Clinician's Guide to the First 2000 Days

Health and Wellbeing Queensland

The first 2000 days, from preconception to when a child starts school presents a critical window to establish healthy behaviours in parents and children.   Health behaviours during the first 2000 days influence the risk of lifelong disease, making prevention vital to ensuring optimum health and wellbeing for both mother and baby.     Integrating prevention into clinical care requires sensitive and nuanced conversations that support parents, children and families to actively engage with their own health, and the healthcare system.    Listen to the Clinicians Guide to the First 2000 Days podcast series, to deepen your clinical knowledge, enhance your care, and better support your patients during this pivotal time. Clinicians Guide to the First 2000 Days podcast series has been created by Health and Wellbeing Queensland for health professionals. 

Episodes

  1. Fuelling toddler growth in our communities

    JUN 15

    Fuelling toddler growth in our communities

    This episode explores nutrition for children aged 12 months to school age, emphasising healthy growth and development. It highlights key nutritional needs and community-based supports through child health nursing. Experts discuss how parents and caregivers can access resources and guidance to foster optimal growth and wellbeing for young children, ensuring children receive the best start to life.  In this episode, Dr Sam Manger speaks to Fiona Nave and Leonie Trembath. Fiona is an Advanced Paediatric Dietitian with over 20 years' experience working with children and their families to support them towards achieving better nutrition outcomes.   Fiona currently works at Health and Wellbeing Queensland, leading on the first 2000 days. She also continues to work privately, supporting children with restricted diets. Fiona is passionate about healthy eating and regularly presents on radio or pens blogs to help increase parent confidence and knowledge in supporting kids to eat nutritious foods with enjoyment.  Leonie Trembath is the Clinical Nurse for Child Youth and Family Health currently based at South West Hospital Health Service in Charleville with outreach clinics across the Hub sector. Working across many decades Leonie has backgrounds in nursing, midwifery, child and family health lactation consultancy, continence and health promotion, working with families and services in partnership to support transitioning into parenthood and navigating varied health challenges with families.

    37 min
  2. Smiles and sounds: Toddler oral health and speech development

    JUN 8

    Smiles and sounds: Toddler oral health and speech development

    “Smiles and Sounds” explores speech and oral milestones from 12 months to school age, focusing on key developmental stages. Experts discuss routine milestone assessments that help identify potential issues early, offering insights into prevention and the importance of early intervention. The conversation emphasises how healthcare professionals can support children’s speech and oral health for optimal development before school.  In this episode, Dr Sam Manger speaks to Stephen Moore and Kym Dunston. Kym is a paediatric speech pathologist with over 25 years’ experience in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, supporting children with communication and literacy development, whether that be in a clinic or in homes, schools, and childcare services.   Kym’s current role in the Centre for Children’s Health and Wellbeing team involves bringing together what is known about the Social Determinants of Health and the importance of the early years to improve health equity, especially for vulnerable children. Stephen Moor is an Oral Health Therapist with over 35 years' experience working for Metro North HHS across both the Queensland Children’s Hospital at South Brisbane and the Oral Health Centre at Herston.   Stephen provides dental care to children requiring special care, including children with cleft lip and palate, cranio-facial anomalies, medically compromised children, children diagnosed with ASD and cerebral palsy.    He is passionate about promoting the importance of good oral health to prevent dental disease and provide children with a fun and inviting environment to experience positive outcomes.

    46 min
  3. Supporting new mums: Shared care after birth

    MAY 11

    Supporting new mums: Shared care after birth

    In this episode, we explore shared care as mothers’ transition from tertiary services back to primary care. Focusing on women's health checks and preventive conversations, our experts discuss the bio-psychosocial and cultural support systems available for mums and partners in the first 12 months in Queensland, considering challenges such as cost of living and access to healthcare.  In this episode, Dr Sam Manger speaks to Emma Shipton and Dr Dale Garred. Emma is a Registered Midwife, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and a PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland. She has experience across the pregnancy spectrum and has a particular interest in how health professionals can best support families into the fourth trimester. Emma currently works a midwife at a tertiary hospital, and as an Associate Lecturer at UQ, focusing on fostering passion in student midwives and highlighting the importance of postnatal support for the woman-baby dyad.  Dr Dale Garred is a Brisbane based GP who is passionate about Women’s’ Health and in particular preventative medicine and the key role of General Practitioners in optimising general health and wellbeing. Her experience is broad across the lifespan having worked as a nurse before completing her medical degree and spending time early in her career working in emergency medicine in both rural and urban settings. She is aligned with multiple Brisbane maternity hospitals and regularly sees patients for both antenatal and post partum care.

    42 min
  4. Staying Strong: Physical health during pregnancy

    MAY 4

    Staying Strong: Physical health during pregnancy

    The importance of physical wellbeing for expectant mothers is key to a healthy pregnancy. From managing weight gain, morning sickness and staying active to the specific challenges of conditions like Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), this episode provides practical advice on how to support women throughout this incredible period of their lives.  In this episode, Dr Sam Manger speaks to Dr Susan de Jersey and Kassia Beetham. Dr Susan de Jersey is and Advanced Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Credentialled Diabetes Educator at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Manager in the Prevention Strategy Branch within The Department of Health in Queensland and has an academic appointment as an Associate Professor in the Centre for Health Services Research at the University of Queensland.  Susan and her team focus on ensuring women have access to wholistic care that supports their current and future health during the reproductive years.  Dr Kassia Beetham is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and the course coordinator for the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology at ACU’s Brisbane Campus.   Kassia’s research focusses on the physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and how exercise can influence the mother and baby’s health. In particular, Kassia’s investigates the effects of higher intensity exercise on placental and foetal outcomes, the effect of resistance training on post-partum pelvic floor dysfunction, and the effects of higher intensity exercise in pregnant athletes.

    51 min
  5. Navigating medical antenatal care

    MAR 23

    Navigating medical antenatal care

    In this episode, we explore the key components of antenatal medical care that support a safe and informed pregnancy journey. Covering the first trimester to the final weeks before labour, we discuss shared models of care, medical assessments, birth plans and effective approaches to preventive care to enhance the long-term health of both mother and baby.  In this episode, Dr Sam Manger speaks to Dr Kirstin Millard and Kieran Froese.  Kirstin is an obstetrician and gynaecologist fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists with a Masters of Reproductive Medicine.  Kirstin takes a patient-centred approach to managing gynaecological problems. She believes in working in partnership with her patients to find a solution that meets each woman’s individual preferences and needs  Dr Kirstin is a staff specialist at the Mater Mothers’ Hospital and also provides care through Hatch Maternity.  Kieran Froese (she/her) is an endorsed, clinical midwife and midwifery unit manager living in Meanjin/Brisbane and working at Mater Mothers' Hospital. Her diverse career has been focussed on making high quality midwifery care better accessible to more people. Kieran’s current role allows her to make space for midwives in private obstetric care and develop the role of endorsed midwives in the hospital workforce.  In this episode on antenatal care, both guests discuss clinical processes as they relate to care at Mater Hospitals, which may differ from care offered across Queensland Health facilities.

    58 min
  6. Preconception healthcare: Before the beginning

    MAR 16

    Preconception healthcare: Before the beginning

    ‘Before the beginning’ explores the often-overlooked phase of preconception — the period before pregnancy. This episode explores how health and environmental factors can influence reproductive health and how healthcare professionals can support parents-to-be to optimise their wellbeing long before trying to conceive. In this episode, Dr Sam Manger speaks to Dr Terri-Lynne South and Dr Shelley Wilkinson.  Dr Shelley Wilkinson is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with a PhD in Psychology. She is currently working with the Mater Mothers Hospital in Brisbane to create an evidence-informed, co-creation approach to the delivery of care within Obstetric Medicine. Dr Shelley Wilkinson is also the Director and Principal Dietitian of Lifestyle Maternity, a specialised dietetic practice focused on providing nutrition and lifestyle support for women throughout their fertility journey, pregnancy, and the first year postpartum.  Terri-Lynne is both a Medical Doctor (GP) and an Accredited Practicing Dietitian with a specific interest in obesity management and health conditions associated with a higher BMI.   Terri-Lynne is the medical director of a community-based multi-disciplinary health centre that focuses on holistic management of any health condition associated with a higher BMI.   She is the current chair of the RACGP (Royal Australian College of General Practice) Specific Interest Group in Obesity Management and a a member of several national organisations that promote multi-dimensional advocacy for people living with obesity.

    50 min

About

The first 2000 days, from preconception to when a child starts school presents a critical window to establish healthy behaviours in parents and children.   Health behaviours during the first 2000 days influence the risk of lifelong disease, making prevention vital to ensuring optimum health and wellbeing for both mother and baby.     Integrating prevention into clinical care requires sensitive and nuanced conversations that support parents, children and families to actively engage with their own health, and the healthcare system.    Listen to the Clinicians Guide to the First 2000 Days podcast series, to deepen your clinical knowledge, enhance your care, and better support your patients during this pivotal time. Clinicians Guide to the First 2000 Days podcast series has been created by Health and Wellbeing Queensland for health professionals.