Postnatal Care

Postnatalservices (after birth care) and information about the Maternity Ward.

Mother with her new baby in the maternity ward.

The Maternity Ward

The staff on the Maternity Ward include midwives, registered nurses, lactation consultants and care assistants.

The Maternity Ward does not have a ‘nursery’ as the practice of ‘rooming in’ is encouraged to promote breast feeding.

The lactation consultants hold a breast feeding talk Monday-Friday at 10am. Please feel free to bring along your baby and partner.

Your Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) will visit you during your stay in hospital.

There is a beverage bay and a patient lounge on the ward

Visiting Hours

Partners are welcome from 8.00am-8.00pm
Other visitors are welcome between 2.00pm-7.30pm

Staying overnight of partners/support person does occur in the maternity ward but only under exceptional circumstances and only with the permission of the midwife in-charge of the shift.

Community Midwife Service

This is a free service as part of Maternity Services offered by MidCentral Health to all women under the care of the Hospital team.  The Community Midwife will visit at own home within 24hr of discharge from the hospital.  They will provide a minimum of 5 home visits, more if needed, up to six weeks postpartum. A seven day service is offered.

The Community Midwife will offer help and support and assist you in chosen method of feeding your newborn.  They will provide parenting education and information, and be responsible for referral of your baby to Wellchild Services at 28 days postpartum.  Checking baby’s wellbeing and growth are part of the service.

Along with monitoring baby’s progress, the Community Midwife will also provide care to the new mum, making sure she is recovering from childbirth.  Information and education will be given on breastfeeding, diet, exercise, contraceptive advice, and normal physical recovery.  They have access to referral services for the Clinic team, for social worker, parenting groups, and to the maternal  mental health team.

The Community Midwife can be contacted on  06 350 8405

Immunisation

For the latest information on Immunisation please go to the NZ Immunisation Advisory Centre website.

Further postnatal education information:

• Post Natal Depression Support Group brochure
• The Women's Health Unit brochure
• Lactation Consultant Services
• Your baby's hip check
• Jaundice in newborns
• Post delivery information about births by Caesarean Section
• Nipple Shield Use
• Pelvic Floor Muscle Re-Education
• Safe Sleep Essentials

For further information on Wellchild.
For further information on Plunket.

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Last Updated 29/08/2011