Maternal and child health - City of Port Phillip (2024)

What is Maternal and Child Health (MCH)?

Maternal and Child Health (MCH) is a free service that is available to all families with children from birth to six years old. The service is provided by registered nurses who have additional qualifications in midwifery and maternal and child health.

Our nurses have the knowledge and experience to support parents and caregivers on a number of topics, including development, parenting, growth, health and safety. We are here to help you get the support and information you need and link you in with many groups, services and programs.

MCH appointments are organised around your children’s ten key stages of development. Every child born in Victoria will receive a "My Health, Learning and Developmental book" (also known as "the green book”), which explains the 10 Key Age and Stage visits. For more information, please see the " Making an appointment” section below, which includes a list of each key stage and further information about what your MCH nurse can help you with at each appointment.

What happens after my baby is born?

Your hospital or midwife will automatically advise us of your baby’s birth, and shortly afterwards we will contact you to arrange the date and time of your first appointment. This first appointment is usually done in your own home.

During this initial consultation a MCH nurse will discuss the next steps for you and your future appointments. It is a great opportunity to ask any questions that may be relevant to you or your baby.

Your future appointments will be in one of our five local centres.

Making an appointment

If your child only requires immunisations, please refer to our Immunisation page or contact your GP clinic.

Please remember to bring your ‘My Health, Learning and Development record’ to every appointment with a MCH nurse. This is the book provided to you by your hospital when your baby was born - you might know it as your Child Health Record or the ‘green book’. At each appointment, your nurse will record your child’s development, milestones and immunisations in this book.

MCH nurses see young babies who are vulnerable to colds and illness. if you or your child become unwell, please reschedule your appointment. To reschedule please email mchadmin@portphillip.vic.gov.auor call 03 9209 6766.

I’ve just moved to the City of Port Phillip?

When should I book an appointment?

We strongly recommend that appointments are booked at each of the following stages in your child’s life. The links below will take you to the Better Health website where there is more information on each key stage. These stages are:

Please contact us if you:

• have not received a call within a week of giving birth
• have not met with us at a key stage (as listed above)
• have questions or would like to request additional appointments
• are new to the City of Port Phillip area and have a family with young children

I need to reschedule/ cancel my appointment?

If you need to cancel or reschedule your MCH appointment, please call us on 03 9209 6766 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm). If your call is not answered, please leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

Alternatively, you can email mchadmin@portphillip.vic.gov.au with your child's full name, date of birth and the details of the appointment you are wanting to change. If you are rescheduling, please include your preferred alternative date/time.

Where are your five MCH centres and when are they open?

When you join our service we automatically allocate you to the MCH centre that’s in your area. However, you are welcome to attend any of our five centres listed below.

Additional services offered by MCH

• We offer free 45-minute face-to-face appointments with a qualified lactation consultant.

  For extra support, please note that you can also find more breastfeeding support information on the Australian Breastfeeding Association website. This website includes online forums and the organisation also has a 24-hour helpline (1800 686 268).

  When: Every Tuesday, all day. Bookings are essential.

  Location: MCHC Community Room (located on the first floor), Middle Park Community Centre, 256 Richardson St, Middle Park.

  How to book: Bookings can be organised through your Maternal and Child Health nurse or by contacting the MCH Administration Team on 03 9209 6766or via mchadmin@portphillip.vic.gov.au.

  When attending please bring:

  • Your child infant health record (green book)
  • Any breastfeeding aids, for example: nipple shield
  • Burping cloth and wrap
  • Bottle of water for the parent

• We offer free information sessions with an early parenting practitioner for parents and carers about how to improve the sleep patterns of newborn babies and/or toddlers. These information sessions are designed to provide guidance on:

  • typical sleep patterns and behaviours
  • how to prevent sleep concerns through attachment, suitable sleep routines and environments
  • solutions and strategies to address sleep concerns, for babies over six months
  • self-care and support for parents.

  If you’ve already attended an online information session and are still in need of an in-home Sleep and Settling consultation, please fill out this form.

  When: Please see the below “How to register” section for specific dates.

  Where: Online, via Microsoft Teams

  How to register:

  Click on a link below to register

  • Sessions for children zero to three months old
  • Sessions for children four to 12 months old
  • Sessions for children one to two years old
  • All ages Sleep and Settle Q&A session

• We offer free information sessions which focus on introducing solid food to babies and toddlers. These sessions are run by a MCH Nurse and an early parenting practitioner who are available to answer any questions you have, offer food suggestions, and to support you in any other way with your child’s food journey.

  We also have a video in which our MCH nurse goes through the basics of introducing solids into your baby’s diet.

  When: Fourth Wednesday of every month, 9.30am to 11am

  Where: Food Hall, South Melbourne Market, Corner of Coventry and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne Victoria 3205

  How to book: Please register here. Bookings are essential.

  We also offer a new information group session, Feed-play-sleep repeat, that will run from St Kilda Library and Emerald Hill Library.

  These sessions will focus on introduction to solids as well as sleep, feed-play-sleep routine.

  When and Where: Second Monday of every month, 10am to 11am at St Kilda Library: 150 Carlisle St, St Kilda VIC 3182

  Third Tuesday of every month 11am to 12pm at Emerald Hill Library: 195 Bank St, South Melbourne VIC 3205

  How to book: Please register here. Bookings are essential.

• If you are a first-time parent, your Maternal and Child Health Nurse will invite you to attend a New Parent Group. In these sessions, a range of topics are discussed to support you and your baby in the parenting journey. These groups are a great opportunity for you to share your experiences with other local parents (or to just listen to theirs), make new friends, and also to develop a support network.

  These face-to-face sessions are held once a week at your MCH centre for six weeks. After these sessions, you and the other parents can choose to continue meeting at a different location or to form a playgroup. You can find out more about forming a playground here.

• Having a new baby is a special time. Sometimes factors impact on you enjoying this time. If you are feeling sad, or this period is not what you thought it was going to be, these sessions could help.

  The facilitated group sessions will be run by an MCH Nurse and Parenting Educator. The sessions will focus on you and getting to know your baby through sensory mediums like baby massage, music, and connection through play.

  For more information, please speak to your MCH Nurse or administration team.

  Program:

  • Week 1 – sight
  • Week 2 – sound
  • Week 3 – smell
  • Week 4 – taste
  • Week 5 – touch
  • Week 6 - movement

  When: The group will run on Mondays, 2 to 3.30 pm over 6 weeks

  Where: Bubup Nairm Children’s Centre

  How to book: If you are interested, please speak to your MCH Nurse for a referral. You can also contact us on 03 9209 6766(available Monday to Friday 8.30 to 4.30 pm) or emailing us at mchadmin@portphillip.vic.gov.au.

• The Enhanced Maternal and Child Health service is available for families who require additional support and guidance in their own home environment.

  In order to access this program, you need to have a referral from a professional such as your MCH nurse, a hospital worker, or support worker.

  If you are a professional and want to make a referral to us, please fill out our referral form here and send it to mchenhanced@portphillip.vic.gov.au Please call us on 03 9209 6766 for more information.

• Use thefree MCH appto find accurate and reliable information about your child’s health, learning and development. The app was developed by the Victorian Government. The app can also be used to keep track of upcoming MCH appointments and find important health contacts.

  This app can be personalised and is available for Apple and Android smartphones.

• Telephone: 13 22 29Qualified Maternal and Child Health nurses provide information, support and advice to Victorian families with children from birth to school age (5 years old) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Telephone: 1800 686 268The Australian Breastfeeding Helpline is available seven days a week. The helpline is staffed by trained volunteers with breastfeeding knowledge and experience.

• Telephone: 13 12 79A child in need of protection is a child who has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect, and there is no one to protect them. If you believe that a child is in need of protection please call the Child Protection Crisis Line.

• Telephone: 13 11 2624 hour-a-day, 7 day-a-week advice on poisoning, bites and stings.

• Telephone: 1300 726 306 Monday – Friday 9am – 7.30pm (AEST/AEDT)
  National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline for women, men and their families affected by perinatal mental illness.

• Website: Raising Children Network

  The Raising Children's Network work to providefree, up-to-date and independent information to help your family grow and thrive together. They are funded by the Australian Government, with their reviewed by experts.

• Website Better Health Network

  The Better Health Network website provide health and medical information, and is fully funded by the Victorian Government, with no commercial advertising or corporate sponsorship.

Contact us for appointments

Email: mchadmin@portphillip.vic.gov.au
Phone: 03 9209 6766