Your Birth Place Options (Far NOR)

Are you pregnant and living North Of the River in Perth? Specifically far NOR? Unsure about your birth place options? Girl, I got you.

In this blog I’ll share with you information about where you can go and what you can do to get the care that feels aligned with you. Specifically for those living far north of the river, think Joondalup and north as a rough guide. 

When choosing where to go, it's super important that it feels GOOD and right for you, and there is no rush with choosing a birth place, so give it some time, do some research and lean into that powerful intuition of yours!

Right, let's dive in. 

Now you have a few options, but granted, also not that many!

PUBLIC HOSPITALS

(These are free $)

• Joondalup Health Campus

• Osborne Park Hospital 

• King Edwards Memorial Hospital

At Joondalup, there is no continuity of care, you will see a different midwife/consultant every time and you essentially will birth with strangers (besides from your other chosen team, partner, mum, sister, doula etc). There is no chance of a birth pool/bath and the only access to water is the shower. Some postpartum home visits but generally only 2 or 3 and then referred to Child's Health Nurse. No six week follow up /check up with hospital or midwives. 

Osborne Park is really only for low risk women, and you must be in the individual catchment for them. They have access to waterbirth. No continuity of care, discharge care looks like some home visits, only up until day 5. Referred to CHN, no six week check up with hospital/midwives.

King Edwards is an all risk hospital, and they have a few options within their system. The hospital is pretty standard, like as above, but they do offer some options of continuity of care like;

• The Community Midwife Program (CMP)

• The Family Birth Centre (FBC)

• Midwife Group Practice (MGP)

You have to apply for these programs and be accepted, CMP and FBC are for low risk women only, MGP is for all risk. 

Midwife Group Practise provides women with pregnancy care from the same small group of midwives. Women are cared for by the same midwives for the duration of their pregnancy and postnatal period, and if your midwife is on shift during your labour you will have them too, otherwise another midwife in your team. Women choosing this model of care may birth in the Family Birth Centre (FBC) for low risk pregnancies, or in the main hospital.

The Family Birth Center provides care for healthy women for whom a straight forward, low-risk pregnancy and birth is anticipated. The center is a home-like environment, complete with fairy lights, comfortable double beds (not hospital beds) and access to pools/baths. It is attached to the hospital incase of emergencies, or need for pain relief. The FBC does not offer epidurals. It is midwifery led and you would only see an obstetrician or doctor if an emergency presented itself. 

Spots at the birth center are limited, and you must meet specific criteria to qualify. If you don’t meet the criteria, or fall out of it, you will be excluded and have to give birth in the hospital instead.

The Community Midwife Program supports you to have your baby in hospital, in the birth centre or at home. The CMP provides safe, evidence-based care for women experiencing a low risk pregnancy, and offers continuity of care from known midwives throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and up to two weeks in the postnatal period.

This is a publicly funded homebirth program in Perth that we are very lucky to have. It does have a catchment (for NOR I know Two Rocks is excluded but Yanchep is okay) and they also have a strict criteria that you have to meet and they can kick you out of the program at any point. 

CMP Eligibility Criteria:

• Live within the geographical boundaries

• Aged 18+

• Pregnant with a single baby

• No significant pre-existing medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension)

• No history of significant neonatal complications

• No conditions in pregnancy that increase risk

• Not taking antidepressants

• Apply before 35 weeks

• Pre-pregnancy BMI between 18-35

• Must consent to a 20-week anatomy scan and a blood test for iron and blood group

• Must birth between 37 - 42 weeks

There are options of GP Shared care, where you see your GP for your antenatal care and then birth in hospital. 

There is also an option of seeing Yanchep Midwives, for those wanting more continuity of care in pregnancy and postpartum, Yanchep Midwives (run by Linda at Yhub, Yanchep) offers an alternative. While birth still takes place at hospitals with strange midwives, you’ll see the same midwife for prenatal and postnatal care. They also provide nutrition and mindset coaching, with a small out-of-pocket cost.

So that is all your choices for mostly free, public options. 

Moving on to your Private options.

PRIVATE HOSPITALS

• Joondalup Health Campus (Ramsey Health)

• St John of God Murdoch 

At private hospitals, you are under the care of an Obstetrician. You can choose who, and you would get a referral from your GP. If you have private health insurance, depending on your cover that will pay for some/most of your bill, but you will still have some out of pocket expenses. 

You will have some care with a midwife who works in their clinic, but you will mostly see your OB, which means there is continuity of care. Your experience will depend greatly on which OB you choose, as some accept a high number of patients, making appointments feel rushed and impersonal. Private OBs tend to have higher intervention rates, and I think it's important to note that Obstetricians are trained surgeons, & so that is their job (to do surgery), keep this in mind if you want a natural birth (and that's not to say you won't achieve one, just keep it in mind when deciding on your care providers/birth place). If you have a ‘high risk’ pregnancy, and possibly require intervention like a Caesarean for your birth, then a Private Ob could be a great option for you. They normally come with longer hospital stays and nicer rooms & food.

Privately Practising Midwives

For those seeking a truly personalized and mother-centered approach, hiring a Privately Practicing Midwife (PPM), also known as an Independent Midwife, is a beautiful option. Unlike hospital-employed midwives, private midwives work for themselves, meaning they are not bound by hospital policies or protocols. Instead, they set their own criteria and focus on honoring your autonomy, supporting you in a way that aligns with your unique needs and birth preferences.

With extensive experience in physiological birth, private midwives specialize in creating a calm, empowering, and magical birth environment. They provide continuity of care, offering support throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey (normally up to 6 weeks), often in the comfort of your own home. Appointments are typically an hour long, giving you ample time to ask questions, feel heard, and build a trusting relationship—all while sipping a warm coffee in your own space.

Private midwifery care is an out-of-pocket investment, usually ranging from $6,500 to $8,000, with Medicare rebates available for some pregnancy and postnatal visits. While it is a financial commitment, many families find the personalized, one-on-one care and home birth support invaluable.

If you’re looking for a deeply connected, individualized, and empowering birth experience, a private midwife may be the perfect fit, some wonderful PPM in Perth are:

Tegan Van Veen - Barefoot Mama Midwifery

Naomi Newman - Calmic Birth

Vanessa Butera - Simply Midwifery

You can see the complete list here  

FREEBIRTH

Some women choose to intentionally birth without any medical professionals present, called a freebirth. Some say a freebirth is completely on your own, with no one there besides the birthing mother. Some say it’s with only support people (partner/sister) in an unpaid capacity, so it is ‘free.’ And some say with whomever the mother wants, a doula possibly, but no midwives or doctors. Freebirths are mostly done at home, in the mother’s comfort and safety. Women who choose this often feel deeply connected to physiological birth and trust in their body’s ability to birth intuitively. 

DOULAS

Wherever & with whomever you choose to birth, doulas are always of benefit and can offer invaluable support. A doula is your unwavering support, your calm in the chaos, and your biggest cheerleader through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I’m not here for clinical care—that’s your midwife or doctor’s role. My job is to support you emotionally, physically, and practically so you feel safe, confident, and in control. Basically, I become your best friend who deeply cares, understands your needs, and shows up for you in all the ways that matter—without judgment, without pressure, just pure support, love, and reassurance.

I'm Tasmyn, I’m a birth and postpartum doula in Perth, servicing far north of the river. I am here to guide you to birth confidently and enter motherhood feeling nourished, honored, and supported. I can teach you how to love and appreciate your birthing body by learning how to trust and work with it during labor and birth.

You can find me on Instagram as @tasmynbeasy_doula, or click HERE to head to my website.