“I started my career as a NICU nurse in New South Wales and then Victoria,” says Tamara Porter, who is the Aboriginal Midwifery Coordinator at Monash Health and a proud Gamilaroi woman.
“I loved that role and working with babies, but I also noticed that I loved working alongside the mother and the family network. So, I decided that a good pathway for me to have an outlet from NICU was maternity.”
Tamara joined the Aboriginal Midwifery team in January. “We have two different streams: we have a pregnancy clinic which currently runs from Casey and Dandenong and a secondary support service. Our clinic is midwifery lead and provides continuity of care to our patients throughout their pregnancy and into the postnatal period.”
The team also provides integral cultural and emotional support. “Sometimes pregnancy is the first time Aboriginal women walk into a hospital setting, so being able to support them from their booking through to after they’re discharged from hospital is really important to us.”
Tamara explains that unconscious bias and historical trauma continues to be a barrier for some First Nations mothers accessing care. “We’re trying to build a bridge and create culturally safe environments for families”
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By incorporating activities such as belly casting, possum skin cloak crafting, and placental burials, the Aboriginal Midwifery team helps mothers feel more comfortable and connected to culture.
“I am a Gamilaroi woman from NSW, so I’m still learning the culture, lore and the traditions within the Naarm/Melbourne community,” Tamara explains. “However, I think everyone comes from different backgrounds and they’re all learning about their own culture and how they fit into the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community.”
“We try to offer different opportunities for families to either continue what they’re already doing culturally, or to learn and understand more about who they are.”
The team are also in the middle of a project to create more culturally safe maternity spaces. “We’re looking at bringing in artwork for women’s business into the maternity areas of care, as well as therapeutic cultural artifacts like framed possum skins, cultural music and essential oils. It’s about creating a safe and more welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and their families within a hospital setting.” This project is funded through the Cultural Safety Fixed Grant which aims to enhance the cultural capability of Monash Health
We have had over 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies born across Monash Health this year. Mainstream teams can support the Aboriginal Midwifery service by asking every patient upon admission whether they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and by referring all families to Tamara and the team. This can be done by emailing the team: aboriginalmidwives@monashhealth.org
Approved by Sarah Ong, Operations Director, Aboriginal Health and Engagement