Home Visits From a Midwife (From Birth to 4 - 6 Weeks)

Home visits provide an opportunity for you to discuss any concerns you have about your health or the health of your baby. Your midwife will assist you with breastfeeding and will monitor your baby's growth and development. Your midwife will visit you the day after you get home. You will then receive between 5 and 10 visits until your baby is around 4-6 weeks old. It is important to let your midwife know where you are, if you are planning to stay at another address after the birth.

After discharge home from hospital or birthing unit

• Your midwife will visit you at home or the address you have given the day after you arrive home from hospital. If baby has to remain in hospital then your midwife will contact you to organise a visit at a place which suits you.
• Your midwife will ask how you are feeling and questions about your physical health and sleep/rest patterns. The midwife will advise you about abnormal vaginal blood loss and what to do if it is very heavy or flooding.
• The midwife will offer you support and advice about baby care such as care of the umbilical cord, bathing baby and infant feeding.
• The midwife will explain and undertake with your consent any blood tests the baby may require such as the Newborn Screening blood test usually taken at or after 48 hours old.
• The midwife will share information about the importance of a smoke free environment for baby and sleeping baby on their back in a safe space.
• You will be asked to provide the baby’s Well Child Book so a record is made of baby’s progress at the visit.

At each visit your midwife will advise you when she will be visiting again. If you will not be home when she is due to visit please let her know or contact the Community Midwives office on (09) 276 0049 so an alternative arrangement can be made. Keep in touch!

You will be given a contact cell phone number for your midwife and the Community Midwives office (daily 8.00 - 16.30hrs) and a 24 hours contact number in case of any out of hour’s queries.

South Seas Well Child Team

The South Seas Well Child Team is a diverse multi-skilled and qualified team providing Well Child assistance and services for the Counties Manukau area, specialising in Pacific languages - in particular Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island and Niuean.

The team consist of:

• Well Child Nurses
• Well Child Community Health Workers
• Well Child Social Worker
• Well Child Coordinator.

South Seas is also proud to provide the following additional services by Pacific staff mainly for Pacific communities but others too:

• Primary Care Clinical Services (Clinic)
• Chronic Care Management
• School Based Services at Ōtāhuhu College
• Outreach Immunisation Services
• Kids in Action (Obese Children)
• Adults in Action (Adults Health and Wellbeing)
• Family Violence (Prevention and Intervention)
• Smoking Cessation.

South Seas Well Child Team contact information

Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm

31 East Tāmaki Rd, Papatoetoe, Phone: (09) 273 9017