The Honda Foundation Donates New Cots to Mother and Baby Unit

TULLAMARINE, AUSTRALIA – Dec 7. 2011: Monash Medical Centre’s mother and baby unit are the grateful recipients of two new, and much needed Oostwould cots, after The Honda Foundation, with the support of Brighton Honda, stepped in with a generous $11,972 donation.

Six beds and six cots make up the in-patient mother and baby unit, which is available to women with perinatal psychiatric and psychological disorders and their infants.

Perinatal psychiatric and psychological disorders include pre and post birth disorders such as depression and anxiety. Australian statistics have shown that postnatal depression alone affects between ten and twenty percent of all new mothers.

The Foundation’s Chairman, Lindsay Smalley said; “The care unit provides a safe space for new mothers to receive much needed support and understanding, as they work through a difficult adjustment period. We are glad to be supporting Australian doctors and nurses in any way we can.”

Women who are admitted to the Mother and Baby Unit with pregnancy related disorders are carefully treated through a specialised assessment and management program. This program is designed to care for the emotional and physical development of the infant and the psychiatric care of the mother. Unique features of the unit require the use of special cots which meet Australian standards, occupational and health standards, and issues relating to infection control and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Managing the health of the mother as she learns to adjust to the hormonal changes induced by pregnancy and birth, is a large factor to consider, though not the only one. Caring for the health of the new born, with infants up to twelve months of age being accepted into the unit, is equally important to the program.

After prolonged use, the existing cots in the unit no longer met the safe standards of care for infants, and urgently needed replacing. The Oostwould Cot AX.6200 is designed to meet these criteria and ensure the safest possible environment for the infants. With birth rates on the rise, and devastating numbers of women experiencing perinatal disorders, the need for support in this area is imperative.

The Honda Foundation stepped in, and were honoured to be able to contribute much needed equipment for the Mother and Baby Unit.

“The new cots are light and very easily portable which allows us to have mothers and older babies staying in a room together, which is so important at this time. The previous cots were larger meaning that older babies were cared for in a separate room to the mother,” said Barbara Minto, Nurse Unit Manager of the Mother and Baby Unit.

“On behalf of Southern Health we would like to thank The Honda Foundation for their generous donation which has made an enormous difference to the wellbeing of our clients.”

The Honda Foundation aims to provide assistance to local communities and foster goodwill among Honda Australia, Honda Motor Vehicle Dealers and the public. It draws funding from Honda Dealers and Honda Australia who donate $15 ($5 and $10 respectively) for every Honda car sold.

For more information on The Honda Foundation and the organisations it supports, please visit www.hondafoundation.org.au