AUGUST 27, 2019 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
(Damjan Janevski)
Dad’s twin celebration Dads around the country will be showered with socks and jocks on Sunday to celebrate Father’s Day. Lancefield dad Aaron Randall said he was looking forward to spending time with his two-year-old twin daughters Kenzie and Maddison. “I’ll be working on Father’s Day but once I get home, I’m sure I’ll have a surprise waiting for me, whether it’s some sort of gift or card from the girls,” he said. Kenzie and Maddison were born two minutes apart and three months prematurely. “One was 660 grams and one was 780 grams,” Mr Randall said. “But you wouldn’t know it now – they’re little battlers and flying along.” Mr Randall said raising his two beautiful girls had been very rewarding. “It’s changed my life,” he said. “It’s unbelievable just to watch them grow. I’ve been lucky enough to be a stay-at-home-dad for a year and a half now and I just love it. “It’s just joyful and rewarding. There are times when you get pushed to the point where you need a breather, but it’s [parenting] just fantastic. You just can’t beat it.” KENZIE, AARON AND MADDISON
Jessica Micallef
Birth services suspended By Jessica Micallef Macedon mums-to-be will need to drive to either Bendigo, Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh or Sunshine to give birth, after Kyneton District Health’s decision to suspend labour and birthing services. Kyneton District Health chief executive Maree Cuddihy said the decision to stop delivering babies at the hospital from September 30 followed a “steady decline” in births. “In 2018-19, there were only 26 babies born
at Kyneton District Health, with only women classified as low-risk labour and birth in our birthing suite,” she said. Despite the changes, pregnancy and postnatal care will continue to be provided at the hospital. “The decision to change the maternity model of care to one that only provides care for women during their pregnancy, and then again after the baby is born, has followed a steady decline in births at the hospital,” Ms Cuddihy said. “There has also been increasing challenges
in recruiting the skilled workforce required to supporting birthing. “Recently one of our two GP obstetricians resigned from Kyneton District Health. Across Australia there is a shortage of rural GP obstetricians and GP anesthetists.” Women who are booked in to give birth at Kyneton District Health will be transferred to an alternative health service. “Kyneton District Health recognises the importance of local access to pregnancy care and we will develop formal arrangements with
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the larger metropolitan and regional hospitals,” Ms Cuddihy said. “Women will be supported to return to Kyneton District Health as soon as possible following birth and to have our staff provide support and care prior to returning home. “The board and senior executives are very disappointed to not be able to continue to support local families to birth close to home. “The safety of all our patients, including local women and their babies, remains our number one priority.”
Contact Kellie Wilson 0499 499 085 www.regionallandsales.com.au kellie@regionallandsales.com.au 12426139-RC36-19 10079785-01