Maternity and newborn services

A lead maternity carer is responsible for your care throughout your pregnancy, labour and birth. They also care for you and your pēpi (baby) until pēpi is 6 weeks old.

Find a lead maternity carer (internal link)

You may be referred to the antenatal clinic for closer monitoring if you:

• have a medical condition such as diabetes
• have a high-risk pregnancy (for example being pregnant with twins)

Outside of this clinic your midwife will provide ongoing midwifery care or care will be provided by the hospital midwives.

Contact information

Antenatal clinic coordinator midwife:

• phone 06 753 7888
• email: Antenatal.Clinic@tdhb.org.nz

Antenatal clinic ward clerk:

• phone 06 753 6139 extn 8336 or 7139
• hours: 8am to 4.30pm - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Clinics are held at Taranaki Base Hospital and at Hawera hospital

Teen parent antenatal classes - Teen Parent Unit - Stratford High School (external link)

Antenatal classes - Antenatal classes » Whānau Āwhina Plunket (external link)

Hapū Wānanga - Hapu Wananga Taranaki | Māori Antenatal Education (external link)

Te Puna Trust Nature - first time parents (external link)

Pregnancy help Taranaki - Pregnancy Help Inc (external link)

Taranaki Base Hospital labour and birth facilities include:

• 5 birthing rooms
• a pregnancy loss room called the willow suite
• a birthing pool room
• 7 antenatal inpatient rooms.

Postnatal (after the birth) facilities include:

• 11 single bedded rooms, 2 of which have ensuite facilities
• 2 rooms with 3 beds in each
• a room for mothers to stay while their babies are in the neonatal unit.

The lactation consultant and newborn hearing screener is located in the postnatal ward.

Hāwera hospital labour and birth facilities include:

• a birthing room including a birthing pool
• 4 postnatal stay rooms.

If you have a caesarian section birth you may be transferred to Hāwera Hospital to recover. 

Find out what happens as you go into labour and when your pēpi is born. 

Labour and birth (internal link)

In Taranaki you can choose to give birth at home or at Taranaki Base or Hāwera Hospitals. Talk to your doctor or midwife about the options.

Home Birth (external link)

Choosing where to give birth (internal link)

If your baby is born early (premature) or is sick, they may stay in the neonatal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital. 

Visiting hours are:

2pm and 8pm. Please do not visit if you are sick. Parents are welcome at any time.Find us:

The Neonatal Unit is located on the ground floor next to the maternity department.

Contact us on:

• phone: 06 753 6139

Hip check clinic

It is important all pēpi have a hip check soon after birth to check for congenital dislocation of the hip. Congenital dislocation of the hip happens when the "ball and socket" joint of the hip does not properly form in babies during pregnancy.

Clinics are held at Taranaki Base Hospital and at Hāwera Hospital.

Newborn hearing screening checks

Newborn hearing screening checks whether your pēpi (baby) hears well. Newborn hearing screening checks are available in the postnatal ward at Taranaki Base Hospital (ward 15).

Newborn hearing screening locations (internal link)