The Canberra Hospital Birth Centre holds a special place for thousands of families.
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About 10,000 babies have taken their first breaths at the centre and more than 20,000 families have been supported by the facility's dedicated midwives.
The centre is celebrating its 30th year in 2022 and midwives feel this is cause for celebration, with a gala dinner to be held to celebrate this important milestone.
Former manager of the birth centre and midwife, Christine Fowler, has worked at the centre for most of those 30 years after starting in 1995.
Not only has she worked there, but she also had her three children through the birth centre program.
"People often celebrate their 30th and it is a big deal," Ms Fowler said.
"We just wanted to really celebrate what the birth centre was designed for, and the numbers of families that have had their babies through the programs and birthed their babies in the centre over those years.
"It was just a good opportunity to celebrate all of that."
Ms Fowler said she felt it was important to mark the 30th anniversary as it may be the last milestone for many of the people who were involved in the setting up of the centre.
"A lot of people who were significant in developing the birth centre back in the 90s may not be here for the 40th," she said.
Families who use the birth centre have the same midwife throughout their pregnancy journey. The centre itself is set up to be a home-like environment.
The service's midwives can also assist families who have their children outside of the centre.
The program is available for women who have no medical concerns, want a vaginal birth with minimal intervention and who want to return home within 24 hours of birth.
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It has been a tough few years for the centre during COVID and midwives are especially eager to show the value of the facility as they mark this important milestone.
"We just wanted to make it an event and we really want to be promoting the birth centre because of the different things that happened with the birth centre over the last few years with COVID," Ms Fowler said.
"Regardless of all the wonderful evidence for the care that happens through a birth centre, that it is accused of being an expensive way of having a baby and impacts on budgets."
The ACT government has committed to expanding midwife-led continuity of care as part of a 10-year plan to improve maternity services.
The government wants at least 50 per cent of women and pregnant people to be able to access continuity of care by 2028. Only 30 per cent can access this at present.
The dinner is being held at the Yacht Club on November 10.
Ms Fowler said the dinner is being attended by many who were integral in planning and lobbying for the birth centre during its early days. There are also many families who have used the service coming along.
"It is just a who's who of midwifery and maternity in the ACT, it's going to be great," she said.
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