Modern reception area with a curved white desk with wooden slats, two beige chairs with wooden legs, and a large window showing city street outside with blurred cars and pedestrians.

Welcome to The Happy Baby Clinic

Our approach

We know how difficult it is to care for an unsettled baby. We have a team of professionals ready to help you along your journey. We offer personalised sleep programs to suit you and your family, as well as thorough medical care, psychology and dietician appointments.  After an initial assessment, we provide you with practical advice, an age-appropriate routine, and any medical investigations and management that may be required to help settle your baby and improve their sleep. 

Close-up of a baby's face with eyes closed, wearing a pink knitted hat with a pom-pom on the side and a purple striped wrap.

We’re here to help.

Our specialist GPs can help with issues such as

  • frequent night waking

  • catnapping

  • difficulty settling

  • maternal / parental exhaustion

  • adjustment to parenting

  • reflux

  • colic

  • cow’s milk protein or soy allergy

  • irritability

  • six week checks (for mother & baby)

  • mental health care plans

  • referrals for pathology, radiology, or to specialist, as needed

While we don’t offer immunisations at the The Happy Baby Clinic, we do encourage you to see your regular GP to have your baby immunised.

A smiling newborn baby with closed eyes, resting on a white surface, wearing a white onesie, with a hand raised near the head and minimal background.

What we offer

A young child lying on a hospital bed being examined by a doctor with a stethoscope, in a bright medical clinic.

Dietician appointments

Our specialist paediatric dietician, Bianca Sowerby, has over 20 years experience and is available to help you with a range of nutrition-related conditions, including food allergies such as cows milk protein allergy, faltering growth, fussy eating, nutritional adequacy, feeding difficulties, starting solids, malabsorption, micronutrient deficiencies, constipation, obesity, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and general healthy eating.

First appointments are usually one hour. A medicare rebate is available with a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan.

Pregnant woman in a pink skirt and white top holding her belly, standing in a nursery with star decorations and a bunny-themed wall art in the background.

GP Consultations

Your first appointment will be approximately one hour. Your GP will perform a thorough assessment, including a medical examination, to determine the underlying cause of your baby’s sleep difficulties. You will then discuss a management plan and/or sleep program to suit your family, including any tests, medical management or referrals that may be necessary.

Follow-up appointments are usually 30 minutes, to discuss your progress and any ongoing issues that need addressing.

A young child sitting in a high chair with a bib, holding a spoon in their mouth while eating, with a partially eaten bowl of food in front of them and a plush toy in the background.

Psychology appointments

Our perinatal psychologist, Rachel Chiodo, has a passion for the infancy & early preschool periods in family life. She has over 25 years of experience in private practice, over 20 years as a consulting psychologist at early parenting centres, as well as having completed extra training in perinatal psychology, trauma and environmental studies. Her clients appreciate her warmth, kindness and practical approach.

Rachel’s appointments are 50 minutes in length, and medicare rebates are available with a mental health care plan.

Our Team

Rachel Chiodo

Perinatal Clinical Psychologist

Dr Elizabeth Maher

Dr Julie McClellan

Co-Director, General Practitioner
Founder, Co-Director, General Practitioner
Woman with long blonde hair, glasses, and a beige top standing against a plain white wall.

Kerri Balestra

Medical Administration
A woman with red hair, glasses, and earrings wearing a brown and white checkered shirt, smiling while standing against a plain white wall.

Naomi Dean

Bianca Sowerby

Dietician
Medical Administration, Patient Care Co-ordinator

Fees

Appointments may be in person, or telehealth. We would prefer to see you in the clinic for your first appointment if possible.

For telehealth appointments, medicare rebates may be lower than listed - please call us to discuss further if needed.

Referrals are not required to see our GPs, but please bring your medicare details and Child Record Health book.

A father and daughter playfully holding a pillow together in a bright room, smiling and enjoying a moment of bonding.

Our children learn how to be self-compassionate by watching us. - Brene Brown

Your Questions, Answered

Resources

Swaddling

Our specialist GP, Dr Elizabeth Maher, demonstrates her favourite method of swaddling (to use for sleeps from birth until around 4 months, or when showing signs of rolling)

Cry vs Grizzle

Our directors Dr Julie McClellan and Dr Elizabeth Maher discuss how to identify a cry or a grizzle in your baby.

Media

See Dr Julie McClellan and Dr Elizabeth Maher on the morning show Studio 10, aired on Channel 10

Follow us on socials

Contact Us

Questions?

Let us know and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Clinic Hours

Monday 9.30am - 4.30pm

Tuesday 9.30am - 2.30pm

Wednesday 9.30am - 2.30pm

Thursday 9.30am - 4.30pm

Friday, Saturday, Sunday - closed