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Maternity Services

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Maternity Services

Waikato DHB provides safe, high quality maternity services in a number of settings across the Waikato District. Maternity and obstetrics is part of the Women’s Health service at Waikato District Health Board. Women receive care from their Lead Maternity Carer and can choose to birth at home, in one of nine local primary birthing facilities or Waikato Hospital.

All women who have a higher risk pregnancy or complications are cared for at Waikato Hospital by the obstetrics team and their Lead Maternity Carer.

Lead Maternity Carers (independent community midwives) 

Lead Maternity Carers are independently contracted by the Ministry of Health. Your LMC will provide your antenatal, birth and postnatal care and for women who have a higher risk pregnancy or complications during pregnancy your LMC will work alongside the Hospital Obstetrics team to provide care.

For more information and to find an LMC
www.findyourmidwife.co.nz

Community Midwives Team

Waikato Hospital also employs a community midwifery team who care for women postnatally (following birth) from outside of the Waikato DHB area whose baby is being cared for in the Special Care Baby Unit. The team can also provide antenatal care and postnatal care for women who have relocated to the Waikato during their pregnancy or who have been unable to engage an LMC in the community (care during birth is provided by hospital based midwives).

Waikato Primary Birthing Facilities

Waikato DHB has a vibrant primary birthing sector with the highest number of births in a primary birthing facilities and largest choice of facilities in New Zealand. Primary birthing facilities are midwifery led and provide birth and postnatal care closer to home in a comfortable setting suitable for women who have a low risk, complication free pregnancy. Waikato DHB has three primary birthing units (located at Thames and in Tokoroa and Taumarunui rural hospitals), plus contracts with six primary birthing facilities located across the Waikato area.

Waikato Pregnancy and Parenting Education

Also known as childbirth education, antenatal classes can also be Hapu Wānanga (Māori based) or Tapuaki (Pacific based). Attending pregnancy and parenting education can help you learn more about pregnancy and how to prepare for labour, birth and the first few weeks after baby is born. You can take your partner, support person and relatives/whānau with you. Waikato DHB funds over 13 pregnancy and parenting education classes run by qualified childbirth educators – these classes are free to women living in the Waikato DHB area. There are also pregnancy and birthing classes in Waikato run by childbirth educators not funded by Waikato DHB which may charge for attendance.

Lactation consultants for breastfeeding support

We provide breastfeeding support during a stay at hospital or a birthing unit, as well as support in the community. Lactation consultants are available at Waikato Hospital and also through the Community Breastfeeding Service.

Waikato Hospital Maternity Services

Delivery Suite has 7 birthing rooms. Following birth, well women can choose to go home from delivery suite or directly to a local primary birthing facility for postnatal care. Waikato Hospital has 20 postnatal beds for short term care for women who need some hospital care before they move to a primary birth facility or go home.

Key Personnel

Joanne Clarke
Clinical Midwife Director

Rebecca MacRae
Service Manager

Location

  • Women’s Health Clinics, Level B3 Elizabeth Rothwell Building
  • Maternity Day Assessment Unit, Level B3 Elizabeth Rothwell Building
  • Women’s Assessment Unit, Level B2 Elizabeth Rothwell Building
  • Delivery Suite, Level B2, Elizabeth Rothwell Building
  • Ward E1 Women’s Health (Gynaecology and Obstetrics), Level 1 Elizabeth Rothwell Building
  • Ward E2 Women’s Health Postnatal, Level 2 Elizabeth Rothwell Building