How Dial a Midwife Supports Women in Rural and Remote Australia
Australia’s vastness is one of its defining features. But while wide open spaces, small communities and peaceful surroundings can make rural and remote life incredibly rewarding, they can also make access to maternity care challenging.
For many women in regional, rural and remote areas, maternity services are stretched and seeing a midwife regularly can involve long drives, time off work, awaiting FIFO midwives and added stress. For some, the nearest maternity ward is hours away.
At Dial a Midwife, we believe that where you live should never determine the quality of care you receive. Every woman deserves professional, compassionate and personalised midwifery care — no matter how far from the city she lives.
That’s why our service exists: to bridge the gap, providing accessible, expert midwifery care to women and families across Australia — from the most remote outback towns to small regional communities and everywhere in between.
🌾 Understanding the Challenges for Rural and Remote Women
While Australia’s healthcare system is world-class in many respects, the reality is that rural and remote women face unique barriers when it comes to pregnancy, birth and postnatal care.
1. Limited Local Services
In many smaller towns, maternity units have closed or been downgraded in recent years. Some women must travel hundreds of kilometres to access antenatal appointments or give birth. This often means time away from family, financial strain, and emotional stress.
2. Infrequent Appointments
Even where local care is available, it can be infrequent. Appointments may be weeks apart, and waiting times can be long. This can leave women feeling unsupported or unsure in between visits.
3. Isolation and Anxiety
Pregnancy and early motherhood can be emotionally intense. Without regular contact with a midwife or supportive peer network, many rural women report feeling isolated, anxious or overwhelmed — particularly first-time mums or those with limited support.
4. Lack of Continuity of Care
Continuity — seeing the same trusted midwife throughout pregnancy and early parenthood — is proven to improve outcomes for both mother and baby. Unfortunately, in rural and remote settings, this kind of ongoing relationship-based care is often not possible due to staff shortages and rotation systems.
5. Travel and Accessibility Barriers
The logistics of traveling long distances, arranging childcare or missing work just to attend routine check-ups can be exhausting — and in some cases, unsafe during late pregnancy or early postnatal recovery.
💛 How Dial a Midwife Bridges the Gap
Dial a Midwife was created to make midwifery care accessible to every woman in Australia — no matter where she lives.
We are a team of experienced Australian midwives who understand the realities of rural life, and we’re here to provide trusted, evidence-based care that complements your local health team.
Here’s how we help:
1. Accessible Care — Wherever You Are
Whether you live in a small farming community, a mining town, or a remote Indigenous community, you can reach a qualified midwife from the comfort of your own home. All that’s needed is a smartphone or a computer with internet access.
We’re available 7 days a week, Australia-wide, and open until 9pm daily.
With a Medicare card, your consultations are bulk-billed, meaning there’s no out-of-pocket cost for women with a Medicare card.
You can connect with a midwife via phone or video call, allowing personalised discussion, visual assessments (such as breastfeeding support) and continuity of care without the need for travel.
This accessibility means you can get advice and reassurance when you need it most — not just when you can get an appointment.
2. Continuity and Connection
At Dial a Midwife, we believe that relationship-based care leads to better outcomes. When you connect with us, you’re not just getting a one-off chat — you’re building an ongoing relationship with an experienced midwife who gets to know you.
We provide:
Ongoing antenatal support throughout pregnancy
Postnatal follow-up to ensure you and your baby are thriving
Emotional and mental health check-ins
Breastfeeding guidance
Support through high-risk pregnancy, such as twins, high blood pressure and gestational diabetes
Tailored care that considers your health needs, goals, local context and available resources
Continuity of care means you have a consistent point of contact who understands your history, your preferences and your circumstances.
3. Support for High-Risk or Complex Pregnancies
Rural women are more likely to experience challenges accessing specialist services for high-risk pregnancies.
Our midwives can help by:
Explaining test results or medical recommendations in clear, supportive language
Helping you prepare questions for your obstetrician or GP
Monitoring symptoms or changes between appointments
Offering reassurance and guidance around what’s normal — and when to seek immediate help
We supplement your existing care team, not replace them. Think of us as your extra layer of expert support — someone to help you feel informed, confident and in control.
4. Dedicated Support for First-Time Mums
If you’re having your first baby in a rural or remote area, it can feel daunting to prepare for birth and early parenthood without in-person classes or local networks.
Through Dial a Midwife, first-time mums can access:
Education about labour, birth, and newborn care
Emotional support through the ups and downs of pregnancy
Help creating a birth plan tailored to your values and available services
Guidance for postnatal recovery and infant feeding
Many of our first-time mums tell us that having an experienced midwife “on call” gives them a sense of calm and confidence they didn’t know was possible.
5. Birth Debriefing and Emotional Support
For women who have previously experienced a traumatic birth, being pregnant again can trigger anxiety or fear. Rural and remote women especially may struggle to get the level of support that they need. We’ll help you:
Talk through your past experiences
Understand what happened and why
Identify your needs and preferences for next time
Build a plan for emotional safety and support
We listen carefully — not just to what you say, but to what’s behind your words. You don’t have to process your birth experience alone.
6. Breastfeeding and Early Parenting Support
Breastfeeding challenges are common, but for rural women, they can be compounded by distance from in-person support.
Through video consultations, we can visually assess positioning, attachment and feeding patterns to help resolve issues such as nipple pain, low supply or unsettled babies.
We’ve helped countless women across Australia move from painful or stressful feeding to confident, comfortable breastfeeding — often within just a couple of appointments.
And if breastfeeding isn’t right for you, we support you without judgment in finding what works best for your family.
7. After-Hours and Weekend Availability
Rural life doesn’t always follow a 9-to-5 schedule — and neither do we.
Dial a Midwife is available until 9pm, seven days a week, making it easier to get help at a time that works for you.
Whether you’re a new mum trying to settle a fussy baby at 8pm or you’ve just had a worrying symptom and don’t know who to call — we’re here.
🌸 The Human Side of Rural Midwifery care
What makes our service truly special isn’t just accessibility — it’s the quality of connection and care.
Our midwives bring not only clinical expertise but warmth, empathy and a deep understanding of what it means to become a mother — especially when you’re far from traditional support networks.
We regularly hear from women in small towns or remote areas who tell us they finally feel heard. They appreciate having someone to listen without rushing, explain things clearly, and provide care that’s personal, not transactional.
We believe that’s what good midwifery should be — partnership, not just healthcare.
🌍 Equal Access to Quality Maternity Care
Every woman deserves access to professional compassionate maternity care — no matter her postcode.
Dial a Midwife is proud to be part of the solution. By leveraging telehealth technology and keeping our service bulk-billed with a Medicare card, we’re closing the gap for rural and remote women across Australia.
We complement the care that you receive with your GP, obstetrician or hospital. Together, we create a supportive network around you, ensuring your pregnancy and early parenting journey is as safe and supported as possible.
💬 In Summary
Rural and remote women deserve better access to quality maternity care — and now, they can have it.
With Dial a Midwife, you can:
Speak directly with an experienced Australian midwife
Access care from anywhere in Australia
Receive bulk-billed consultations
Get support 7 days a week, until 9pm
Enjoy continuity, compassion and confidence in your care
Because no woman should have to face pregnancy, birth or new motherhood alone — especially not because of where she lives.
If you live in a rural or remote area and need expert maternity support, we’re here for you. Book your bulk-billed consultation today.