New primary birthing unit brings better maternity care prospects

Midwives (back, from left) Emma Bilous, Morgan Weathington, Jo Guest, Katy Christian, Emily...
Midwives (back, from left) Emma Bilous, Morgan Weathington, Jo Guest, Katy Christian, Emily Sancha, Maggie Morgan, Peta Hosking, Courtenay Davis, (crouching, from left) regional service manager Hannah Gentile, midwives Deborah Harvey and Justine Quirke celebrate outside the new Wanaka primary birthing care facility. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
The announcement of a new primary care unit, based in Albert Town, in Wanaka, has birthed fresh hopes for better maternity care in the district.

About 180 to 200 women in Wanaka receive care through local lead maternity carers.

Te Whatu Ora Southern expects about half of those people will choose to give birth at the new Wanaka primary birthing unit, ‘‘dramatically cutting down their travel time to birthing facilities elsewhere and allowing for a midwifery model of care which meets the needs of the community".

With no primary birthing unit in Wanaka, some women had had difficult births.

One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told how her birth experience did not go to plan.

Labour began on a Friday at home in Wanaka, with plans to be transferred to the Queenstown birthing unit. When it was time to go, the Queenstown unit was in use.

Instead she was transferred to the Charlotte Jean primary care facility in Alexandra.

"We drove down to Charlotte Jean. It was a really nice atmosphere."

Mid-morning, labour stopped progressing.

Different options were considered,

including going to Dunedin, but the decision was made to be transferred back to Queenstown. When they arrived there, it was decided she needed to be transferred to Invercargill.

Her midwife, who was by then fatigued, then referred them on to another midwife.

A helicopter was arranged to fly her to Invercargill, while her partner drove.

After he left, her waters broke, prompting quick action. About two-thirds of the way towards Southland, the weather worsened and they had to land the helicopter in a paddock.

"Labour was progressing pretty quickly. ... We didn’t have enough fuel and had to go to Gore to get fuel ...

It was quite a long two hours, with little pain relief,” she said.

She called the process once in the hospital quite clinical.

Her child was born overnight, before they drove to the Charlotte Jean facility in Alexandra.

"We spent two nights there. I can’t believe the level of care we got there," she said. ‘‘It’s such a good start to your parenting life."

She said being at the birthing care unit was the best thing and she would "recommend it to anyone who had the means to do it.”

She acknowledged throughout her experience the individuals within the health systems were helpful and doing the best they could.

Wanaka Maternal and Child Hub co-ordinator Morgan Weathington said having the new primary care centre closer to home would mean women could be supported by extended family.

An eight-bedroom property in Monteith Rd, Albert Town was bought in late June for the new facility. It will have a helipad on the site and is due to open early next year.

aspen.bruce@odt.co.nz

 

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