Expecting a baby in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter? You’re in the right place! We’ve gathered everything local parents-to-be need from trusted hospitals and maternity services to antenatal classes, doulas, pregnancy fitness, and baby-friendly stores. Whether it’s your first pregnancy or your third, this guide helps you feel prepared and connected.
At Newy with Kids, we love supporting local families through every stage of parenthood from those first positive test moments to the weeks and months after your baby arrives.
Our Pregnancy, Birth & New Parent Guide makes it easy to find the right care, support, and community close to home including breastfeeding help, sleep consultants, and new parent groups.
Do you have an addition to the list that you would like to share with local expecting parents? Email info@newywithkids.com.au.
Please note: Any reference made here to local businesses, products, organisations, services, classes, etc. is for informational purposes only. We understand that there are many choices when it comes to pregnancy, childbirth and parenting and inclusion in this guide does not imply Newy with Kids endorsement. We STRONGLY encourage you to do your own research before engaging with a medical practitioner, business or organization.
Hospitals & Birthing | Obstetricians | Childbirth & Parenting Classes | Doulas | Pregnancy & New Parent Support | Fitness, Pilates & Yoga | Pregnancy Massage | Sleep Consultants | Baby & Nursery Stores
Hospitals & Birthing
If you’re having a baby in the Newcastle region, these are the hospitals in which you can birth.
John Hunter Hospital (New Lambton Heights)
Models of care:
- Birth Suite – Supports all risk profiles. Monitoring and interventions available, including epidural analgesia if required.
- Birth Centre – Midwifery‑led care for low‑risk pregnancies. Focus on physiological birth with non‑pharmacological pain relief (including water immersion). Easy escalation to Birth Suite if needed.
- Hunter Midwifery Group Practice (HMGP) – Continuity of midwifery care for low‑risk pregnancies (antenatal, labour, postnatal). Births generally in the Birth Centre. Typical early discharge around 4 hours post‑birth when appropriate.
- Belmont Midwifery Group Practice (BMGP) – Continuity of midwifery care for low‑risk pregnancies. Antenatal, labour and postnatal care. Birth at Belmont Birthing Service or home within a defined area. Seamless transfer to JHH if higher‑level care is needed.
- M3 Team (Mother‑Midwifery‑Medical) – Continuity program for known complex pregnancies; eligibility assessed at booking.
- Birra Li Aboriginal Birthing Service – Continuity of care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and women whose baby will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Includes Indigenous support workers and medical care as needed.
- Family Care Team – Supports priority cohorts including young mothers and women from migrant backgrounds.
- Private Obstetric Care at JHH – Some obstetricians offer private care with birth at John Hunter (public hospital setting).
- Shared Care with your GP – Many GPs offer shared antenatal care with JHH; most antenatal visits with your regular GP, birth in Birth Suite or Birth Centre.
Maitland Hospital (Metford)
Models of care:
- Birth Suite – Birth in a supported hospital setting.
- Midwifery Group Practice & Birth Centre – For healthy, low‑risk pregnancies; midwifery‑led with quick access to additional care if required.
- Private obstetrician birth at Maitland Hospital – Some local obstetricians support birth at Maitland.
- Naae Waani Aboriginal Birthing Service – Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families.
- Specialist Obstetric Care – care for complicated pregnancies
- Shared Care with your GP – GP‑shared antenatal care with birth in Birth Suite or Birth Centre.
Belmont Midwifery Group Practice (BMGP)
For normal, healthy pregnancies. Continuity with a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth and postnatal period.
Models of care:
- Birth at the Belmont Birthing Centre
- A public health funded homebirth service (within area). Some women who book to have their babies under the care of BMGP choose to have a planned homebirth with the care and support of Belmont midwives.
As indicated above Hunter New England Local Health District offers a range of pregnancy, birth and after birth care in both the hospital and at home. Visit the HNELHD website for more information.
Newcastle Private Hospital
If you want private maternity service in Newcastle, your only choice is Newcastle Private Hospital (located next door to John Hunter Hospital). It offers private birthing suites, a 38 bed maternity ward and eight-bed Level 2 nursery. Visit the Newcastle Private Hospital website for more information.
Obstetricians
Alphabetical by surname; suburbs in brackets.
- Dr John Bailey (Charlestown)
- Dr Oliver Brown (New Lambton Heights)
- Dr Malcolm Godfrey (New Lambton Heights)
- Dr Lyndal Harborne (New Lambton Heights)
- Dr Matthew Holland (New Lambton Heights)
- Dr Seshu Mandapati (New Lambton)
- Dr Ljiljana Miljkovic‑Petkovic (New Lambton Heights)
- Dr Mary Norris (Warners Bay)
- Dr Felicity Park (New Lambton Heights)
- Dr Nandini Somanathan (Broadmeadow)
- Dr Penelope Thomas (Charlestown)
Help us keep this current: If any details have changed, please email info@newywithkids.com.au
Childbirth & Parenting Classes
Public Hospitals
John Hunter Hospital & Belmont Hospital – John Hunter Hospital conducts classes at the Newcastle Community Health Building on Hunter Street, at John Hunter Hospital or at Belmont Hospital. They also offer online sessions. Their online programs are available to any expecting parent in the Hunter New England LHD.
Programs include:
- Birth and parenting
- Breastfeeding
- Calmbirth
- Nuts and Bolts of Fatherhood
- Multiple Miracles (for those with multiple birth)
- Next Birth after Caesarean
- Planned Caesarean
- Pregnancy Wise
- Young Parents Birth and Parenting
Maitland Hospital – Maitland Hospital provides parent education for expecting parents.
Programs include:
- Birth and parenting
- Breastfeeding
- Next Birth after Caesarean
- Young Parents Birth and Parenting
There’s also Birth and Parenting classes at Muswellbrook Hospital, Scone Hospital and Singleton Hospital.
For more information about parenting education services in public hospitals, visit the HNELHD website.
Private / Community providers
- Embracing Birth Classes with Karen Scanlen at Embracing Birth. 0407 269 920
- Lamaze Childbirth and Parenting Class with Kate Drew at Collective Wisdom. Lamaze training 0435 123 185
- Nichola Kinnane at She Births. Weekend courses, online courses and workshops. 1300 101 743
Doulas
- Kate Drew, Collective Wisdom, 0435 123 185
- Karen Scanlen, Embracing Birth, 0407 269 920
Baby Sleep Consultants
- Natalie Ebrill, Sleep and Settle
- Newcastle Mum and Bubs
Pregnancy & New Parent Support
Australian Breastfeeding Helpline
1800 686 268
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) runs the National Breastfeeding Helpline . It’s staffed by trained, volunteer counsellors who answer calls on a roster system in their own homes. As breastfeeding mothers, ABA counsellors know that breastfeeding may not always seem easy. They can provide reassurance and give you knowledge about how breastfeeding works and help in overcoming common hurdles. Telephone counselling is available free to all callers.
Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA)
Your ABA Local Group is a ready-made social network of local parents. ‘Mum-to-mum’ support is the keystone of their local groups. Come along and meet new friends. Get hints and tips from other mums who’ve ‘been there’ and talk to a qualified breastfeeding counsellor or educator if needed. In our region, there is a Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Lower Hunter and Upper Hunter group. Visit the ABA website for more information about the ABA group closest to you.
Bears of Hope
Bears Of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support provides leading support and care for families who experience the loss of their baby. They provide crucial information and assistance to families through their time of loss, and beyond. Families receive a gift of a Bear of Hope donated by another bereaved family as well as information to help them make decisions and memories in hospital and beyond. Call 1300 11 HOPE (Grief Services).
GP Access
1300 130 147
Monday to Friday: 6pm to 8am on the following day
Saturday 1pm to 8am on the next business day
Public Holidays: from 6pm the previous business day to 8am on the next business day.
GP Access After Hours provides comprehensive after hours primary medical care for Hunter residents. Nurses will advise you regarding your medical queries.
Karitane Careline
1300 CARING (1300 227 464) or (02) 9794 2350
Monday to Thursday 8am – 9pm, Friday 8am – 4:30pm and Saturday 9am – 3.30pm
When you call Karitane Careline, you can talk to an experienced child and family health nurse about your parenting concerns around sleep and settling, breastfeeding, feeding and nutrition, routines, adjusting to parenting, anxiety and postnatal depression, toddler behaviour and more. Call on the free parent helpline 1300 227 464 or 9794 2350. There’s also lots of resources on the Karitane website including videos on the unique challenges of parenting. In addition to the Careline, you can also meet in-person at Maryland Neighbourhood Centre. Their Early Parenting Centre provides free services for families with children from birth to age 5.
Mothersafe
1800 647 848
Monday to Friday 9am-5pm
MotherSafe is a free telephone service for the women of NSW, based at the Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick. They provide advice about prescription and over the counter medications that can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They also provide comprehensive counselling service for women concerned about exposures to street drugs, infections, radiation and occupational exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Newcastle Multiple Birth Club (NMBC)
Newcastle Multiple Birth Club (NMBC) offers friendship, advice, support and fun to families raising twins, triplets, quads and more. A multiple pregnancy and subsequent raising of children the same age can be a daunting experience, to say the least! As Australia’s longest-running multiple birth club, NMBC provides shoulders to lean on and open ears from those who know. The club provides its member families with many benefits, including club social events and age-based catch ups, private Facebook group, monthly e-newsletter, expectancy program, education programs, product discounts, equipment hire and support officers.
Pregnancy, Birth & Baby
1800 882 436
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is a phone and online service for all Australians, providing information, advice and counselling about pregnancy, childbirth and your baby’s first year. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is an initiative of the Federal Government and offers free and confidential information and counselling to women and their partners. They also provide help with postnatal depression.
PANDA (Post and Antenatal Depression Association)
1300 726 306 (Monday to Friday 9am to 7:30pm and Saturday 9am – 4pm
PANDA provides a helpline in Australia for anyone affected by depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after childbirth, including partners, family members and friends. The telephone information, support and referral service is staffed by trained volunteers, professional counsellors and supervising staff. Most of the volunteers on the helpline have experienced perinatal depression and anxiety.
Red Nose (formerly SIDS and Kids)
1300 308 307
Red Nose (formerly SIDS and Kids) Grief and Loss provides 24 hour bereavement support are available to anyone who has experienced the sudden and unexpected death of their baby or child during pregnancy, birth, infancy and early childhood.
Thrive Parenting
Have you found your tribe? Life changes in many big ways when we welcome a baby into our family. Figuring out what works for us amidst a sea of information and differing opinions can often leave us overwhelmed and unsure. Thrive Parenting is about bringing together small groups of Newcastle parents to connect while sharing quality information to help you parent in a way that feels right for you. A collaboration between Newcastle Mums and Bubs and Collective Wisdom, they are local parents with 12 kids between them, bringing heartfelt experience and professional training to a range of topics including baby sleep, play, adjusting to parenting and starting solids to help you thrive.
Tresillian Parent’s Help Line
1300 272 736 (7am to 11pm every day)
Tresillian offers a Parent’s Help Line where you can ring up and speak to one of their qualified Child and Family Health nurses on any aspect of your baby’s sleep, feeding and development. They can also help with any questions you have on Tresillian’s services. They are best known for their assistance with sleep issues and offer residential programs for parents and children.
Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness, Pilates and Yoga
- BUMP Gateshead
- Core Active, Belmont North
- Core Fitness, Gateshead
- Fitness Fix Pilates, Newcastle
- Fleur Wellbeing, Charlestown
- FLUIDform Newcastle
- Genesis Fitness,
- Kirby Bree Fitness, Cardiff
- KX Pilates, Newcastle East
- Manisha Fitness, Hamilton
- Pineapple Fitness, Carrington (studio), Bar Beach & Carrington (outdoors)
- Salti Yoga, Redhead
- That Yoga Place, Maitland
- YogaBodyWorks, Newcastle
- Yoga for mama, various locations
Prenatal Massage
- Blossoming Bellies Pregnancy Massage
- Bump Recovery Physio, Gateshead
- Chiropractic Plus, New Lambton
- Chiropractic Plus, Warners Bay
- Riina Kosonen at Peak Physio, Newcastle
Baby & Nursery Stores
- Babyshop
- Baby Bunting
- Cotton On Kids
- Hire for Baby Newcastle
- Kids Carousel
- Mod Bodz
Pregnancy & Baby Photographers
- Coral Hagan Photography
- Kate Kennedy Birth Photography
- Kylie James Photography
- Leighsa Cox Photographer
- Lisa Webber Photography
- Little Kite Photography
- Nicole Butler Photography
- Photos With Janayah
- Photography by Elisha
- Renee Gosper Photographer
- Smix Pix Photography
- Tamara Vasse Photography
- Wattle Rose Photography
- Zen Life Photography
You might also like:
Newy with Kids Baby Guide with information on information on baby-friendly places, local playgroups, baby book sessions, and more.
Child Care Guide: 100 + Centres for child care in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & the Hunter