Birthing at Helensville Birthing Centre is free to all New Zealand residents and women eligible for free maternity care.
The usual stay is two nights. Extra nights are negotiated by your LMC.
Fill in the Booking Form, ask your midwife to fill in her part of the form, then get it back to us.
Your form can be emailed to bookings@helensvillebirthingcentre.co.nz or posted to PO Box 13, Helensville 0840
Your midwife will need to have an access agreement with us. (Midwives know about this)
Fill in the Booking Form, ask your midwife to fill in her part of the form, then get it back to us.
Your form can be emailed to bookings@helensvillebirthingcentre.co.nz or posted to PO Box 13, Helensville 0840
Your midwife will need to have an access agreement with us. (Midwives know about this)
You can encourage your midwife to get an access agreement.
Your midwife can email bookings@helensvillebirthingcentre.co.nz
Yes, if you give birth at HBC. But if you are transferring to us after birthing at a hospital, or home, it is possible that there may not be a bed available. It all depends on bed availability on the day that you need to transfer and there is no way to predict this. Priority is given to residents of the South Kaipara area.
Your midwife needs to call us as soon as your baby is born, to enquire about bed availability, and arrange your transfer to us.
If you have had a normal birth you need to transfer to us within 12-24 hours of the birth
If you have had a caesarean birth you need to transfer to us with 24-48 hours of the birth
Not usually.
Partners are welcome to stay for your visit with us, and are also welcome to visit at any time.
This can sometimes happen, by arrangement with the manager. Please ask.
Partners can have breakfast. They are welcome to get it themselves from the kitchen. They can also have tea, coffee, biscuits etc. You will be provided some fridge space to store personal food.
There are many food outlets very close by. NB, Many close at 9pm
Yes. But you are most welcome to bring your own food.
You and your partner are welcome to bring your own food, store it on your shelf in the fridge, and to use the kitchen facilities
Take a look through our Mum and baby checklist here
During the first few days it is good for you and your baby to spend lots of time skin to skin.
When not skin to skin your baby can be wrapped in a blanket, or two. This saves bothering your baby with lots of clothing changes.
HBC supplies small cotton ‘cuddlies’ to wrap your baby in, or you may wish to use your own baby blanket. Natural fibers are best. Polar fleece (which doesn’t ‘breathe’) is best used for an outer layer only.
Generally it’s thought best for babies to have 1-2 more layers than what adults are wearing. A cotton or woolen singlet, a jumpsuit or similar, a cardigan, a blanket, booties and a hat when outside is usual. Take a look through our Mum and baby checklist here.
If you are in labour or transferring to us after having your baby elsewhere – drive around to the back of the building, walk up the ramp and press the buzzer at the back door. The staff will answer and let you in.
Others and visitors – enter at the Kaipara Medical Centre entrance, walk up the ramp and follow the signs to our front door. Press the buzzer and the staff will answer and let you in.
We encourage you to savour this time with your baby and therefore do not offer wifi serves. There is phone service coverage for all carriers, and there is also 1 GB of Spark and Wifi in the public library nearby if needed.
It is helpful to leave by mid to late morning.
Tours are not currently available, but check us out on Instagram.
