists are uniquely trained to excel in problem-solving and provide individuals with skills to deal with many life and health issues.
It is important to remember that there is no ‘right’ or ‘normal’ way to feel about falling pregnant, being pregnant, birth or parenthood. Pregnancy counselling is about caring for you and your family in a non-judgemental, supportive and nurturing environment. To assist you during this period, medicare will rebate three counselling sessions to any woman who is or has been pregnant in the last 12 months.
Psychologists can assist maternity clients with:
Preconception
- Emotions related to difficulties falling pregnant
- Uncertainty and fear about having a child and/or parenthood
- Conflict with partner
Pregnancy
- Fears and worries about pregnancy, birth or parenthood
- Difficult pregnancy
Post-natal
- Unexpected outcomes (loss of child, illness)
- Difficult or traumatic birth
- Adjustment to parenthood
Other
- Conflict with partner and/or family members
- Stress due to external factors such as lack of social support, financial strain or major life changes
- Miscarriage
- Feelings of sadness, lack of enjoyment, reduction in social interaction, or frequent and uncontrollable mood swings
- Life stressors (be they practical, financial or social)
- Support circles, marital problems, relationships or single parenthood
- Baby blues
If you are experiencing feelings of depression and / or anxiety please do not be afraid to speak to someone about this – early intervention is important and there is help available. If you are unsure if what you are feeling is depression and /or anxiety ask your GP and /or one of the staff members here at ATUNE as they will be able to assist you. Pregnancy counselling is about caring for you and your family in a non-judgemental, supportive and nurturing environment.
Our Practitioners
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