Skip to main content Site Map

Labour and Birthing suite


Our Labour and Birthing suite at Auckland City Hospital is one of the largest maternity units in New Zealand, providing both midwifery-led and specialist obstetric care. 

If you need more help deciding where to give birth, visit our page on choosing where to birth

 

Virtual tour

 

Your care team

If you have your own midwife or lead maternity carer, they will arrange to meet you at our Labour and Birthing suite when labour starts. If you have chosen us as your care provider, our team of hospital midwives will look after you. We also have a team of hospital obstetricians and anaesthetists should you need them.

 

What to expect and bring with you

Before you come to our suite to give birth, be sure to check out our frequently asked questions and virtual tour. They will help you and your support person understand what to expect and what to do when you arrive at our hospital in labour. 

We also encourage you to attend one of our free pain relief in labour talks for 2023 [PDF, 654 KB] or 2024 [PDF, 641 KB]beforehand and check out our list of things to bring for you and your baby. Don't forget to bring a car seat with you to transport your baby.

If you or your baby are well following birth, you will go to Birthcare for your postnatal care. If you need more specialised care, you will go to one of our postnatal wards at Auckland City Hospital.

For more on what to expect after birth as well as when you go home, see our section on care after birth.

 

When should I call the Labour and Birthing Suite?

Please call us on 09 307 2888 or 0800966264, option 1 if you think you are in labour or if any of the following happen:

  • Your contractions are coming every five minutes, lasting longer than 50 seconds and have been getting stronger for at least two to three hours.
  • You have severe or constant abdominal pain with a tight abdomen.
  • Your water has broken and it is clear or has a tinge of pink. Put on a sanitary pad and check it after an hour. If it is wet, please ring us.
  • Your water has broken and it is green or brown. Call us immediately - you will be advised to come into hospital.
  • If there is a change in the pattern of your baby's movements.
  • You notice any vaginal bleeding - bright red vaginal bleeding is not normal.

 

If you have been advised to ring the Labour and Birthing Suite early, due to a complication with your pregnancy, please do so. Tell us about the complication at the start of the call and the advice your LMC has given you. This will help us to give you the correct information.

Location

Our Labour and Birthing Suite is located on level 9 of Auckland City Hospital and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

From the level 4 entrance off Park Road, head to lift bank A and push level 9. After you exit the lift, turn right to reach our Labour and Birthing suite.

If it is after 8pm the doors to the Labour and Birthing Suite will be locked so you will need to use the intercom on the wall outside the suite to gain entry. 

For more information on parking if you are arriving at our Labour & Birthing Suite in labour, please see our page on parking and transportation.  

Frequently asked questions

What are the rooms and facilities like?

We have 14 birthing rooms with ensuite bathrooms. Six of the rooms also have a pool to use during labour. If you would like a room with a pool, we'll do our best to accommodate you at the time.

All birthing rooms are equipped to look after you and your baby during labour. This includes a monitor that records your baby's heart beat and your contractions.

Swiss balls and birthing stools are available if you need them. For more on what to bring with you, see our list of things to bring for you and your baby and information on coping with labour.

Kitchen and whānau rooms are also available for your use.

Where should I park when I arrive at the hospital in labour?

When you arrive at the hospital, park your car at the main entrance off Park Road. Please let our security team know you're here and leave a pre-written note on your dashboard that says you're heading to the Labour and Birthing Suite. Put your name and contact number on this note.

Once you've reached our Labour & Birthing suite, your support person will need to return to the car and move it to Carpark A. For more detailed information, watch our virtual tour. It will give you a better idea of what to expect and do when you arrive at the hospital in labour.

Please note: we are unable to offer free or reduced parking rates for labouring women or their whānau.

For more parking options for your visitors and whānau, see our parking information page.

Can I have family/whānau with me during labour and birth?

Yes, you can choose who you have with you during labour and birth. We just ask that your visitors please respect the privacy of other women in our birthing suite

In the interest of safety and security:

  • There may be occasions when visitors are asked to leave the birthing room. In these instances we have a whānau room and a large atrium outside the birthing suite where they are welcome to wait.
  • We ask that you do not obstruct the doorways or corridor.
  • Please have a responsible adult to care for little ones.
What medical choices will I need to make while there?
  • Do you have any requests that are not on your birth plan?
  • Active management of third stage (birth of placenta) is recommended. Do you give your consent for the ecbolic (a drug that speeds up the delivery of the placenta by causing uterine contractions)?
  • Do you want to take your placenta home or have the hospital dispose of it?
  • Do you consent to Vitamin K for your baby?
  • If it is necessary for the baby to be vaccinated for hepatitis B, have you signed the consent form? Which ethnic group or groups (up to three) do you want your baby registered with?
  • Have you chosen a Well Child provider that you wish to be referred to at the appropriate time?
  • If you and your baby are well, do you plan to transfer to Birthcare or discharge to home?

Please also note that we are a teaching hospital with a responsibility for developing the future maternity workforce.

We respect your choice if you wish to decline, however we may ask you if a midwifery or medical student can be involved in your birthing experience.

What extra support does the Labour and Birthing Suite provide?

We have the following services to assist you during and after labour:

  • Specialists to care for women with complex needs.  These include women with high blood pressure, diabetes, multiple babies or who are birthing very early or late in the pregnancy.
  • Pain relief and surgical facilities if they are required in emergency situations.
  • We can perform caesarean sections.
  • Lactation Consultants for anyone requiring assistance or needing to know more about special breastfeeding and lactation problems or about the importance of human milk.
  • pain clinic available to help manage pain.
  • Counselling available for women who require support for their mental health.
  • physiotherapy team to encourage recovery.
  • We provide quit smoking services.
Is food provided, or should I bring my own?

You are welcome to bring in your own food and snacks for you and your support person. We also have a kitchen with hot drinks and a microwave and refrigerator for you to use.

Meals are provided on the wards and at Birthcare. While every effort is made to meet your individual needs, if you have special dietary requirements, you may prefer to have a relative provide some of your meals and/or snacks.

There are also several food outlets and retails locations throughout the hospital. Find out more about them here.