Te manaaki i te hunga hapū i te wā o te whakamamae, ā muri hoki i te whānautanga mai Maternity care during and after the birth

A midwife will care for you during labour and the birth of your pēpi. If you choose a midwife as your lead maternity carer (LMC), they will usually be with you during labour and birth.

If a doctor is your lead maternity carer (LMC), they will usually be involved at the time of the birth. You will have a midwife or midwives to care for you during your labour. Ask your doctor about this.

Once you go into labour your midwife will do a check to see how your labour is progressing, and review your birth plan with you. This may happen at home or in a birthing unit or in hospital.

Going into labour (internal link)

Your midwife will ask you about what has been happening so far, and will check how you and your pēpi are doing.

• They will take your pulse, temperature and blood pressure.
• They will feel your tummy to check the baby’s position and listen to your baby’s heart.
• They may also examine you internally (with gloved fingers in your vagina) to check how far the the neck of your womb (your cervix) has opened and find out how far on you are in labour.

Once you are in established labour (having regular, intense contractions), your midwife will support and encourage you as your labour progresses. They will make sure that you and your pēpi are doing well.

If there are any problems during labour or birth, your midwife or doctor will get help.

Stages of labour (internal link)

If you are having your pēpi at home, your midwife will arrange for a second midwife to help at the birth. 

Your midwife will also make sure they have all the right equipment for a home birth, including emergency equipment just in case there are any problems during labour or birth. 

If labour does not go as planned (internal link)

The care that you will receive immediately after your pēpi is born includes:

• a first check of your pēpi — usually a couple of hours (but up to 24 hours) after the birth
• putting your naked pēpi on your belly or chest straight away — skin-to-skin contact
• helping you to start breastfeeding when your pēpi shows signs they are ready — usually about 30 minutes after the birth
• care of the whenua (placenta)
• checking to see if the skin or muscle around your vagina tore during the birth, and stitching the area if needed.
  
  
• Checking your baby at birth and soon after — Ministry of Health (external link)
• Stages of labour, including skin to skin contact and care of the whenua (internal link)
• Starting breastfeeding: The first feeds — Ministry of Health (external link)
• Tears and stitches — Ministry of Health (external link)

Specialist care

Some babies will need specialist care in a newborn baby unit.

If you give birth in a hospital

If you give birth in hospital you may want to stay for just the first few hours or for a couple of days. Talk to your midwife or doctor as part of your birth planning.

Once you are home

Once home, your midwife or a midwife working on behalf of your doctor will visit you regularly — at least 5 visits at home.

These health visits are to support you and your breastfeeding, and to check that you and pēpi are well. 

Midwife visits for the first 6 weeks (internal link)