Te Papaioea Birthing Centre is a primary birthing unit in Palmerston North catering to women in the MidCentral District Health Board catchment area and is free.
Te Papaioea Birthing Centre, which opened in October 2017, is a warm, nurturing environment that provides a comfortable sanctuary for new mums. It is a primary setting, which means there are no medical interventions or epidural. Entonox (gas) is available. Your Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) co-ordinates and plans the care of you and your baby, and takes the lead in the same way as in a home birth.
Our staff, who are Midwives and Registered Nurses, will ensure your first days as a new mum are as stress-free and peaceful as possible. This will allow you to get on with the joyful experience of bonding with your baby and establishing breastfeeding.
There are no specialists, obstetricians or GPs on site, but Te Papaioea Birthing Centre works closely with Palmerston North Hospital in the event that a transfer is required. Some women who birth at Palmerston North Hospital can transfer to Te Papaioea Birthing Centre for a two-day postnatal stay.
Women who have birthed at Te Papaioea and those who needed to transfer from Te Papaioea in labour (who remain well after birth) will be prioritised for postnatal stays. Women who did not have the choice to birth at Te Papaioea for medical reasons, who are well after birth, will be the next women prioritised for postnatal stays at Te Papaioea.
To birth at Te Papaioea Birthing Centre, you will need to be registered with an LMC midwife, which you can find at
www.findamidwife.co.nz.
Our Staff
Te Papaioea is staffed by both midwives and nurses. The staff are recognisable by the colour of their uniform – purple for midwives and blue for nurses.
Both midwives and nurses at Te Papaioea work across the Birthing Centre and Palmerston North Hospital maternity unit. All nurses who work at Te Papaioea have formal lactation qualifications or are engaged in formal lactation courses.
Meals and In-Room Care
Te Papaioea Birthing Centre provides high-quality and healthy meals that meet the nutritional needs of new mums. Lunch and dinner meals will be provided for women staying at Te Papaioea Birthing Centre and the self-service breakfast with toast and hot drinks is available at any time in the centre’s kitchenette. Women and their whānau are also welcome to bring in their own food, if they wish to do so, or they can order from the The Coffee Club delivery menu at their own expense.
During a postnatal stay at Te Papaioea Birthing Centre, mums and babies will receive support and encouragement to bond, sleep and find rhythm with baby and whānau. A plan will be agreed between mum and staff depending on the level of care and support required and requested. If mum and baby are well, staff will not wake you for care and staff will always be available for you to ‘buzz’ for support.
Tours of the Birthing Centre are open to expecting women and their partners and take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 11am. Registration is not required, and you can just attend the centre at that time and someone will show you around. All visitors will be asked to sign in at reception, and you will need to buzz in at the entry door.
Partners can stay throughout your time at Te Papaioea, and siblings can visit between 10am and 8pm. Other visitors are welcome to visit between 2pm and 8pm. We ask that visitors respect new parents and not disturb by entering a room that has signage stating parents resting.
Location
Te Papaioea Birthing Centre is located at 117-119 Ruahine Street, Roslyn, Palmerston North.
