Matenity Unit Report
Stacey Gilbert
Maternity Unit Manager
In the 2023-24 financial year our team of midwives and obstetricians welcomed 507 Bays babies including five sets of twins and two rare ‘leaping’ babies on 29 February 2024, who will only have a birthday every fourth year.
This year also saw our hospital’s first official maternal-assisted caesarean birth in March. In a maternal-assisted caesarean, the obstetrician partially lifts up the baby, allowing the mother to then lift the baby out of her own womb and onto her chest. This new procedure enables mothers who want or need a caesarean section to be more engaged in the birth, and experience an immediate bond with their baby.
We pride ourselves on providing personalised and family-centred care, and were fortunate to deliver several of our colleagues’ babies and grandchildren this year including our Admin Team Leader, Mersina’s daughter and general surgeon, Dr Inoka De Silva’s son. It means a lot when our own staff, doctors and their families choose The Bays for the most important event of their lives.
In October, we said farewell to midwife, Marg Joyce, who retired after more than 43 years of services at The Bays. Marg, who was our Clinical Services Manager of Maternity and previously Maternity Unit Manager, began her career at The Bays back in April 1980 as a midwife. She was instrumental in developing the nurturing atmosphere of The Bays Maternity Unit. As she put it, “We want The Bays to feel like an extension of home and our team to feel like family.”
We also farewelled obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Andrew Griffiths in June 2024, after 22 years at The Bays. Andrew delivered countless Bays babies and helped establish our strong reputation for high quality and safe care for women, as well as a trusting and supportive culture among our obstetricians, midwives and nursing staff. We wish him well in his retirement.
We also bid farewell to our Maternity Unit Manager, Heidi Shaw in June 2024, and welcomed Stacey Gilbert into this role.
We also welcomed new obstetrician, Dr Natalie Elphinstone and new paediatricians, Dr Keith Badloo and Dr Jennifer Moon in the 2023-24 financial year.
