Postnatal care: The precious early days after your baby is born

If you’ve given birth at the Helensville Birthing Centre, home, or at hospital, you can choose to stay in one of our four postnatal stay rooms. They are designed to be your space. Your home away from home.

Staying at our Birthing Centre for those precious few days after your pēpi is born is an amazing opportunity for you to recover, rest and establish breastfeeding with your newborn.

You are welcome to stay for two nights but this can be extended if you or your baby are experiencing challenges. We will negotiate this with your LMC as needed.

What to expect: comfort, privacy and encouragement

Each room has a double bed, comfy seating, a television, sidecar cot for pēpi, your own toilet and shower, and a phone for contacting staff. Your partner or support person is welcome to stay overnight with you and your pēpi.

Postnatal midwives and lactation consultants are here round-the-clock to support you as you need. From breastfeeding to bathing your pēpi for the first time – our focus is caring for you and your pēpi and ensuring your precious first days after the birth are memorable for the right reasons. Your LMC, or a midwife arranged by them, will visit you and your pēpi for daily check-ups and discuss your ongoing needs with our staff.

We supply all linen, maternity pads and meals. Your partner or support person will need to provide their own food and meals, although a microwave and tea and coffee are available in the kitchen.

Why is postnatal care necessary?

Postnatal care is so important because it helps you bond with your pēpi in a calm and supportive environment. Here you can begin to learn the skills you need to breastfeed and parent with confidence.

At our Birthing Centre, we provide you with three nutritious meals a day plus healthy snacks to help you regain energy and support your recovery. When you are looked after, this can also help stimulate your milk production.

During your postnatal stay, you will begin to learn to read and respond to the cues your pēpi makes so you can grow your confidence and feel empowered in your parenting abilities. You will be encouraged to be skin to skin with your pēpi throughout your stay.

Our excellent staff to parent ratios mean we can spend time with you, listen to your concerns, and answer questions, without the distractions and demands of the outside world!

When you go home

Your LMC will visit you within 24 hours of going home from the Birthing Centre. They will continue to visit you for 4-6 weeks after pēpi is born. You will have 5-10 home visits to check on the health and wellbeing of you and your pēpi.

Your LMC will provide ongoing breastfeeding information and support. For more breastfeeding information see here. Some women and babies may benefit from one-on-one help with a lactation consultant.

During the first few weeks at home your LMC will discuss referring you and your pēpi to a Well Child provider such as Plunket for ongoing growth and development checks.