By Laura Michell
Whittlesea and Hume are in the midst of a baby boom, with 10 babies born in each municipality every day.
Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics Data shows that 3650 babies were born to Whittlesea families in 2017, up from 2440 in 2011.
In Hume, there were 3628 births in 2017, up from 2696 in 2011.
Whittlesea and Hume had the third and fourth highest birth rates in the state, with Casey taking out top spot. There were 5416 births there in 2017.
Northern Health nursing and midwifery chief officer Debra Bourne said birth rates in The Northern Hospital’s catchment were expected to increase in the next decade.
She said there were 309 births at the hospital this January.
“Maternity care is an important element of Northern Health’s services to our community, with many young families moving to Melbourne’s north,” she said.
“We are preparing for the expected increase in births through careful planning to determine services required to ensure we meet the needs of women, babies and families from the northern suburbs. This includes looking at all aspects of parenthood, including ongoing support needed when at home.”
Hume council community services director Hector Gaston said the increase in births impacted on the demand for family and children’s services in Craigieburn, Greenvale, Kalkallo and Lockerbie.
“With increasing numbers of young couples and growing families moving into Hume, council continues to plan for services and infrastructure such as Maternal and Child Health Services and pre-schools,” he said.
“We want to ensure babies and children have the best start in life and [we] are committed to the delivery of early years infrastructure.”
