Welcome to The Warkworth Birthing Centre

Warkworth Birthing Centre opened in February 2000. It is situated in rural surroundings on a hill above the town and has a quiet, homely atmosphere. Full birthing facilities are available for normal births and a pool is available for labour and birth. Your midwife provides your labour and birth care with your second midwife coming in to assist at the birth. After the birth of your baby and until you go home there are midwives, registered nurses and maternity assistants to provide care for you and your baby. Your midwife will visit you daily and continue to provide your post-natal care at home after discharge from the birthing centre. The average length of stay is 4 days for normal births. 

Visiting hours are 10am-1pm and 3pm-7pm with no visitors except partners between 1pm-3pm as this is rest time for our Mums. Partners are welcome to stay 8am-9pm.

For The First Time Pregnant Mum

If contemplating a normal birth or if you have had a previous normal vaginal birth then why not think about birthing at the Warkworth Birthing Centre? Birthing in a primary centre such as ours has many benefits and it is well proven that unless you need a secondary hospital for medical reasons, you are much safer to birth in a primary centre.
The atmosphere around your birth is very important in providing you with the ability to relax and progress well in labour.
  • Warkworth Birthing Centre is on the hill over looking Warkworth Town nestled in amongst a reserve so it is very private and quiet.
  • The rooms are homely and the staff very friendly towards helping you and your midwife.
  • Generous nutritious meals served when you want them.
  • Husbands/partners and family are made comfortable and husbands/partners are able to stay the first night with you after the birth.
  • Double beds in all the postnatal rooms with heat pumps to be warm in winter and cool in summer.
  • The birthing area is on ground level so you are encouraged to walk around outside or inside. Mobility can help labour progress.
  • The birthing room has a pool, water for labour or birth is encouraged and can offer excellent pain relief and freedom of movement.
  • There are all the necessary pain relief options for a normal birth; the only option not available is an epidural.
  • There is up to date resuscitation equipment; a neopuff for giving oxygen under positive pressure and all other equipment necessary if there are any problems.
  • There are very experienced midwives available to your midwife for consultation or assistance if needed.
  • All staff are kept up to date and well educated in maternity care. Many are mothers themselves so understand the process and love to “spoil” you.
  • Breastfeeding advice and assistance is exceptional, helping you to succeed.

The ambulance is just down the road for speedy transport to North Shore Hospital in case of transfer to secondary care and your midwife will accompany you. Our overall transfer rate is 14%

​Second Or Subsequent Births

If your previous baby was a vaginal birth, then the second labour is usually much shorter, and easier, than the first, e.g. if your first birth was 12-16 hours then the next one is often only 4-6 hours. Pushing may have totaled 2 hours last time and would be 30mins with the next baby.

Problems encountered with the first will rarely happen with the next because you are generally in better condition from the shorter labour and as your body has done it all before, so it is easier to progress. If you are planning to come to Warkworth for the postnatal stay it is much nicer to be able to shower after the birth and slip into your double bed with your partner rather than having to get into a car and drive for an hour to Warkworth. 
We hope you will consider coming to Warkworth for your birth and postnatal stay.