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Birthing and Assessment (B & A) | Counties Manukau | Te Whatu Ora
Public Service, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maternity, Maternity/Birthing Facilities
Arriving at B & A to have your Baby
What happens when I get there?
When you get out of the elevator you will see the reception desk. The person there will ask for your name and details. This is so that they can find your notes. We must make sure we have the right ones. She will also put a name band around your wrist.
This also means that we can make sure we have the most up to date details e.g. you may have changed your mobile phone number.
We will ask for your name and your date of birth and check this name band often during your stay. This is to be extra careful that we are looking at your paperwork.
You may be asked to take a seat while the midwife in charge is told that you have arrived. She will send a midwife or nurse to meet you and show you to your room.
Please tell the person at the desk if you have any bleeding, feel like you need to push in your bottom or anything else which you are worried about. She will also show you where the bathroom is if you need it.
Other women might be in the waiting area. Someone who arrives after you might be taken to a room before you. This is because people are there for different reasons just like in an emergency department.
How will I know what to do?
Your midwife will explain everything to you. If you are in labour she/he will talk to you about how you would like your labour to be. This can change because of how your labour progresses or if we think that baby is getting tired. But if anything changes your midwife is there to help you understand what is happening.
Your midwife might ask another midwife to help her:
- to be with you when she has a meal break
- to look at the baby heart rate monitor
- to check a medicine
She may also ask a doctor to come and see you if she has any concerns. B & A has specialist doctors working at all times. But if everything is normal it is possible to have labour and birth and not need to see a doctor.
Depending on the reason for your visit to B & A the midwife will usually see you first then you may need to wait again to see the doctor. The doctor may have lots of people to see and will also need to deal with any emergencies.
