Developed as a digital app, Baby Coming – You Ready? is a tool that empowers mums to have an active part in their own pregnancy and birthing journey by facilitating culturally relevant and safe discussions between mothers and clinicians. Co-designed by First Nations researchers, Murdoch University’s research team worked closely with Aboriginal communities and organisations throughout Western Australia to develop this technology-based tool for culturally safe and strengths-based health care.  

Baby Coming – You Ready? is an innovative system for supporting mothers that enables Aboriginal women to tell their own story and in their own way; the stories generated through the app create a record to support wellbeing and ensure mothers don’t have to tell practitioners the same information again and again throughout their pregnancy journey. 

Within the app, mothers are guided by images that portray emotions, circumstances, and events that may be positive or challenging. As mothers interact with the app, Aboriginal voice-overs and a yarning style self-reflective assessment act as a focal point for medical discussions. Through this platform, mothers can build trust, establish relationships, and take a shared approach to problem solving with their health practitioners. This strengths-based inquiry engages mothers and fathers in a relaxed and positive exploration of their social, emotional, and physical wellbeing. 

Baby Coming – You Ready? is an ongoing project that is embedded in routine midwifery clinical practice in all pilot locations throughout Western Australian. Since 2020, further pilot studies have been ongoing in metro, rural and regional sites throughout the state.