North Shore Private Maternity Unit at North Shore Private Hospital is a world-class, purpose-designed
27/08/2025
🧡 The Golden Hour – Your First Moments Together 🧡
The golden hour is the magical time just after birth when your baby is placed skin-to-skin on your chest.
It’s more than just a cuddle — it’s a powerful bonding moment that helps regulate your baby’s temperature, heartbeat, and breathing, while also boosting breastfeeding hormones and calming both of you after birth.
At Ramsay Maternity, we honour this sacred time. Wherever possible, we delay routine checks to give you uninterrupted skin-to-skin — because those first moments matter. 🤱
✨ Skin-to-skin
✨ Bonding and connection
✨ Support for breastfeeding
✨ Calm for you and baby
Your golden hour is your time — soak it all in. 💛
25/08/2025
It’s normal to feel emotional after childbirth, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed or persistently down, you may be experiencing more than just the baby blues. It’s important to talk to someone about your feelings.
Our maternity team are always here to talk and can point you in the right direction for further support 💬.
Ramsay Mental Health services are also widely available – including psychology, psychiatry and inpatient care. Visit ramsaymentalhealth.com.au to find out more.
20/08/2025
🥇If parenting was in the Olympics... we know who’d be taking home the gold. From the one-handed snack grabs to the midnight bottle sprints, every day is a new event—and you're absolutely smashing it. 👏
💬 Tag your parenting teammate, coach, or cheer squad below 👇
18/08/2025
Let’s get real—parenthood & postpartum comes with a few surprises. Here are some things that no one told you about:
✨ Your baby will cry—a lot (and that’s totally okay)
✨ You’ll be obsessed with baby photos… and still feel like you’re missing some
✨ After birth, your body might feel like it’s been through a mini marathon (hello, recovery!)
✨ Sleep deprivation hits hard—but cuddles make up for it all
✨ Baby wipes will become useful for more than just wiping a baby’s bottom 😅
✨ The after-birth cramps can be quite painful – especially with second+ babies
✨ You might still look pregnant for weeks. Be kind to yourself and your body ❤️
✨ Newborns grunt like tiny dinosaurs at night. Totally normal but very noisy!
✨ Postpartum hair loss hits about 3 months post birth
✨ You may cry at ads, socks and the weather. Hormones are no joke but it gets better!
It’s a crazy, wonderful journey. You’ve got this, Supermum 💪
If you need extra support there are some wonderful resources available including Red Nose, COPE and your maternal child health nurse and their network.
Got a “no one warned me!” moment to add? Share it in the comments!
14/08/2025
Small, mighty, and packed with goodness—colostrum is often called "liquid gold" for a reason.
This thick, yellowish milk is your baby’s first food, produced in the first few days after birth. It's full of antibodies, protein, and nutrients to help protect your newborn and build their immune system.
✨ Just a few drops at a time are enough to nourish your baby
🤱 Some parents choose to express colostrum before birth (especially if baby might need extra support after delivery—your midwife can guide you)
Every feed, no matter how small, counts 💛
Talk to your midwife about colostrum collection and breastfeeding support during your hospital stay.
12/08/2025
Newborns sleep a lot! But how they sleep matters.
Keep your baby safe while they snooze with these evidence-based tips from Red Nose Australia:
✅ Always place baby on their back to sleep
✅ Use a firm, flat mattress with no loose bedding, pillows or soft toys
✅ Sleep baby in a cot or bassinet in your room for the first 6–12 months
✅ Keep baby's face and head uncovered
✅ Avoid overheating – dress baby appropriately and check the room temperature is comfortable for you
🛑 Don’t co-sleep on a couch or armchair—it’s never safe
🛌 Co sleeping in bed not recommended, and safest place for baby to sleep is in their own safe sleeping space
🤱 Do not sleep with your baby at the breast, it is important to ensure baby has space to breath whilst breastfeeding
You can find the full safe sleep guidelines at rednose.org.au
👶 Sleep is precious—make it safe 💗
04/08/2025
Breastfeeding can come with challenges—but the benefits are numerous
✔️ Protection against infections
✔️ Ideal nutrition tailored to your baby
✔️ Soothing and comforting for both of you
During World Breastfeeding Week, we want to remind new parents that you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Our team offers support from day one, with access to breastfeeding education and one-on-one help in hospital and beyond.
✨ Visit our website to learn more about breastfeeding support and education.
31/07/2025
During World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August), we’re celebrating all the ways parents nourish and connect with their babies.
Some breastfeed directly.
Some express.
Some mix feed.
Some switch to formula.
Some need extra help to get started.
All are doing their best.
What matters most is that you feel supported and informed, no matter your journey.
Our midwives and lactation consultants are here to provide non-judgmental, expert support—whether you're exclusively breastfeeding, topping up with formula, or navigating challenges.
✨ Let’s normalise all the ways breastfeeding can look.
✨ Let’s lift each other up.
30/07/2025
Your newborn comes equipped with some incredible reflexes—they’re nature’s way of helping baby thrive.
🖐️ Startle (Moro) reflex – Baby throws their arms out when startled. It’s totally normal and fades by around 3–6 months.
👣 Stepping reflex – Hold baby upright and they’ll do a little walking motion—adorable!
🍼 Rooting + sucking – Help baby find the breast or bottle and latch on
✋ Palmar grasp – Baby will instinctively grab your finger (cue heart melt 💘)
These reflexes are signs of a healthy, developing nervous system—and yes, they’re super cute too!
Want to know more about baby’s development? Chat with our team or visit our website.
25/07/2025
Your baby’s first 24 hours outside the womb are full of big adjustments—for both of you 💛
Here’s what to expect:
💤 Sleepy stretches—totally normal, they’ve just done a lot of work!
✨ Lots of skin-to-skin cuddles (amazing for bonding + regulating baby's temperature and heart rate)
🤱 Frequent feeds—after a big sleep post birth, your baby may feed a lot to start to bring your milk in
🧷 A few checks—we’ll monitor baby’s breathing, temperature, your wellbeing and recovery, and baby’s first wee and poo
💉 Injections—administering of vitamin K and hepatitis B with your consent
Take it slow. Rest, bond, and ask for help—we’re here for you 💕
📲 Learn more about our postnatal care on our website.
23/07/2025
A birth plan is a simple way to communicate your preferences for labour and birth 💬👶
It’s not set in stone (birth is unpredictable!)—but it’s a great way to feel informed and empowered 💪
Here are a few things you might include in yours:
👥 Support People
Who you’d like by your side during labour (partner, friend, family etc.)
💉 Pain Relief Options
Whether you’d like to try nitrous oxide, an epidural, or focus on natural techniques like breathing and movement
🌿 Environment Preferences
Dim lights? Music? Essential oils? Let your care team know what helps you feel calm
🩺 Interventions
Your thoughts on induction, assisted birth, or C-section if they become necessary
👶 Immediate After Birth
Are you excited to experience skin to skin, and consent to delayed cord clamping? Who’ll cut the cord?
🍼 Feeding Preferences
Breastfeeding, formula, or a mix? Your team is here to support you
💬 Special Requests
Any cultural or spiritual wishes? Let your team know so they can support you respectfully
Remember: Your birth plan is just a guide. It’s ok to change your mind or for things not to go quite the way you'd hoped. The most important thing is that you and your baby are safe and supported 💖
16/07/2025
Wondering if it’s finally the day? You’re not alone! Here are a few signs you might be in labour (but it’s always best to call the hospital if you’re unsure):
💥 Regular contractions: They’ll feel like tightening or cramping, and will get progressively stronger, longer and closer together
💧 Water breaking: Sudden gush or trickle of fluid (not everyone gets this in early labour)
💪 Lower back pain: Could be a sign your baby’s on the way!
🍫 Mucous show/ Bloody show: A small amount of pink or brownish mucus may come out in the days of weeks leading up to your labour starting
😴 Increased energy: It sounds strange, but some women experience a burst of energy before labour!
You know your body & baby best—and remember, your babies movements matter, and do not reduce leading up to labour. If you are concerned about your babies movements or if unsure in anyway, contact our birth unit.💛
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North Shore Private together with our community welcomes over 2,500 babies each year!
Our Maternity Team, led by our very experienced Clinical Manager, Stephanie Virgona and postnatal Nursing Unit Manager (NUM), Michelle Daniels, take pride in patient safety and wellness. North Shore Private is proud to have such a collaborative team of Obstetricians, Paediatricians, Midwives, Social Workers and Lactation experts to ensure you have a very special pregnancy and birthing experience. In the event of your baby requiring special care, our Special Care Nursery is well equipped to take care of your baby.
“North Shore Private is a wonderful environment to have your baby. We pride ourselves on being able to accommodate individual needs through pregnancy, birth, postnatal care and through the early stages of parenting and family life together.” says Michelle.
“Our skillful, caring Midwives, with the help of our lactation specialists, educators and doctors is what I believe makes our maternity unit exceptional.”
Join us on one of our next Maternity Tours and see why North Shore Private’s Maternity department exceeds its reputation.
Maternity Tours
Are you planning a pregnancy or deciding where to have your baby?
We welcome you to join us for a guided maternity tour to see what makes us so unique and a leader in Maternity Services in Sydney. The guided tours are free and run by our Maternity Customer Service team. The tours include our luxurious new birthing unit, postnatal ward and nursery. The Maternity tours run for approximately 15 minutes where we can answer any questions you may have and you will have the opportunity to meet our fabulous midwives and staff.
Tours are run at North Shore Private Hospital every Tuesday and Wednesday at 1.00pm, Thursday at 6.00pm and Saturdays at 1.00pm and 2.00pm.
We also now offer maternity tours and childbirth and parenting classes conducted in Mandarin. The Mandarin speaking tours are run monthly on Tuesday at 2pm.
Please book one of our tours online or call our Maternity Customer Relations team on 02 8425 3387 to arrange a time.
