What is a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC)?
In Aotearoa New Zealand your Lead Maternity Carer is the health professional responsible for your maternity care. Most often a midwife. Your LMC provides your pregnancy check-ups, is on call for your labour and birth, and cares for you and your baby until around six weeks after birth. When you book with us, Amanda and Lisa share this role as a pair, so you are always in familiar hands.
When should I register with a midwife?
As early as you can, ideally as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed, around 8 to 10 weeks. Midwives in Auckland book up quickly, and registering early means your first appointment, blood tests, and dating scan all happen at the right time. If you are further along, still get in touch. Amanda and Lisa will always do their best to help.
How do I find a midwife?
The New Zealand College of Midwives runs findyourmidwife.co.nz, where you can search midwives by area and due date. You can also call 0800 MUM 2 BE (0800 686 223) for a list of midwives near you, or ask your GP or local maternity unit. And of course, you are very welcome to enquire with Amanda and Lisa directly.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. You can contact a midwife directly as soon as you know you are pregnant. There is no referral needed to register with an LMC. Your GP can confirm your pregnancy and arrange early blood tests, but choosing your midwife is entirely up to you. A quick message to Amanda and Lisa is all it takes.
How often will I see my midwife?
As a guide: around once a month until 28 weeks, fortnightly until 36 weeks, then weekly until your baby arrives. Every pregnancy is different, so Amanda and Lisa will see you more often whenever you or your baby need it.
What happens at each appointment?
Amanda or Lisa checks your blood pressure and general wellbeing, listens to your baby's heartbeat, and keeps an eye on growth. You go over any test results together, plan ahead for your birth, and there is always unhurried time for your questions.
Which scans and tests are funded?
Routine screening blood tests and the recommended scans, the dating scan and the anatomy scan at around 20 weeks, are publicly funded when Amanda or Lisa refers you, though some private clinics charge a small co-payment. First trimester screening for Down syndrome and other conditions is free; optional extras like NIPT are user-pays.
Which vaccinations are free during pregnancy?
The whooping cough (Boostrix) vaccine is free in every pregnancy from 13 weeks, and works best given from 16 weeks. It protects your baby until their own first immunisations at six weeks. The flu vaccine is free at any stage of pregnancy, and COVID-19 boosters are free too.
Where can I give birth?
In New Zealand you can choose to give birth at home, in a primary birthing unit, or in hospital, and your midwife supports you wherever you choose. Amanda and Lisa attend births at Auckland City Hospital, and will talk through the options that are right for your pregnancy together with you.
Will my own midwife be at the birth?
That is the plan, and it is the heart of how Amanda and Lisa work. They share the on-call as a pair, and you will get to know them both during pregnancy. If one is unwell or at another birth, the other steps in. Either way, the midwife beside you is a face you already know.
What if something doesn't go to plan?
If anything during pregnancy or labour would benefit from specialist input, Amanda or Lisa refers you to the hospital obstetric team under national referral guidelines, and stays involved in your care. Specialist maternity care is publicly funded, just like your midwifery care.
How long can we stay after the birth?
You are entitled to at least 48 hours of funded postnatal care in a maternity facility after your baby is born. Time to rest, recover, and get feeding established with midwifery support on hand. Many Auckland families transfer to a primary birthing unit for these nights.
Where do I go when labour starts?
Call Amanda or Lisa first. As a guide, it is usually time to head in when your contractions have settled into a strong, regular pattern of about three in every ten minutes, each lasting around a minute, and it has stayed that way for a couple of hours. Call sooner if your waters break, you notice bleeding or reduced movements, or anything feels off. The Labour and Birthing Suite is on Level 9 of Auckland City Hospital on Park Road, Grafton, and if you ever need the suite directly, phone 09 307 2888.
Where do we park?
The Level 4 entrance has temporary drop-off parking, so your driver can walk you in and then move the car. Leave your please-do-not-tow note on the dashboard or let security know you are in the Labour Suite. For longer stays there is a Wilson carpark on site, free short-term parking in the Auckland Domain, and pay and display streets nearby.
What facilities does the birthing suite have?
Six of the birthing rooms have pools, and a full epidural service is available around the clock. Auckland City is a teaching hospital, so students may be involved in your care, always with your consent.
Can my whānau be with me?
Family and whānau are welcome during labour, and young children can come too as long as a dedicated adult is there to look after them. Numbers in the birthing room may occasionally be limited for safety, and there is a whānau room plus the atrium where visitors can wait.
What happens after the birth?
If you and your baby are both well, you will usually transfer to Birthcare in Parnell or head home within four to six hours. Pack the car seat and some warm clothes for baby ready for the trip. If either of you needs extra care, you will stay on the hospital postnatal ward instead.
What care do we get once we are home?
Amanda or Lisa visits you at home. Typically between five and ten visits over the first six weeks, and you are entitled to at least five. They check your recovery and your baby's weight and wellbeing, support feeding however you choose to feed, and are on the end of the phone in between.
What happens at six weeks?
Around six weeks Amanda and Lisa hand your baby's ongoing care to a Well Child Tamariki Ora provider such as Plunket, whose free checks continue until age 5. Your baby's first immunisations are due at six weeks, so they will help you enrol them with a GP early, and do a final check on you before saying farewell.
Do we need to register our baby?
Yes. Every baby born in New Zealand must be registered, usually within two months of birth. It is free and easiest done online at SmartStart (smartstart.services.govt.nz), where you can also apply for your baby's IRD number and Best Start payments at the same time.
Is maternity care really free?
Yes. Midwifery care is fully government-funded for anyone eligible for publicly funded health services in New Zealand: citizens, permanent residents, holders of work visas valid for two years or more, and several other categories. If you are not sure about your eligibility, ask Amanda or Lisa and they will help you find out.
What might cost extra?
A few things sit outside funded care: co-payments at some private ultrasound clinics, optional tests such as NIPT, choosing a private obstetrician, and some antenatal classes, though free classes are available in most areas. Amanda and Lisa will always tell you in advance if something has a cost.
What financial support is available for new parents?
Paid parental leave gives eligible parents up to 26 weeks of payments through Inland Revenue. Best Start is a payment of $77 a week for your baby's first year, and Working for Families can help on top of that. SmartStart walks you through applying for all of these in one place.