Neonatal service — Canterbury
The Canterbury neonatal service provides special and intensive care for all pēpi (babies) born in the wider Canterbury region. This region extends to Timaru in the South, Greymouth in the west and Kaikoura in the north.
On this page
Contact us
To contact the Matatiki neonatal service, call 03 364 4699
Where to find us
The Matataki neonatal service is at:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
4th Floor
Christchurch Women’s Hospital
Riccarton Avenue
Christchurch
Visiting policy
We are open 24 hours for parents to visit.
For privacy reasons you will be asked to wear headphones during the medical round and nursing handovers.
Children should not visit if they have been in contact with anyone who has recently had an infectious disease such as:
- measles
- mumps
- rubella
- whooping cough
- chicken pox or shingles.
Notify staff if you have a child who has been exposed to any of these infections.
If you as parents are unwell, discuss this with the nursing staff. We may ask you to see your healthcare provider to diagnose or confirm illness before you can return.
Non-immunised siblings of pēpi should not visit if they have any symptoms of any sort.
Our visiting hours are 3pm to 8pm. We recommend no more than 3 people per whānau visiting at a time. Visitors must be with a parent.
We do not allow visits from children under 12 years old, unless they are a sibling.
You should not visit if you have a cold, flu or tummy bug, or other infection.
Services we provide
We provide intensive care for newborn pēpi. We also provide surgery for all babies in the South Island (except Nelson).
Our service has 44 cots, 12 for intensive care and 32 for special care.
An introduction to the neonatal unit — Vimeo
Canterbury neonatal service information leaflets for parents — Health NZ
Level 3 intensive care
We care for pēpi in intensive care if they need:
- help with breathing
- surgery
- intensive observation.
Level 2 special care
Special care or level 2 care is for pēpi who can breathe themselves but may need input from our multi-disciplinary team. We provide:
- oxygen therapy
- intravenous therapy
- antibiotics
- care for pēpi who have a low birth weight
- care for pēpi who need help feeding or keeping warm.
We provide parent rooms and meals for when babies are close to discharge. We aim for all parents to room with their baby for at least one night.
Emergency care and transport team
We have a 24 hour service to transport babies to and from our tertiary referral centre in Christchurch. For emergencies in a home setting an ambulance is called first.
The transport team picks up babies from Kaikoura to the West Coast and down to Timaru. We transport babies from everywhere in the South Island, except Nelson, for surgical services.
Whānau lounge
We have 2 whānau lounges with seating. You can stay in these lounges while you wait to see your baby.
Infant feeding
NICU microwave sterilising — Vimeo
NICU washing sterilising — Vimeo
We provide a multidisciplinary team approach to breastfeeding and pēpi feeding.
Infant feeding specialist (clinical nurse specialist)
The clinical nurse specialist supports staff and whānau in breastfeeding education and clinical matters.
Associate clinical nurse manager – breastfeeding initiative
Monitors breastfeeding initiative standards around the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding, the non-breastfeeding mother, the international code of marketing and subsequent resolution, and the Treaty of Waitangi.
Feeding team
Clinical expertise in breastfeeding and supports colleagues in clinical breast feeding skills
Neurodevelopmental physiotherapist
Assesses babies for neurodevelopmental issues related to feeding, sucking and swallowing.
Speech language therapist
Assesses sucking and swallowing of pēpi and implements a programme with staff and parents involved.
Discharge planner
A nurse who works with pēpi who require significant ongoing input from the neonatal team and plays an important role in setting up specifically targeted programmes and support for discharge into the community (for example teaching home feeding via pump).