The Southern Highlands Private Hospital will be celebrating it’s fifth birthday on April 9. Midwife Barbara Mahr will be celebrating five years at The Southern Highlands Private Hospital on April 30.
Barbara has seen many changes during this time and has been pleased to be a part of these changes.
She began her nursing career at Princess Alexandra in Brisbane and conmpleted her training at Woden Valley in Canberra.
Before moving to Mittagong she worked at Sale and at St Vincent’s in Melbourne, The Mater and Royal Newcastle Hospitals.
It was not until 1988 that she specialised in Midwifery. She felt that she would be more employable the more qualified she was. She has never looked back.
Barbara has been living in the Highlands since 1988 and has worked at The Bowral and District Hospital and has had some time off to have a family.
“I have three wonderful children,” said Barbara who has a son and two daughters aged eleven, nine and seven.
They all keep her busy with their soccer, tennis, piano and ballet lessons.
As a child Barbara always wanted to be an actress but remembered her father telling her to “get a descent career” so she chose nursing.
It is a descision that she is glad that she made.
She particularly enjoys midwifery at Southern Highlands Private as with the Level 1 accreditation she cares for well “mums and bubs”.
At times she has cared for surgical patients but she prefers being able to concentrate on the post natal ward.
The demand has increased since the hospital opened five years ago and even more so this year. “We have already had one third of the total babies we had last year,” she said and she looks forward to that figure increasing.
Babies and their mums are transferred after delivery at The Bowral and District Hospital.
As the personnel coordinator in the post natal ward Barbara works from Monday to Friday. She enjoys having been involved since the hospital opened and has seen some of her ideas implemented.
“It is great to be able to see things implemented and then follow them through,” said Barbara.
The Post Natal classes are proving very popular and the numbers of parents attending has increased. “It is encouraging to see that people are utilising the services available to them,” said Barbara. The classes are being updated and improved all the time.
It would be great to see the ward always full.
Barbara feels a great deal of satisfaction looking after new parents and watching them in their transition into parenthood.
“We want them to feel confident in caring for this new individual.” They need to be able to enjoy parenthood and not feel stressed in their new role as parents.
There is always a midwife on duty said Barbara and even after mums have left the hospital they can call for advise.
They have a strong link with community services and can direct new parents to whatever resources are available. There are lactation consultants available when required.
Barbara is constantly upgrading her skills as is expected within the industry attending whatever courses and seminars are in keeping with her work.
“Things are always changing,” said Barbara . The baby friendly initiative has improved how mothers and babies react to one another. Many of the babies are over their birthweight when they leave hospital and Barbara thinks that this is on overall trend.
She experiences great joy in her career as she sees so many new arrivals.
“Nursing has been good to me, especially as a midwife,” said Barbara.
She does have some interests outside of work. She “sort of” plays golf when she can fit it in and she is a very keen photographer.
Five years ago she entered an international photographic competition and was thrilled to win fourth place. Some 39,000 entries were received for the competition which was conducted by Osh Kosh childrens clothing and needed to feature a child wearing some of that clothing range.
The prize money enabled her to buy herself a new camera.
She can not see herself in any other career as she is dedicated to helping others.
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