Lead maternity carers

Your lead maternity carer has the legal, professional and practical responsibility for making sure you and your pēpi receive appropriate maternity care. 

They can be a self-employed midwife, a hospital midwife, or a private obstetrician. 

Self-employed midwife

Self-employed midwives care for you during your pregnancy, labour and birth, and when you are at home with your pēpi.

Hospital midwives

Hospital midwives work within a team. Together they will care for you during your pregnancy, birth, and when you are at home with your pēpi. 

Private obstetrician

Private obstetricians cares for you during your pregnancy, labour and birth and works with self-employed midwives when you are at home with your pēpi. A private obstetrician charges a fee. 

Your chosen lead maternity carer may provide all maternity care, or they may share care with one or more practitioners.

For help finding a midwife you can visit:

• Healthpoint (external link)
• Find Your Midwife (external link)

Your lead maternity carer will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help.

Your pregnancy

• Developing a plan for your care, including labour and birth.
• Reviewing your general health, including any medical or mental health conditions.
• Regular antenatal visits.

Your health

• Talking to you about staying healthy during your pregnancy.
• Helping with social stresses such as family violence, unplanned pregnancy, work, and income.
• Referring you or your pēpi for specialist care if needed.

Your pēpi

• Explaining options for screening for Down syndrome and other conditions.
• Prescribing supplements, such as folic acid and iodine, which are essential for your baby's wellbeing.

Antenatal and newborn screening (internal link)

After birth

• Visiting you or arranging for you to be visited at the hospital and in your home at least 7 times after your pēpi is born.
• Referring you to your chosen Well Child Tamariki Ora provider after the birth of your pēpi. The midwife will generally hand you over to these services after 5 weeks.
• Helping you to enrol your pēpi at a general practice for doctor and practice nurse services.

Well Child Tamariki Ora providers (internal link)

• How many people do you care for who are due to give birth each month?
• How long can I expect my antenatal appointments to be? 
• How does your backup system work when you are not available? 
• What choices do you offer regarding place of birth? 
• What is your philosophy regarding keeping birth normal wherever possible, and how would you support me to do this? 
• Do you usually visit people at home during early labour? 
• Are you happy to support me in using water during labour and birth if this is appropriate? 
• What is your philosophy on the use of episiotomy during birth? 
• How long do you provide care for following the birth?