North Auckland > Maternity Services > Self-employed Midwives >
The Cottage Midwives
Midwifery Service
Description
Welcome to The Cottage Midwives.
We are a practice on the North Shore providing full LMC services and continuity of care to our clients. Our clinic is located in the NorthMed building in Northcote.
Our midwives are:
- Matty Van Oosterom
- Alex van der Merwe
- Alice Skipper
- Paige Smith
- Sam McLaughlin
- Sarah Staveley
- Nia Libut
- Sky Kodner
- Chontai Mita
Our Philosophy
We believe that birthing is an important part of a woman’s life. It is a rite of passage and we trust the process providing continuity of care, support and education with an aim to provide an empowering and positive birth experience. We provide care that is professional, holistic in nature and woman-centered. We have a family friendly practice. We strongly believe that educating women about childbirth and their life-long health is essential to their wellbeing. We encourage informed decision making and believe that education and shared information is the foundation to lifelong good health.
We Offer
- Home birth
- Primary birthing unit birth
- Water birth
- Hospital birth
- VBAC
Our Coverage
The North Shore of Auckland.
Midwives
-
Sam Gailer
Midwife
-
Sky Kodner
Midwife
-
Alice Skipper
Midwife
-
Paige Smith
Midwife
-
Sarah Staveley
Midwife
-
Alex van der Merwe
Midwife
-
Matty van Oosterom
Midwife
How do I access this service?
Contact us
Please contact the midwife you wish to speak to during business hours, Monday to Friday. If we are unable to take your call please leave a message and we will get back to you.
Hours
Your midwife is on call for you for births and emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If it is not an emergency and you are in labour then you can call your midwife between 8am and 8pm.
Our clinic is open while Midwives are doing their antenatal clinics Tuesday to Thursday 9-5, however if all the midwives are busy catching babies the clinic may be closed.
Languages Spoken
English, Dutch, German
Birthing Facilities Midwife/s Attend
Waitemata DHB Maternity Services - North Shore Hospital
Click on the following link for more information on Waitemata DHB Maternity Services - North Shore Hospital.
Services Provided
If your midwife is self-employed, they will attend your labour and birth. In the event that they are away or busy, they will have arranged a back-up midwife to be available instead. Make sure you know who the back-up is and how to contact them. If your midwife is a hospital-based community midwife, your labour and birth care will be provided by a hospital-based midwife. Please ensure you know the correct number to call for both your community midwife and the hospital birthing suite directly. Make sure you understand the signs of labour and when to call your midwife. Every labour and birth is different and not all go according to plan. Make sure you understand what can happen and be prepared to change your birth plan. Your midwife will talk to you about what may happen and also about what strategies you can use to manage labour pain. Some midwives provide care for women who have been given an epidural by an anaesthetist, have an oxytocin drip and abnormal fetal heart trace, others do not. Please check to see if the midwife you choose offers these services.
If your midwife is self-employed, they will attend your labour and birth. In the event that they are away or busy, they will have arranged a back-up midwife to be available instead. Make sure you know who the back-up is and how to contact them. If your midwife is a hospital-based community midwife, your labour and birth care will be provided by a hospital-based midwife. Please ensure you know the correct number to call for both your community midwife and the hospital birthing suite directly. Make sure you understand the signs of labour and when to call your midwife. Every labour and birth is different and not all go according to plan. Make sure you understand what can happen and be prepared to change your birth plan. Your midwife will talk to you about what may happen and also about what strategies you can use to manage labour pain. Some midwives provide care for women who have been given an epidural by an anaesthetist, have an oxytocin drip and abnormal fetal heart trace, others do not. Please check to see if the midwife you choose offers these services.
If your midwife is self-employed, they will attend your labour and birth. In the event that they are away or busy, they will have arranged a back-up midwife to be available instead. Make sure you know who the back-up is and how to contact them.
If your midwife is a hospital-based community midwife, your labour and birth care will be provided by a hospital-based midwife. Please ensure you know the correct number to call for both your community midwife and the hospital birthing suite directly.
Make sure you understand the signs of labour and when to call your midwife. Every labour and birth is different and not all go according to plan. Make sure you understand what can happen and be prepared to change your birth plan. Your midwife will talk to you about what may happen and also about what strategies you can use to manage labour pain.
Some midwives provide care for women who have been given an epidural by an anaesthetist, have an oxytocin drip and abnormal fetal heart trace, others do not. Please check to see if the midwife you choose offers these services.
Because pregnancy care is so important for your health and the health of your baby, it is free for all NZ citizens, residents and many other visa holders. Your midwife will give you advice on keeping yourself healthy in pregnancy and you will be offered regular appointments so your midwife can monitor your progress. Your midwife will be looking out for any signs that you or your baby are becoming unwell. Some conditions in pregnancy may not be obvious to the untrained eye, so attending appointments is vital. Your midwife will order blood tests and ultrasound scans as required. Please make sure you undertake these tests promptly so that any problems can be detected early. If any problems are indentified you will be referred to a hospital specialist, who will make a plan of care with you and your midwife. Your midwife will talk to you about what you want for your pregnancy and will plan your care with you. You will be asked to think about the kind of labour and birth you would like and your preferences will be recorded. It is a good idea to attend a childbirth education course, especially if this is your first baby.
Because pregnancy care is so important for your health and the health of your baby, it is free for all NZ citizens, residents and many other visa holders. Your midwife will give you advice on keeping yourself healthy in pregnancy and you will be offered regular appointments so your midwife can monitor your progress. Your midwife will be looking out for any signs that you or your baby are becoming unwell. Some conditions in pregnancy may not be obvious to the untrained eye, so attending appointments is vital. Your midwife will order blood tests and ultrasound scans as required. Please make sure you undertake these tests promptly so that any problems can be detected early. If any problems are indentified you will be referred to a hospital specialist, who will make a plan of care with you and your midwife. Your midwife will talk to you about what you want for your pregnancy and will plan your care with you. You will be asked to think about the kind of labour and birth you would like and your preferences will be recorded. It is a good idea to attend a childbirth education course, especially if this is your first baby.
Because pregnancy care is so important for your health and the health of your baby, it is free for all NZ citizens, residents and many other visa holders. Your midwife will give you advice on keeping yourself healthy in pregnancy and you will be offered regular appointments so your midwife can monitor your progress. Your midwife will be looking out for any signs that you or your baby are becoming unwell. Some conditions in pregnancy may not be obvious to the untrained eye, so attending appointments is vital. Your midwife will order blood tests and ultrasound scans as required. Please make sure you undertake these tests promptly so that any problems can be detected early. If any problems are indentified you will be referred to a hospital specialist, who will make a plan of care with you and your midwife.
Your midwife will talk to you about what you want for your pregnancy and will plan your care with you. You will be asked to think about the kind of labour and birth you would like and your preferences will be recorded. It is a good idea to attend a childbirth education course, especially if this is your first baby.
After the birth you will be tired and busy getting to know your new baby. Most women who have had a normal birth stay in the hospital or birth centre for 48 hours. If you have had a caesarean section, the usual hospital stay is 3-5 days. There may be an option to have your postnatal stay in a primary unit if you have given birth at hospital. Some women choose to go straight home after birth, this is called a planned early discharge. Talk to your midwife about your postnatal stay and make sure your family know what your plan is. After the birth you will be tired and busy getting to know your new baby. Most women who have had a normal birth stay in the hospital or birth centre for 48 hours. If you have had a caesarean section, the usual hospital stay is 3-5 days. There may be an option to have your postnatal stay in a primary unit if you have given birth at hospital. Some women choose to go straight home after birth, this is called a planned early discharge. Talk to your midwife about your postnatal stay and make sure your family know what your plan is.
After the birth you will be tired and busy getting to know your new baby. Most women who have had a normal birth stay in the hospital or birth centre for 48 hours. If you have had a caesarean section, the usual hospital stay is 3-5 days. There may be an option to have your postnatal stay in a primary unit if you have given birth at hospital. Some women choose to go straight home after birth, this is called a planned early discharge. Talk to your midwife about your postnatal stay and make sure your family know what your plan is. After the birth you will be tired and busy getting to know your new baby. Most women who have had a normal birth stay in the hospital or birth centre for 48 hours. If you have had a caesarean section, the usual hospital stay is 3-5 days. There may be an option to have your postnatal stay in a primary unit if you have given birth at hospital. Some women choose to go straight home after birth, this is called a planned early discharge. Talk to your midwife about your postnatal stay and make sure your family know what your plan is.
After the birth you will be tired and busy getting to know your new baby. Most women who have had a normal birth stay in the hospital or birth centre for 48 hours. If you have had a caesarean section, the usual hospital stay is 3-5 days. There may be an option to have your postnatal stay in a primary unit if you have given birth at hospital. Some women choose to go straight home after birth, this is called a planned early discharge. Talk to your midwife about your postnatal stay and make sure your family know what your plan is.
After the birth you will be tired and busy getting to know your new baby. Most women who have had a normal birth stay in the hospital or birth centre for 48 hours. If you have had a caesarean section, the usual hospital stay is 3-5 days. There may be an option to have your postnatal stay in a primary unit if you have given birth at hospital. Some women choose to go straight home after birth, this is called a planned early discharge. Talk to your midwife about your postnatal stay and make sure your family know what your plan is.
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.
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.
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.
Your midwife will transfer the care of your baby to a Well Child / Tamariki Ora Service before your baby is 6 weeks old. Well Child / Tamariki Ora Health providers work with families to provide support, advice and care for all children under 5 years old. The most common Well Child / Tamariki Ora provider is Plunket but there are others in your region, ask your midwife for information about this service. All babies born in New Zealand are registered with the National Immunisation Register. To find out more about the NIR click here. It is important that you register with a local GP. If you do not have a GP or a GP for your baby, it is important to do this when you are pregnant.
Your midwife will transfer the care of your baby to a Well Child / Tamariki Ora Service before your baby is 6 weeks old. Well Child / Tamariki Ora Health providers work with families to provide support, advice and care for all children under 5 years old. The most common Well Child / Tamariki Ora provider is Plunket but there are others in your region, ask your midwife for information about this service. All babies born in New Zealand are registered with the National Immunisation Register. To find out more about the NIR click here. It is important that you register with a local GP. If you do not have a GP or a GP for your baby, it is important to do this when you are pregnant.
Your midwife will transfer the care of your baby to a Well Child / Tamariki Ora Service before your baby is 6 weeks old. Well Child / Tamariki Ora Health providers work with families to provide support, advice and care for all children under 5 years old. The most common Well Child / Tamariki Ora provider is Plunket but there are others in your region, ask your midwife for information about this service.
All babies born in New Zealand are registered with the National Immunisation Register. To find out more about the NIR click here.
It is important that you register with a local GP. If you do not have a GP or a GP for your baby, it is important to do this when you are pregnant.
Disability Assistance
Wheelchair access
Parking
Pay and display parking ($1 for 2 hours) at NorthMed or free parking on the street. Please note we do not have client carparks and you must park in the pay and display area and not in other tenants client parks.
Website
Contact Details
Northmed, 3 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland
North Auckland
Healthlink EDI
cott4mid
Website
Matty van Oosterom: 021 224 6191
Paige Smith: 021 210 0374
Sam McLaughlin: 022 507 4402
Sarah Staveley: 021 0200 0338
Alice Skipper: 021 174 4434
Alex van der Merwe: 027 307 0534
Nia Libut: 021 026 87695
Sky Kodner: 020 488 4411
Come in the main entrance past the Glasshouse Cafe and you will find us at the end of the corridor. We do not have designated customer parking - you need to park in the pay and display yellow spaces $1 for 2 hours.
NorthMed
14/3 Akoranga Drive
Northcote
Auckland 0627
Street Address
NorthMed
14/3 Akoranga Drive
Northcote
Auckland 0627
Postal Address
The Cottage Midwives
NorthMed
14/3 Akoranga Drive
Northcote
Auckland 0627
Was this page helpful?
This page was last updated at 9:25AM on April 16, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by The Cottage Midwives.