River Ridge East Birth Centre – Pregnancy Guide
Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) with access to River Ridge East Birth Centre
Contact River Ridge East Birth Centre for a list of LMC midwives who hold an access agreement so that you can use this facility for your labour and delivery and/or postnatal stay, including postnatal transfer from Waikato Women's Hospital. …read more
Pregnant? You will need a Midwife
Congratulations - you're expecting a baby. You're now looking around for the best person to provide you with care as you travel the path of pregnancy, birth and the first month after your baby is born.
Pregnant women are required to choose a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) who coordinates their maternity care. Most women and their families (over 75%) choose a midwife as their LMC. These LMC midwives work with their midwife partners and the midwives who are employed at birth centres or hospitals. New Zealand midwives work in a partnership model of care with women. In this model each woman and her midwife are partners, working together to ensure that the woman has care that best meets her individual needs.
Midwives work with other midwives that you will meet so that you have access to 24 hour/seven day a week consistent care, even when your midwife is having a weekend off, is ill or is on holiday.
Pregnancy and childbirth involve every part of you. Feelings, hopes, fears, physical and practical needs and spiritual or religious beliefs can all affect your pregnancy and birth. Midwives address all these aspects to help you give birth naturally, safely and confidently.
The partnership relationship of the midwife and the woman is the foundation for women-centered midwifery care. Women who experience this type of midwifery care report feelings of great satisfaction and empowerment.
Choosing the right midwife for you is very important. Think about the questions you can ask to find out if the midwife will meet your needs.