What does MCHN mean in NURSING

A Maternal and Child Health Nurse is a qualified professional who provides education and support to pregnant women, new parents and their families. They are experts in providing family-centred care for physical, emotional and social needs of babies and young children up to the age of six.

Maternal and Child Health Nurses offer a wide range of services, including antenatal classes; parenting advice; baby health checks; immunizations; breastfeeding support; growth assessment; nutrition advice; sleep management strategies; postnatal parenting classes as well as liaising with other health professionals.

Maternal and Child Health Nursing services are available to all families living in the local area who have children aged 0-6 years old. This can include families living in rural or urban areas, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander families as well as culturally diverse families.

No referral is required however you may be referred by your doctor or midwife if they believe it would benefit you. It is also beneficial for those expecting their first child but not essential. All contact with the service is voluntary so you can choose to opt out at any time.

MCHN services are free for all eligible clients registered with Medicare. There may also be some additional costs associated with accessing specialist clinics such as lactation consultants or audiologists which will need to be discussed prior to attending the appointment.

The number of visits that you have with your maternal & child health nurse will depend upon your individual circumstances and can vary from one visit through to more than five visits during an infant's first year of life. It is best to discuss this further with your health care provider so an individualised plan can be created for you both.

During appointments, your MCHN will cover topics such as attachment bonding between parents & baby, sleep & settling practices, nutrition & feeding strategies, breastfeeding support & information on infant development & milestones. Your nurse will also allow time during each visit to answer any questions that you might have about raising your baby/child/children.

Yes, if at any stage during pregnancy or after birth, you feel like you need extra support please speak with your Midwife or GP who can refer you onto an allied health professional such as a psychologist or social worker who specialise in post natal depression counselling. You may also find online resources such as parent talk forums helpful too.

Family centred care focuses on creating partnerships between families within communities in order to promote positive outcomes for both mothers, fathers/partners, children - emotionally, physically and socially over time. It allows us to provide evidence-based standards of care tailored specifically towards the unique needs of each family unit.