You can discuss the place of birth for your baby with your Lead Maternity Carer (Midwife or Specialist Doctor) in the early part of your pregnancy.
In the Hutt Valley, women have a choice of birthing at home, or at Hutt Hospital.There is evidence to suggest that women experiencing low risk pregnancies who birth at home or in a birthing unit (primary) are safe and may need less pain relief and have fewer interventions such as forceps and caesarean sections.
You can also have a natural birth at our birthing unit based at Hutt Hospital with your chosen Lead Maternity Carer or the hospital team. You may choose to have a waterbirth. If you have more complex needs it will be recommended you do birth at a secondary unit (Hutt Hospital) or tertiary unit (Wellington Hospital) where you can be under the care of a medical specialist if required, which your Lead Maternity Carer can organise.
Your midwife (her back up) or one of the hospital team midwives, will be with you during labour and birth.They will work alongside other members of the team (other midwives and doctors and specialists) if you need additional care.A midwife stays with you for at least two hours after the birth and will visit you every day while you are in hospital, birthing unit or home, and within 24 hours of you going home.Your midwife (or her back up) will provide care for you for 4-6 weeks until there is handover to your chosen Well Child Tamariki Ora carer (Plunket, Thriving Cores, Tamariki Ora or your GP).
Please click on these links to find more information on choosing the place of birth for your baby.
https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/pregnancy-and-kids/services-and-support-during-pregnancy/where-give-birth
https://homebirth.org.nz/
http://birthhub.org
