Stock standard breakfasts are a thing of the past at Calvary Health Care Lenah Valley with the
maternity unit recently implementing a buffet breakfast for new mums to enjoy during their stay,
with dads more than welcome too.

The breakfast is available between 7.30am and 9.30am every morning and new mums are
being encouraged to share experiences and socialise in a homely environment.

New mum Megan Hunniford welcomed Emily to the world last Thursday at 8.31am and said the
breakfast had been a great success.

“I like it because it gets you out of your room and socialising with other mums,” Megan said.
“My husband Adrian actually built the cupboards for the breakfast room.”

“I visited the unit about a month ago and I went straight home and told Adrian they needed to
be finished so that I could enjoy the breakfast when I had to go in to have Emily.

“The whole initiative is great because it lets you share your experiences, you get a change of
environment in the morning and you can have a nice coffee from the espresso machine.”

Megan has had trouble with leg numbness since the birth resulting in a longer stay and some
time in a wheelchair and crutches, but she is on the mend now.

“Adrian couldn’t make it in the other day because of sickness so a nurse took me down to the
buffet and all of the mums started offering to help me,” Megan said.

“It changed the whole course of the day for me because I was feeling a bit down that Adrian
couldn’t come in and then all of these lovely mums offered me help and we talked about our
babies and experiences.”

Calvary Business Development Manager Fiona Onslow said the new initiative was put together
after feedback from past visitors and that the breakfast was the only one of its kind she knew of
in hospitals in the south of the State.

“What this was about for us was making the post natal experience as homely as possible, and
starting the day with some socialising and a good cup of coffee and warm breakfast is a perfect
way to do that,” said Ms Onslow.

“Our mums enjoy fresh juice, croissants, a variety of different breads (including gluten free) as
well as a selection of cereals and access to an espresso machine.

“We provide the breakfast to partners for free as well because we believe that it is important for
them to be involved in the whole process.”
Calvary Health Care Tasmania