Women can choose to birth at North Shore Hospital if they have low or medium-risk pregnancies or if they are over 32 weeks gestation. Otherwise, it is recommended that women give birth at Auckland City Hospital’s National Women’s Health, where tertiary-level care is provided. North Shore Hospital’s maternity services and facilities include the following services.

An antenatal clinic - There are four to five antenatal clinics held each week for consultations with specialist obstetricians, physicians or anaesthetists if required.

Antenatal classes - These are six-week courses held on each day of the week. There are also antenatal breastfeeding classes to help mothers to gain confidence with breastfeeding - these classes are especially worthwhile for first time mums and mums who may have experienced difficulties breastfeeding previously.  It is recommended to book early for these courses in order to avoid disappointment. All classes are led by a qualified childbirth educator. Topics covered include, but are not limited to:

• Normal birth
• Signs of labour
• When to come to hospital
• Expectations of birth
• Breastfeeding
• Pain relief in labour.

For more information about these classes, please refer to the number for Childbirth Education Courses listed on our contacts page.

Postnatal classes
These four-week classes are designed to give confidence and support to parents when their baby is around four to six weeks old. A qualified childbirth educator runs the course which features such topics as:

•        Calming a crying baby
•        Play and development
•        Sleep patterns
•        Infant resuscitation
•        Changes to feeding.

The class also offers the opportunity to meet new friends and form a coffee group. For more information about these classes, please refer to the number for Childbirth Education Courses listed on our contacts page.

A birthing suite - this suite has ten birthing rooms and three deep water pools. These pools feature night sky ceilings which depict the Southern Cross, creating a relaxed ambience and assisting with pain relief.

A maternity suite - this suite has 36 inpatient beds. The average length of stay for women who have had a normal vaginal delivery is two days. The average length of stay for women who have had a Caesarean Section is three to five days. The maternity suite features a lounge room and two kitchenettes. Women are encouraged to use the lounge area if they have a number of visitors at one time, and for morning or afternoon teas when they can meet with others in the suite sharing similar experiences. Other services include:

• A photographer visits the maternity suite regularly during the week (mornings)
• A physiotherapist visits the maternity suite each weekday morning to run regular postnatal exercise classes and offer exercise information. The physiotherapist is also available for individual consultation and treatment assistance for women experiencing physical postnatal problems
• Waitemata DHB’s midwives have all received education in breastfeeding management and can help women to successfully establish breastfeeding. In addition a lactation consultant visits the maternity suite and runs practical breastfeeding workshops for mothers
• Social workers are available and can provide information on community support services. They are also available for counselling and to provide advocacy services. The service is free of charge and operates within the hospital on weekdays from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Privacy is respected at all times
• Te Puna O Te Ora Services provide cultural support to Maori women and their whanau, providing access to health, advocacy and the appropriate support services where required. Te Puna O Te Ora Services can provide further information about a number of community programmes available
• The Asian Health Support Service brings together a variety of support networks for members of the Asian community, bridging the gap between health professionals and patients.

Know Your Midwives (KYM) scheme - The KYM team is comprised of 12 midwives who provide women with Lead Maternity Carer services. KYM midwives are independent midwives who provide 24-hour care and work both in the community and in the hospital. To ensure continuity of care, each KYM midwife works in partnership with another midwife so that cover is always available.

Lead maternity carers - Every pregnant woman has the right to choose a professional Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) who provides her with continuity of care throughout her pregnancy. This includes regular antenatal check-ups, care during the labour and birth, and continuing check-ups - both in the hospital and at home - for up to six weeks after the birth. The LMC is totally responsible for co-ordinating the woman’s care, which may include referring her to other services as necessary. LMCs can be self-employed midwives, employed midwives, private obstetricians or general practitioners.

Information about LMCs and choosing a LMC is available from MAMA (Mothers and Midwives Associated):

MAMA Maternity Information Services
PO Box 56-182
Dominion Road
Auckland
Phone: AK 629 5163    Fax AK 629 5167
E-mail: mamaltd@ihug.co.nz

Midwifery care in labour - For women whose LMC is their GP or a specialist, midwifery care during labour is provided by the hospital’s core staff, who also care for postnatal and antenatal women at North Shore Hospital.

Visiting hours - To ensure that women have the opportunity to rest, visitors are encouraged to keep to our visiting times:

• Partners may visit between 7.00am and 9.00pm
• General visiting is between 2.00pm and 8.00pm
• There is a strict one-hour mum and baby sleep time between 1.00pm and 2.00pm every day.

We ask that visitors respect women in shared rooms and keep the number of bedside visitors to a minimum.

Check out time - Check out time on the day of discharge is 11.00am. Women who cannot be collected by the check out time are welcome to stay in the maternity suite lounge, and to make use of the kitchen and beverage facilities until a more convenient time.