Ministry of Health
NZ Government

Choosing a lead maternity carer (LMC)
All pregnant women are expected to choose an LMC to co-ordinate pregnancy, birth and postnatal care. Your LMC is the practitioner, or service that you have chosen to provide or organise your maternity care. An LMC can be a midwife (community or hospital-based), general practitioner, obstetrician or hospital maternity service. You can change your LMC at any stage. Sometimes your LMC may need to refer you to another practitioner if there are concerns about either the wellbeing of you or your baby. The reasons for this will be discussed with you.

It is a good idea to discuss your ideas, birth plan and where you want to have your baby, with potential LMCs to establish which LMC will best meet your needs.

Options to consider
In Auckland you can have a home birth or a hospital birth. If you want a home birth you will need to find a midwife or a general practitioner who attends births in the home.

National Women's, Middlemore and North Shore hospitals are large maternity units that provide a comprehensive range of services for women with either a low or high risk pregnancy.Birthcare,  Botany Downs, Waitakere, Helensville, Papakura and Pukekohe hospitals are small maternity units for women whose pregnancy is straightforward with no complications.

• If you choose a hospital birth, you can receive your maternity care from:
• an independent community-based midwife
• a domino or know-your-midwife (KYM midwife) based from the hospital
• a general practitioner (with hospital midwives attending the labour and birth and providing postnatal care)
• a hospital maternity team of midwives and doctors
• a private obstetrician (with hospital midwives or an independent midwife to attend the labour and birth and provide postnatal care)

Most maternity care is free for New Zealand citizens and women with permanent residency. You may be charged for antenatal/childbirth education classes, and some tests at a private laboratory. You may also have to pay to have an ultrasound scan if there is no medical reason for having it. Private obstetricians and private maternity hospitals will also charge a fee.

The LMC is responsible for organising your maternity care. They may provide all your care or share the care with one other, or more, practitioners. They also provide information to assist with decision-making during pregnancy, preparation of the birth and for parenting. Topics will include a wide range of matters such as nutrition, exercise, the risks of smoking and alcohol, labour and the birth process, pain relief, breastfeeding, baby care, immunisation, community services, contraception and many more.

It is important that you have a 24 hour contact number for your LMC and that back-up arrangements have been discussed with you in case your LMC is unavailable at any stage.