The birth of a baby is a momentous, meaningful event. A special time in our lives that touches us all deeply in different ways. Unfortunately, many mothers enter the last…
Traditionally childbirth has been described as consisting of three “mechanisms”: • Powers – The forceful strength of co-ordinated contractions • Passage – The birth canal anatomy, including the…
This article outlines the options of where to give birth for women in New Zealand. There are 3 main options of where to give birth.
This article gives an overview of a typical normal birth. It tells you what to expect and how to optimise your chances of having a normal birth.
This article describes the three stages of labour in pregnancy . Labour has been divided into 3 different stages, although in reality they merge seamlessly together. It is…
In this article on induction of labour we provide an overview, or summary, of what to expect during an induction. If you know you are going to be…
This article describes induction of labour in detail. It describes why and how an induction takes place, including details of risks and complications.
Many women in Aotearoa-New Zealand make a birth plan for their labour and birth. A birth plan can help to guide your midwives and doctors and make them…
An Assisted Birth is one where forceps or ventouse are used to assist the birth of the baby.
How will I know if I am in labour? Check our list of signs and symptoms to help you to recognise whether labour is underway.