Midwifery Services
We are a team of LMCs or lead maternity carer midwives providing individualised midwifery services in the community to you and your whanau.
This means we offer full pregnancy, labour, birth and post-natal services and care to you your pepi and whanau.
You qualify for free midwifery services if you are Maori, were born in Aotearoa, and/or have citizenship, or residency or a working visa for a minimum of two years.
We offer both home and hospital births.
Antenatal care is provided at our clinic rooms at 287A South Rd, Caversham. Or we may be able to provide home antenatal visits for people choosing homebirth.
Our services include :
Antenatal or pregnancy screening and care
Antenatal tests and screening include;
- blood tests
- ultrasound scans (if indicated)
- urine tests
- swabs and physical examinations
Occasionally your midwife may recommend other tests or screening.
Your midwife will advise you on what pregnancy screening tests are available. The information she provides you should allow you to make informed decisions about which tests you may want to have done.
Based on your choice/s she can order the tests and will advise you of the results.
Generally in New Zealand your midwife will see you once a month until about 28 – 30 weeks gestation. After that you may see your midwife every 2 weeks until about 36/37 weeks gestation. From then you usually see your midwife once a week until your due date. If you go over your due date your midwife will make a plan with you for frequency of visits, and advise you on which tests and screening she thinks is advisable. She may also discuss with you your options for referral for an obstetric post-dates assessment.
During your pregnancy and antenatal care there is a lot to prepare for and discuss. Midwives are uniquely qualified to support you in your transition to motherhood. You can expect your midwife to offer information on your choices for screening, referral to specialist care if indicated, labour and birth, breast-feeding, newborn behaviours, caring for your baby, well child provider care, social support and your own personal healthcare, to mention just a few things that will be covered in your antenatal care.
Labour & birth.
When you go into labour your midwife will be with you and will carry out all the assessments you need to ensure a safe labour and birth. Unless there are extenuating circumstances your midwife will provide your labour and birth care. After your baby is born your midwife will encourage quiet time for you, your baby and family. Your midwife will complete or arrange for a specialist to carry out a top-to-toe check of your baby within the first 24 hrs.
Postnatal care
Within 24hours of being at home with your new baby your midwife will visit you to check you and your new baby’s health. Your midwife will visit a number of times in the first week and continue to check you and your baby’s health. She will support you with newborn behaviours, feeding and answer any questions you may have. Many new mothers find the first few weeks challenging. Your midwife is able to support you during this time.
Your midwife will continue to visit you up until 5-6 weeks postnatally and then make a referral to the well child provider of your choice. She will write a letter to your GP and provide them with the health details of your pregnancy and of your baby’s health.
What if I have complications in my pregnancy labour or birth?
The New Zealand midwifery scope of practice is in normal pregnancy labour and birth. That is to say we are primary healthcare workers. However, a New Zealand midwife is educated to identify deviations from normal and we are required to make recommendations to you for appropriate and timely referrals to other healthcare professionals.
Your midwife will work with other healthcare professionals to ensure you and your baby receive safe and effective maternity care that meets your particular needs.
Your midwife may recommend a consultation with an obstetrician for various reasons. This may or may not require the responsibility of your care to be transferred to an obstetric team, however usually your midwife is able to continue to provide you with midwifery care regardless. You may resume maternity (or postnatal care) care with your midwife once obstetric care is no longer required.
