MDHB News

Delivering your Baby!

If you decide to give birth at Palmerston North Hospital Delivery Suite the unit has eight spacious labour/birthing rooms with ensuites.

Five of the rooms include large baths that can be used for labouring and birthing. Each room has a telephone for free local calls.

A Labour/Birthing Room at Palmerston North Hospital.

Hospital tours for expecting mums occur every Wednesday at 11am. We ask that people make their way from the front door to Level 1 C block and wait at the hospital lift foyer, the care assistant will meet them and take them around delivery suite/maternity.

Women will remain in delivery suite for approximately two hours after birth, unless there are any complications. Some women may choose to go straight home from delivery suite or stay one or two nights on the postnatal/maternity ward.

There is no visitor’s waiting room in delivery suite. Support people need to be either in the room with the labouring woman or out in the waiting area by the lift bay.

Information about Delivery Suite
	The car park for Delivery Suite patients/visitors is Car park B. This can be accessed from either Heretaunga Street or Ruahine Street, and is signposted as ‘Delivery Suite Emergency Entrance’. It is also opposite the helicopter hanger.
	On arriving at the Delivery Suite Entrance door you will have to use the intercom to gain access to the building. Press the button firmly once and release to speak. Once inside turn left and follow the signs to the lift. There is a red phone on the wall opposite the lift for use in an emergency or if you think your baby is about to be born at the entrance. Press floor 1 in the lift.
	At level 1 turn to your left and follow the signs straight ahead and you will see the Delivery Suite door clearly signed. Once, again there is an intercom to gain entrance. Please be patient when using the intercom, the staff aim to answer as soon as possible but may be delayed when busy.
	When through the door walk down the corridor and turn to your right into the Delivery Suite reception area. If no-one is there to meet you, please ring the bell on the desk for attention.
	One of 8 birthing suites.
	5 of the 8 birthing suites have an ensuite bathroom. The baths can be used for pain relief in labour and for birthing. The other 3 rooms have an ensuite shower/toilet.
	Maternity Ward Lounge. The Lactation Consultants present a breast feeding talk here, weekdays at 10am. Babies and partners are welcome.