Obstetrics

My philosophy as an obstetrician is to involve a woman and her partner in all aspects of decision making surrounding her pregnancy and birth in order to help her achieve her birth plan, whether this be a natural birth with no drugs, an elective Caesarean Section or anything in between.  I have particular expertise in pregnancy care for women over the age of 35 and their specific pregnancy needs.

I provide holistic individualized care throughout pregnancy and have a special interest in nutrition and exercise in pregnancy.  I also have experience in managing medical disorders in pregnancy such as high blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid disease, as well as delivering twins.

One of my passions is the importance of involving women in the decisions surrounding their labour and birth. In my experience, empowering women to be involved in their birth choices significantly reduces their chance of experiencing post-natal depression or post-traumatic stress following their birth. Even if the birth does not go to plan, if women feel they have been involved in the decision making process and understand and agree with the decisions being made, they do not tend to harbour negative feelings about their failure to follow their birth plan.

My other passion is helping women to avoid instrumental birth (Vacuum or Forceps deliveries). While some instrumental births cannot be avoided if there is concern regarding fetal compromise, the majority of instrumental births are performed for failure to progress in the second stage of labour or maternal exhaustion. By managing the second stage appropriately and ensuring the baby is in the correct position before a woman starts pushing, many of these can be avoided. For this reason I am always present throughout a patient's entire active second stage of labour (pushing stage) so I can ensure the baby is in the correct position and that you are pushing correctly from the outset. 

My first obstetric appointment is 1 hour and all subsequent appointments are 20 minutes so there is ample time for questions.  I also have a longer appointment around 36 weeks where we discuss the birth plan.

As a result I feel I know a couple very well by the end of the pregnancy and thus am able to deliver a very personal touch to their birth experience.

I consider it to be a unique privilege to be a part of this incredible moment in a couples lives and never cease to be amazed by the miracle of birth.

I perform private deliveries at both North Shore Private Hospital and The Mater Hospital.  I also have an appointment at Royal North Shore Hospital meaning that if a patient requires transfer to a tertiary hospital during the pregnancy, I can continue to provide continuity of care.  

I also have excellent relationships with allied health professionals including physiotherapists, psychologists, dietitians, lactation consultants and mothercraft nurses if additional care of this type is required.