Keeping you and bubba, happy and healthy

Waijungbah Jarjums means place of mother and child and is a one-stop community service that provides continuity of care for you and your family throughout pregnancy, birth and as your little one grows. Our service offers continuity of care by a known Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander midwife and child health nurse from conception to the first 1000 days (2 years).

At Waijungbah Jarjums, we offer:

• antenatal and postnatal education
• Indigenous-led hypnobirthing course
• breastfeeding support
• blood tests and vaccinations
• healthy hearing screening
• child health assessments
• cultural connection and yarning circles
• Welcome Jarjum to Community events
• home visits or care in a location that suit you
• support with transport and parking options.

You will receive:

• your own midwife who will provide antenatal care, will be on call for your labour and birth and provide postnatal care up to six weeks
• a child health nurse who will provide care from six weeks until your jarjum is two
• a health worker who will support the delivery of culturally safe care and navigation through the healthcare system.

Our staff

All Waijungbah Jarjums permanent staff identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and are passionate about providing culturally safe care tailored to your individual and family needs. The team brings their lived experience as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to their practice and will help you explore your ancestral cultural birthing and parenting knowledge along your journey.

Our staff can also connect you to other Gold Coast support services to help you as your jarjum grows.

Who can access the service?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and women whose baby will identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

Where are my appointments?

Appointments can be at home, our one-stop community space, in hospital or at a convenient location for you depending on your recommended care.

Do I need a Doctor’s referral?

No, just send us an email, give us a call or pop into our community spaces.

Are there fees?

The service is free for Medicare-eligible families.

Waijungbah Jarjum connects you to your culture, leading to healthier outcomes for Indigenous mothers and their babies

Our service has achieved:

• improved low birth weights
• increased numbers of mothers choosing to breastfeed
• reduction in premature births and higher attendances for antenatal appointments.

Support for you and bub

A child health nurse will provide care from six weeks until your jarjum is two. We can also offer health worker support to help you navigate the healthcare system and ensure the delivery of culturally safe care. Our nurses can support you in breastfeeding, parenting, health, growth and development, sleep and settling, home visits, scheduled health checks. We offer open consultations to discuss parenting experiences and your child's health and development—intensive home visiting is available for selected families.

Deadly Dads is for fathers of babies born through Waijungbah Jarjums

Our Deadly Dads program runs a range of healing activities, events and workshops with a focus on reconnecting to culture and exploring the role of fathers in growing their children strong.

The meetings encourage dads to be their deadly best and gather together in yarning circles. The group encourages each other to be great leaders in their families, providing valuable love, nurturing, learning and role modelling.

Welcome Jarjum to Country Ceremony

For thousands of years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have held Welcome Baby to Country ceremonies to acknowledge a baby’s connection to the lands they are born.

The Welcome Baby to Country ceremony acknowledges an infant’s connection to the traditional lands on which they are born and a celebration of their births. During the ceremony, Yugambeh Elders offer smoking cleanse and blessings and mark newborns with ochre, signifying the land, and welcomed them to the Country.

The newborns will go into life knowing who they are and the Country they belong to, and they can take pride in their culture, traditions, and identity.

A yarning, story or dialogue circle is an important part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture

It has been used by Indigenous peoples from around the world for centuries to learn from a collective group, build respectful relationships, and preserve and pass on cultural knowledge. At Waijungbah Jarjums, we have both men's and women's yarning circles and meet regularly to connect to culture