Pregnancy care at Trafalgar Medical
Congratulations on your pregnancy and thank you for choosing to have your care through Trafalgar Medical (TM). We understand that this is an exciting but sometimes overwhelming time for families. Here at TM we aim to provide continuity of care providers with high quality, holistic pregnancy, birth and postnatal care.
Who
At TM we are proud to contract several GP obstetricians who have undergone extensive additional training to provide GP led or shared care with the local hospitals in Warragul and Traralgon. This means you can choose to have all or the majority of your appointments here instead of at the hospitals.
Dr Pete Verbeek provides intrapartum care (the care you receive in hospital when your baby is born) as well as pregnancy care. Dr Pete Verbeek works on a roster system at Warragul hospital, and provides shared care through Traralgon.
Dr Sarah Verbeek and Dr Briohney Klason provide shared antenatal care with one of the doctors who does intrapartum care, either at Warragul or Traralgon. This means you will see them in the clinic for most of your appointments but also see one of the other GP obstetricians or consultants either here or at the hospital for a few key visits in your pregnancy.
If you wish to see a different doctor at the clinic they will work closely with the rest of the team to make sure you are well looked after.
Dr Sarah Verbeek completed additional training to provide enhanced breastfeeding, sleep and mental health support for new parents.
Claire Issell is a Musculoskeletal and Women’s Health Physiotherapist working alongside us at Trafalgar Primary Care. She is available for any pregnancy-related aches and pains, exercise advice and prescription, pelvic floor strengthening/relaxation and birth preparation. In the postpartum period treatment includes pelvic floor strengthening, scar and pain management, abdominal strengthening, prolapse and incontinence management, mastitis treatment and general physiotherapy for the increased loads of motherhood.
When
Many patients like to know in advance how their appointments will be structured. The below template is a rough guide for most pregnancies but is flexible and can be changed to suit individuals.
| 1st trimester (0-12 weeks) |
Appointments every 4 weeks to organise blood tests and ultrasounds as needed |
| 12-14 weeks | Ultrasound to look at your baby’s early structural development Referral to hospital and completion of booking paperwork |
| 2nd trimester (13-27 weeks) |
Appointments every 4-6 weeks checking you and your baby |
| 21 weeks | Long ultrasound to look at the development of your baby Whooping cough booster vaccine Consider women’s health physiotherapy review |
| 27 – 28 weeks | Blood tests (including diabetes test) and a long appointment with your obstetrician, Dr Pete or Dr Ben to talk about birth planning |
| 31 weeks 34 weeks |
Appointments to check you and your baby |
| 36 weeks | Appointment with your obstetrician, Dr Pete or Dr Ben. Swab for infections, final blood test and finalising your birth preferences |
| 36 weeks until birth | Weekly appointments to check you and your baby |
| 1-2 weeks after birth | Long appointment for yourself and your baby. After you are discharged the midwives will visit you at home if needed and then link you in with your local maternal child health service |
| 6 weeks after birth | Physiotherapy review by Claire Issell is recommended regardless of delivery method. Assessment includes pelvic floor, abdominal separation, education and appropriate exercise advice. |
Resources
We recommend the following websites as sources of information, support and guidance for matters relating to pregnancy and birth
Royal Women’s Hospital – https://thewomens.org.au/health-information
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au
Centre of Perinatal Excellence – https://www.cope.org.au
Sexual Health Victoria (previously Family Planning Victoria) – https://shvic.org.au
Genetic testing in pregnancy
Non invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) – https://www.vcgs.org.au/tests/perceptnipt/
Combined first trimester screening – https://www.vcgs.org.au/tests/maternal-serum-screening/
Carrier screening – https://www.vcgs.org.au/tests/prepair/
Neuro Developmental Care; also known as the ‘Possums’ program
https://possumsonline.com/ndc-practitioners/sarahverbeek90
Parenting resources
https://rasingchildren.net.au/
https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/
Australian breastfeeding association – https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au 1800 686 268
Mental health
https://www.quit.org.au/articles/how-to-quit-when-pregnant/
Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia – https://panda.org.au 1300 726 306
https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/pregnancy-and-new-parents
Mind the bump – app that can be downloaded onto your smartphone
Physiotherapy
https://claireissellphysio.com.au/
Domestic Violence
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Safe steps Family Violence Response Centre – 1800 015 188
DV Victoria support – https://safeandequal.org.au/
Koori maternity services – https://health.vic.gov.au/patient-care/aboriginal-maternity-services/
LGBTQ families – https://www.rainbowfamilies.com.au/