Women and families in the Blue Mountains region now have greater choice in their maternity care, with Blue Mountains District ANZAC Memorial Hospital introducing the option for eligible women to have a Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC).
The new service allows eligible women who have previously had one caesarean section to give birth locally with the support of the experienced Blue Mountains Hospital midwifery team, reducing the need to transfer to other hospitals for labour and birth.
The VBAC service was established through the collaborative planning of multidisciplinary teams across the hospital, including nursing and midwifery, obstetrics, anaesthetics, education and training and hospital management.
For women who have previously given birth by caesarean section, a VBAC can offer many benefits including:
- Greater chance of an uncomplicated birth in future pregnancies.
- Shorter recovery time and hospital stay.
VBAC at Blue Mountains Hospital reflects the Minns Government's commitment to increasing access to individualised, high-quality and safe maternity care across the state.
The most recent Budget invested $44.8 million in the for maternity care to support increased access to midwifery continuity of care models, including funding for an additional 53 full-time equivalent midwives in regional NSW.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"This new service will give women more choice about how they give birth and will provide new mothers with high-quality maternity care closer to home.
"Improving accessibility to maternity care is a major focus for the Minns Labor government, and since 2023 we've enhanced services right across NSW.
"We are continuing to invest in and expand maternity services that respect women's choices, support families and improve health outcomes."
Quotes attributable to Member for Blue Mountains Trish Doyle:
"This is wonderful news for our community. Women in the Blue Mountains now have the option to stay local for their pregnancy, labour and birth even after a previous caesarean section.
"Having familiar surroundings and familiar midwives during birth makes a huge difference to women's experience, confidence and comfort.
"Thank you to the teams at Blue Mountains Hospital for their passion and dedication in establishing this new service."
Quotes attributable to Blue Mountains Hospital Nursing and Midwifery Unit Manager Reenie Kuypers:
"We're very excited to be able to give more pregnant women this choice. Having the option for a VBAC at Blue Mountains Hospital benefits women in our community.
"For women who may consider a VBAC, recovering faster and being physically able to care for their older children and their new baby sooner after birth is an important advantage."
Quotes attributable to Blue Mountains mother and first VBAC patient Stephanie White:
"Vaginal birth was an experience I didn't get to have with my first birth.
"I had a wonderful experience at Blue Mountains with the birth of my first child and I knew when I chose to give birth at the hospital again, that I would receive much more personalised and intimate care than if I went to a larger hospital.
"The midwives made VBAC with my second son so easy. They were very level-headed and it was a smooth and wonderful birth. The care I received at Blue Mountains Hospital was phenomenal.
"Regardless of how you birth your baby, the personalised care, comfort and support available at Blue Mountains Hospital will ensure you have a positive experience."
