Primary Birthing

Primary birthing offers many benefits to both mother and baby.

These benefits include:

• Fewer interventions
• Shorter labour: pain medication can mean women do not feel their contractions and know when to push. They may miss opportunities to work with the rhythms of their bodies
• Facilitating breastfeeding: babies born without intervention are more alert and show more interest in breastfeeding
• Faster recovery and more endorphins
• Being more present in the moment
• Feeling empowered

New Zealand College of Midwives Consensus statement: “Women who are experiencing normal pregnancies should be offered the option and encouraged to give birth in primary maternity facilities or at home. The evidence clearly demonstrates that women who receive effective antenatal care and are assessed to be at low risk for complications, will give birth to healthy babies and need fewer interventions if they are supported to give birth in a primary maternity unit or at home.” 

Southern DHB Primary Maternity project 2017: “Care that occurs in primary maternity facilities is generally high-quality, associated with more normal outcomes for women and babies and high levels of consumer satisfaction. There is an interdependent relationship between core staffing and community midwifery with each being adversely affected in times of short staffing”