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Helen McLachlan

RN, GradDipAdvNurs(Mid), MNursStud, PhD

Associate Professor

Email: h.mclachlan@latrobe.edu.au

Telephone: +61 3 8341 8574

Helen McLachlan has a clinical and research background in midwifery. She is an Associate Professor at Mother and Child Health Research and in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University. Her research interests include models of maternity care, postnatal care, cultural aspects of childbirth (PhD thesis), postnatal depression and breastfeeding. She has conducted studies using a variety of research designs (eg RCTs, surveys, focus groups). Her major teaching areas include postnatal care.

MAJOR RESEARCH
INTERESTS

Midwifery models of care including caseload and team midwifery
Breastfeeding
Postnatal care

CURRENT PROJECTS

COmparing Standard Maternity care with One to one midwifery Support (COSMOS): a randomised trial
Team:	Helen McLachlan, Della Forster, Mary-Ann Davey, Lisa Gold, Mary Anne Biro and Michelle Newton in collaboration with Tanya Farrell and Jeremy Oats, Royal Women's Hospital, Ulla Waldenström, Karolinska Institute and Leah Albers, University of New Mexico
Funding:	NHMRC project grant 2007–2010
Status:	Data collection completed; Primary outcome paper submitted; secondary outcome data analysis in progress

WAVE: Women's and staff views: an evaluation of maternity care at Barwon Health
Team:	Helen McLachlan, Della Forster, Mary-Ann Davey and Jane Morrow, in collaboration with Michelle Newton, Division of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University; and Therese Cotter and Kim Layton, Barwon Health
Funding:	Department of Human Services Victoria and Barwon Health
Status:	Final report completed August 2011, one manuscript accepted for publication (Midwifery), one manuscript in preparation

A review of postnatal care in the Victorian private hospital sector (PinC Private)
Team:	Jo Rayner, Della Forster and Helen McLachlan in collaboration with Louise Peters, Division of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University; and Jane Yelland, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Funding:	La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences Research Grant 2006, MCHR Grant 2006
Status:	project complete; two conference presentations in 2007; Masters of Midwifery minor thesis passed (LP); one paper published 2010, second paper in preparation

A review of home-based postnatal care in Victoria
Team:	Helen McLachlan, Della Forster, Heather McKay, Rachael Ford, Harriet Morton, Jen Hocking in collaboration with Tanya Farrell, The Royal Women's Hospital
Funding:	La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences Research Grant 2008
Status:	Data analysis completed; masters thesis and papers in preparation

Evaluation of Victorian Homebirthing Pilots
Team:	Helen McLachlan, Della Forster, Rhonda Small, Mary-Ann Davey, Ya-Seng (Arthur) Hsueh, Michelle Newton, Heather McKay and Felicity Lawton in collaboration with Fiona Cullinane, the Royal Women's Hospital; Colleen White, Southern Health; and Susan Gannon, Western Health
Funding:	Victorian Department of Health
Status:	Data collection and analysis

Supporting breastfeeding In Local Communities (SILC project)
Team:	Helen McLachlan, Della Forster, Lisa Amir, Rhonda Small, Méabh Cullinane and Touran Shafiei
Funding:	Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2011–2014
Status:	Ethics approvals obtained, project development in progress

MILC (Mothers' and Infants' Lactation Cohort): a multi-site study
Team:	Della Forster, Lisa Amir, Helen McLachlan and Helene Johns (PhD candidate); in collaboration with Anita Moorhead and Rachael Ford, Royal Women's Hospital; Kerri McEgan, Mercy Hospital for Women; Chris Scott, Frances Perry House; and Kinga Pemo, Division of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University
Funding:	La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences Research Grant
Status:	Two of three components completed and papers from first two components in preparation; minor thesis completed (KP); cohort study: recruitment and data collection complete, data entry and analysis underway

PUBLICATIONS

Morrow J, Forster D, McLachlan H, Davey M-A, Newton M. Redesigning postnatal care: exploring the views and experiences of midwives. Midwifery 2012 (in press). Epub 2012 Feb 18. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266613811001859

Shafiei T, Small R, McLachlan H. Women's views and experiences of maternity care: A study of immigrant Afghan women in Melbourne, Australia. Midwifery 2012;28(2):198-203. Available from: http://www.midwiferyjournal.com/article/S0266-6138(11)00025-8/abstract

McIntyre MJ, Patrick AM, Jones LK, Newton M, McLachlan H, Morrow J, Morton H. Managing projected midwifery workforce deficits through collaborative partnerships. Aust Health Rev 2012;36(1):75-8. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AH11020

McLachlan HL, Forster DA, Ford RL, Farrell T. Addressing the midwifery workforce crisis: Evaluating an employment model for undergraduate midwifery students at a tertiary maternity hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Women Birth 2011;24(4):173-9. Available from: http://www.womenandbirth.org/article/S1871-5192%2810%2900087-9/abstract

McLachlan HL, Forster DA, Collins R, Gunn J, Hegarty K. Identifying and supporting women with psychosocial issues during the postnatal period: evaluating an educational intervention for midwives using a before-and-after survey. Midwifery 2011;27(5):723-30. Available from: http://www.midwiferyjournal.com/article/S0266-6138(10)00011-2/abstract

McLachlan HL, Forster DA. Infant feeding following migration: attitudes and practices of women born in Turkey and Vietnam after migration to Australia. In: Liamputtong P, editor. Infant Feeding Practices A Cross-Cultural Perspective. New York: Springer-Verlag; 2011. p. 337-56

Forster DA, Newton M, McLachlan HL, Willis K. Exploring implementation and sustainability of models of care: can theory help? BMC Public Health 2011; 11(Suppl 5): S8. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/S5/S8

Rayner J-A, McLachlan H, Forster D, Peters L, Yelland J. A statewide review of postnatal care in private hospitals in Victoria, Australia. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2010;10(1):26. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/10/26

Rayner J-A, Forster D, McLachlan HL, Kealy M, Pirotta M. Women’s use of complementary medicine to enhance fertility: The views of fertility specialists in Victoria, Australia. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol 2010;50(3):305. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828X.2010.01160.x

Forster DA, McLachlan HL. Women's views and experiences of breast feeding: positive, negative or just good for the baby? Midwifery 2010;26(1):116-25. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026661380800048X

Rayner J-A, McLachlan H, Forster D, Cramer R. Australian women's use of complementary and alternative medicines to enhance fertility: exploring the experiences of women and practitioners. BMC Complement Altern Med 2009;9(1):52. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/9/52

McLachlan HL, Gold L, Forster DA, Yelland J, Rayner J, Rayner S. Women's views of postnatal care in the context of the increasing pressure on postnatal beds in Australia. Women Birth 2009;22(4):128-33. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871519209000456

McLachlan H, Forster D. The safety of home birth: Is the evidence good enough? CMAJ 2009 September 15, 2009;181(6-7):359-60. Available from: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/6-7/359.short

Rayner JA, Forster D, McLachlan H, Yelland J, Davey MA. A state-wide review of hospital postnatal care in Victoria, Australia: The views and experiences of midwives. Midwifery 2008;24(3):310-20. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2006.10.008

McLachlan HL, Forster DA, Yelland J, Rayner J, Lumley J. Is the organisation and structure of hospital postnatal care a barrier to quality care? Findings from a state-wide review in Victoria, Australia. Midwifery 2008;24(3):358-70. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266613806001197

McLachlan HL, Forster DA, Davey MA, Lumley J, Farrell T, Oats J, Gold L, Waldenström U, Albers L, Biro MA. COSMOS: COmparing Standard Maternity care with one-to-one midwifery support: A randomised controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2008;8. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/8/35

Forster D, McLachlan H, Rayner J, Yelland J, Gold L, Rayner S. The early postnatal period: Exploring women's views, expectations and experiences of care using focus groups in Victoria, Australia. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2008;8(1):27. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/8/27

Yelland J, McLachlan H, Forster D, Rayner J, Lumley J. How is maternal psychosocial health assessed and promoted in the early postnatal period? Findings from a review of hospital postnatal care in Victoria, Australia. Midwifery 2007;23(3):287-97. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266613806000702

Forster DA, McLachlan HL. Breastfeeding Initiation and Birth Setting Practices: A Review of the Literature. J Midwifery Womens Health 2007;52(3):273-80. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526952306006696

Amir L, Forster D, Lumley J, McLachlan H. A descriptive study of mastitis in Australian breastfeeding women: incidence and determinants. BMC Public Health 2007;7(1):62. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/7/62

McLachlan H, Forster D. Initial breastfeeding attitudes and practices of women born in Turkey, Vietnam and Australia after giving birth in Australia. International breastfeeding journal 2006;1(1):7. Available from: http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/1/1/7

Forster DA, McLachlan HL, Yelland J, Rayner J, Lumley J, Davey MA. Staffing in postnatal units: Is it adequate for the provision of quality care? Staff perspectives from a state-wide review of postnatal care in Victoria, Australia. BMC Health Services Research 2006;6. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/6/83

Forster D, McLachlan H, Lumley J. Factors associated with breastfeeding at six months postpartum in a group of Australian women. International breastfeeding journal 2006;1(1):18. Available from: http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/1/1/18

McLachlan H, Waldenström U. Childbirth Experiences in Australia of Women Born in Turkey, Vietnam, and Australia. Birth 2005;32(4):272-82. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0730-7659.2005.00370.x

Forster D, McLachlan H, Lumley J, Beanland C, Waldenström U, Amir L. Two Mid-pregnancy Interventions to Increase the Initiation and Duration of Breastfeeding: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Birth 2004;31(3):176-82. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0730-7659.2004.00302.x

Amir LH, Forster D, McLachlan H, Lumley J. Incidence of breast abscess in lactating women: report from an Australian cohort. BJOG 2004;111(12):1378-81. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00272.x

Forster D, McLachlan H, Lumley J, Beanland C, Waldenström U, Harris H, Earl D, Dyson K. ABFAB. Attachment to the breast and family attitudes to breastfeeding. The effect of breastfeeding education in the middle of pregnancy on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding: a randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN21556494]. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2003;3(1):5. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/3/5

Waldenström U, McLachlan H, Forster D, Brennecke S, Brown S. Team midwife care: maternal and infant outcomes. Aust NZJ Obstet Gynaecol 2001;41(3):257-64. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828X.2001.tb01225.x

Waldenström U, Brown S, McLachlan H, Forster D, Brennecke S. Does Team Midwife Care Increase Satisfaction with Antenatal, Intrapartum, and Postpartum Care? A Randomized Controlled Trial. Birth 2000;27(3):156-67. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-536x.2000.00156.x

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Content Approved by: Director, Mother and Child Health Research
Page maintained by: Administrator
Last Updated: May 25, 2012