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I am an endorsed eligible midwife, providing comprehensive, personalised pregnancy, birth and postnatal care for women.
My philosophy encompasses pregnancy, labour and birth as a normal physiologic process, which women are designed to do, particularly when they are cared for sensitively, guided and supported by a trusted midwife.
Clearly, pregnancy, labour, birth and caring for a new baby are powerful social and emotional experiences for a woman, a most significant life experience, to which I bring respect and confidence.
Who I am
Just to let you know a little more about me: I grew up in Australia and studied midwifery here as well. I later completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Australian Graduate School of Management. I have been a midwife since 2001, and in that time I have been privileged to have worked in private and public hospitals, birth centres, private practice, delivery suite, postnatal, community, antenatal wards and clinics, and neonatal nurseries. I have also worked in health management. I provide my services exclusively in a private practice capacity because this allows me to meet women's needs in pregnancy and birth.
My true passion lies in natural birth, and I am committed to helping you achieve a safe and satisfying birth. In 2010, I became the first private midwife in Australia to negotiate a collaborative agreement with a private obstetrician; this agreement has led to the development of a unique and popular model of collaborative private maternity care.
What I do
I help women and families create safe, gentle, and empowering birth experiences. My goal is to help break down the fears that hold us back from natural birth, and give you the knowledge and resources to assist you in your journey through birth and motherhood.
I believe that as a private midwife, I should be available for my patients at the time that continuity of care matters the most: during birth and in urgent situations in pregnancy or after the birth of your baby.
To achieve this, my practice is structured as a solo private midwifery practice where all of your appointments will be provided by me personally. In an emergency, or during birth, you will have my care, not a midwife you’ve never met, nor a midwife who is covering for a group practice.
This level of care is achieved by limiting my pregnancy bookings to ensure a more personalised experience for you without allowing midwife fatigue.
Why I Do It
About my practice
My goal in private midwifery practice is to provide continuity of carer. I believe that it is important for every woman to be cared for by her chosen midwife throughout pregnancy, birth and the early days with her new baby because this form of care has been demonstrated to make for a safer and more satisfying birth experience for women and babies.
However, I want to make private midwifery care accessible to all women, so I also offer shared care to women birthing in any hospital, and with a Medicare card, there is no cost to families.
I am passionate about natural birth and I always have been! The women who come to see me are also passionate about natural birth and are committed to achieving this. I assist families to birth normally, whether their pregnancy is straight forward or complicated, and it is my experience that a natural birth can be achieved in any setting.
My aim for all of my Clients is that they achieve the birth experience that they desire in a safe environment, attended by the midwife that they have chosen, who has followed them through from the very beginning. My goal for you is that you will have a beautiful, healthy baby in your arms, a smile on your face, and a feeling of contentment and satisfaction in your heart.
Courses, seminars and workshops:
Eligible Midwives must complete at least 40 hours of continuing professional development per year to maintain notation as an eligible midwife.
- Endorsed Midwife, 2013
- Midwifery Practice Review, 2013
- Guest lecturer, Master of Midwifery students, UTS 2013
- Graduate Certificate in Midwifery leading to endorsement to prescribe medications (Flinders University) 2012
- FONT - obstetric emergencies and neonatal resuscitation 2012
- FONT - fetal welfare assessment 2012
- Presenter, Breathing New Life into Maternity Care Conference 2012
- Australian College of Midwives National Conference 2011
- Provided presentations to hospitals regarding private midwifery practice and homebirth 2011
- Private Practice Workshop 2011
- Introduction to Risk Management 2011
- Notated as an Eligible Midwife 2010
- Midwifery Practice Review 2010
- K2MS fetal welfare assessment 2010
- FONT - obstetric emergencies and neonatal resuscitation 2010
- FONT - fetal welfare assessment 2010
- Australian College of Midwives National Conference 2009
- Perineal repair 2009
- Trust in Childbirth workshop 2009
- Effective People Management 2008
- OHS Consultation 2008
- Return to Work Coordinator 2007
Melissa Maimann
BN(Syd), GradDipMid(Newcastle), GradCertMid(Flin), MBA(AGSM), RM