Released 25/07/2017
A baby boy is the first child born through the ACT Government’s publically funded Homebirth Trial, with the birth taking place on Saturday 21 January in the family’s home.
Ari Cvjeticanin is the first baby to be born as part of the Homebirth Trial in Canberra. Parents Ella Kurz and Relja Cvjeticanin are both overjoyed with his safe delivery, which took place in the family home late Saturday evening.
It’s wonderful to hear the news that the ACT’s first homebirth under this trial has occurred, and I would like to congratulate Ari’s parents and extend my warmest thanks to everyone involved in this safe homebirth.
Although Ari has arrived a week ahead of his due date, he was born without complications, assisted by two highly skilled midwives from the Canberra Midwifery Program at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.
Ari is a healthy baby boy, weighing 4 kilograms or approximately 8 pounds and 13 ounces, and is the second child in the family. I’m sure this is a very exciting time for the family.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank the midwives involved in this first homebirth. The exceptional care provided is testament to the success we can expect throughout the remainder of the homebirth trial.
The ACT Government’s Homebirth Trial will see one or two births each month over the course of the next three years. The trial is available to eligible Canberra women who are at low risk of experiencing childbirth complications and reside within the designated catchment area of the Centenary Hospital.
The ACT Government listened to calls from the community for a homebirth option in Canberra, and it’s great to have this trial underway.
The Homebirth Trial provides an alternative to other birthing services currently available in the ACT, and it provides eligible women the opportunity to birth in the privacy and comfort of their own homes.
We know the main reasons a woman chooses a homebirth is because she wants to give birth in a familiar place that she is comfortable in, with a midwife she knows and trusts. Women also want their families to be with them, and they want to be in control of the experience.
I send my warm wishes to other expectant parents who are taking place in the trial, and I hope we have many more successful homebirths throughout the year.
The ACT Government’s publically funded Homebirth Trial is being facilitated through the Canberra Midwifery Program and the midwives are experienced and highly educated health professionals. They are well-equipped to manage with a range of birthing scenarios outside the hospital environment.
For more information about the trial including eligibility criteria and the defined catchment area, visit www.health.act.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Acting Minister for Health Yvette Berry.
- Statement ends -
Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases
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