Health Education

Childbirth Classes

For over 40 years Timboon & District Healthcare Service has been compassionately caring for women and babies in the Heytesbury region along with those from as far away as Winchelsea and Apollo Bay by providing individualised care and a comprehensive range of services. Our Midwifery services ward has been designed to prepare you and your family for childbirth and parenthood.

The Childbirth Classes at Timboon & District Healthcare Service are conducted by 2 professionally trained midwives who regularly undertake professional development to ensure that they stay abreast of the most up to date information.

The Classes are run on a regular basis, with the number and length of the session determined by the group size.

Aims of the Program

• To increase knowledge and understanding about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting
• To meet and interact with other parents who are having a baby
• To provide advice, information and support about childbirth and parenting
• To provide awareness of various support groups and birthing facilities.
• To discuss ways of help oneself during childbirth and with parenting.

Why Prepare for Childbirth?

Why do we need childbirth education?
Surely all this is natural or common sense?

1. Clarify expectations of yourself, partner, doctor, midwife and birth.
2. Look at past and personal influences - family, health, sexuality, etc.
3. Choose caregivers and birth place carefully.
4. Communicate your needs - a flexible, realistic, responsible birth plan.
5. Identify stresses and act now to fix those (FOI Act, hospitals, support)
6. Develop a support system for postnatal time - friends, family, GP, M&CHN, Australian Breastfeeding Association, support groups etc
7. Develop strategies to cope with labour - good diet, fitness, pelvic floor control, rest, balanced with activity, relaxation techniques.

For more information on Childbirth Classes please contact Amanda Nash on (03) 5558 6000.

Bookworms

From September 2005 every infant born at Timboon and District Healthcare Service has been introduced to the 'bookworms' program with the presentation of a gift of books. The pack contains 4 books; appropriate for 0-1 years, 1-2 years, 2-3 years and 3-4 years. Following this, all families are invited to attend the ?bookworms? early literacy program.

Bookworms 'Parent Child Mother Goose' Program
Using Books, Nursery Rhymes,
Singing & Story Telling
with your baby & toddler

The parent child mother goose philosophy builds on the essential relationship or bond between parent and child. The program gives parents the tools that make daily life with their child/ren more fulfilling. The program is preventative in nature by providing parents with confidence in using rhymes, singing and story telling, learn ways of handling stressful times and develop a new network of friendship and support. Children also show a marked improvement in language, pre literacy and cognitive skills, gain self esteem and develop social skills.

The sessions occur once a month and introduce new rhymes, songs and previously learnt rhymes and songs are reviewed. The parents and children are provided with a story retell. At the end of the session an array of books are displayed, discussion and morning tea is provided.

For more information phone: 03 5558 6000

Life!

The Life! Taking Action on Diabetes (Life!) Program aims to prevent Type 2 diabetes. The Life! course helps participants set small, achievable goals to improve their lifestyle and reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. The program reduces the number of new cases of diabetes by up to 58 percent in course participants. This program runs over 6 months.

Eating Well For Life

The Eating Well For Life program helps equip participants with the skills and motivation to cook simple yet nutritious meals at home. The interactive program involves particpants working in pairs to create a range of meals including soups, mains and deserts then finishing with  the group coming together to enjoy their meals.

In addition to learning new recipes participants also improve their nutrition knowledge. “To remian independent and active as we age our nutritonal needs are more important than ever. Our apetites decrease at this stage of life which means the small meals we eat need to be highly nutritious to meet the needs of our bodies” says Health Promotion Officer Carly Dennis. “The Eating Well For Life program allows participants to experience how easy it can be to create a highly nutritous and extremely tasty meal, healthy food should realy be enjoyable.”

Living with cancer

Provides information and support for clients living with cancer as well as their family and friends.

For information on these any many other programs run by our Healthcare Service please contact Amanda Nash on (03) 5558 60400.