​I birthed here with my last 2 children in 2018 & 2021.

I love it so much!

The comfort, the space, the privacy, the food and no stress.

I had my first child in the hospital and I couldn’t bare being there any longer than overnight so I left first thing in the morning.

This birthing centre leaves a special place in mine and my partner's hearts, whenever we even drive past we remember the fond memories of our babies being born and it feels different to just driving past the hospital.

We hope it doesn’t close although no more kids for us LOL.

Māia: I carried Māia for 41weeks 5days. The entire pregnancy was low risk however, I was having difficulty with hip and back pain so I was desperate to have my baby as soon as possible. At 41w 1d my midwife told me my plan of birthing at the birth centre was over from today as "they" had a cut off time. I was distraught and cried on the car ride home. When I calmed down, I called the birth centre and the receptionist was nothing but compassionate and empathetic. She assured me the "cut off" was 42weeks and went as far as to take me through some breathing techniques over the phone. (Because I began to cry again.)

At my next appointment, I told my midwife who then said, I was misinformed but it didn't matter because I was being induced which can't happen at the birth centre. It hit me hard, but I had to stick with the positive of having a healthy baby at the end and maybe the hospital wasn't as bad as people said. Still I tried every trick in the book for natural labour induction, acupuncture, spicy food, exercise, sex. To no avail.

Induction day
1pm:  I arrived at 1pm for in induction at 1:30pm. Nervous excited. 1:30pm came and went, we were still sitting in the reception area

2pm: someone came and showed me to a room and left. The room had wallpaper peeling from the walls, random strangers walked in looking for other people, my bed had no brakes or blankets. Finally at

3pm: someone came and inserted a line into my arm in preparation for oxytocin. Then, I saw no one until

6pm: it was dinner time. My husband asked when induction would begin and if a balloon was inserted could we go home, the answer from the midwife "feel free to leave, but your wife will stay here" and that I was "not a priority so it will happen when it happens".

8pm: I could not take it any longer and asked again "when will we start because I want to go home." and began to cry again. I felt forgotten and unimportant, if my husband had left when she said to earlier I would've been alone for hours!

9pm: the Doctor came in and inserted the balloon, excitement hit me again finally.

The next morning:
8am, I had my breakfast and went to shower and was met by a nurse who literally ripped the balloon out while I stood in the doorway. I felt like my mana had been quashed.

9am, 5cm dilated, syntocinon begun and the excitement returned.

Lunchtime:  came and went, no changes with baby and I was hungry. It wasn't until then that I was told I wasn't allowed food or liquid apart from water, the hopes for a water birth were no longer there. I felt so uninformed and frankly annoyed.

5pm: syntocinon was increased from 2mg to 4mg, the contractions increased hard and I used the gas as pain relief. I was told she may be stuck with the cord around her neck. I broke down again. I went from natural water birth to possible C section. I felt my autonomy had gone.

5:30pm: I requested an epidural as the pain and exhaustion became too much and I was close to passing out. I told the nurses and doctors no one was to touch me until the epidural had set in and finally they respected my wishes.

6pm: I gave permission to be checked and they found I was 10cm dilated and Māia was fully engaged.

7:45pm: Māia was born vaginally at 8lb 5oz, no complications or intervention as initially suspected - 2 Doctors, 2 Midwives, a Nurse and an anaesthetist present.

I finally had my girl. However, after her cord was cut everyone disappeared and left us alone. My placenta bagged and on the bench. I was exhausted, hungry, full of emotion, like I had nothing left to give.​

The large rooms, dimmed lights and light walls make the place relaxing. I had the most amazing birth experience, delivering my 3rd large baby in the bath with the support of my partner and incredibly encouraging midwife.

I’m so thankful Judi supported my decision of wherever I’d like to birth, and I trusted her completely and felt safe at Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre.

But it was also the days later that set me up for a healthy mind to head home to a family of 5.

After giving birth at the Hutt hospital previously, the following night was spent in a dark, old room, with a small window, and the loud noises of the midwives and nurses outside was awful. I was rattled.

The surrounding rooms at the Birthing Centre are quiet. You are welcomed and well cared for with delicious and nutritious food. And to be able to comfortable have my family visit was so special.
Just look at the doting faces of Lottie’s older siblings. ​

The Birthing Centre is it!

They’re amazing, welcoming and loving.

From the start until the day I left they made me feel comfortable and well looked after.

Everything was ready when I got there. I didn’t need to wait or worry about anything! Not only did they make me and my little family feel at home, but they also welcomed our extended family and made them feel welcomed and comfortable.

We didn’t feel rushed out like you would at the hospital and they didn’t mind how many visitors we had coming in and out.

They made sure we were ready before leaving and gave us a gift package.

Our stay was like a 5 star hotel.

​I experienced the birth I wanted during the most unprecedented times with the support of my midwives and team of carers at the birthing centre in Melling.

My son was born naturally at the birthing centre 33minutes into the first lockdown which was a very stressful time for a first time mother. The staff were very supportive, my husband was able to stay with me the WHOLE time to provide me with support as we weren't allowed visitors with the level 4 status of the country. The midwives were available for questions, help and support 24/7 no matter what and even took baby for a couple of hours so we could get some sleep.

The facilities are second to none, we had our own private room with a bathroom/toilet, with the option to have waterbirth or birth wherever felt right. I can't imagine being able to do this in a hospital or at home with other family around. The food was nutritious and delicious, my first meal was AMAZING (after 36hrs vomiting during labour).

I am forever grateful to these people and for allowing me to have such a positive birthing experience. I am saddened that this service and facility which did not cost me a cent, may be unavailable to mothers in the future. A service which should be the standard of care in a hospital setting, which unfortunately is stretched to their limits and underfunded.

The idea of birthing at the hospital gave me major anxiety and being my first pregnancy I didn’t feel comfortable having a home birth so birthing at the Birth Centre felt like the most natural choice from very early on. Leading up to my birth we found out that the birthing centre was closing over Christmas which was right around when I was due, this gave me major anxiety about the thought of having to birth at the hospital. While we were doing a group tour of the birthing centre they asked us when we were due, and one women was almost brought to tears as she was due around the closure period and she had had a traumatic birth experience previously. She said there was absolutely no way she could step foot in the hospital to birth again. Thankfully for me I went into labour before the Christmas closure and I had a beautiful intervention free birth at Te Awakairangi. Our birth experience felt so calm, and that all our requests were honoured and we couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience.

The after care was wonderful and it was amazing as a first time Mum to be able to call the midwives in for support whenever I needed as I was learning to latch/breastfeed our daughter. Nothing felt like a bother and they were so amazing at supporting us into our parenting journey. If it wasn’t for the support from the midwives at Te Awakairangi I don’t know if we would of had such a smooth pain free breastfeeding journey, so thank you!

The idea of Te Awakairangi closing actually fills me with fear of another pregnancy and what that birth experience might bring/the possible outcome. If I had the choice I would bring another baby into the word at Te Awakairangi where we had exceptional care and I was able to have the perfect, intervention free, holistic birth I had always wished for.

My name is Abbey. I have had the ability to birth both at Hutt hospital in 2020 and at Te Awakairangi birthing centre in 2021. Both times I have been lucky enough to experience community midwives. My first midwife did not birth by choice at the birthing centre. My second midwife was more confident and offered this as an option. These two experiences began with very similar circumstances (same timing of labour, same time of day, no water broken).

During my first birth (hospital) I arrived at hospital and as soon as I arrived I was TOLD to go to the toilet, I was TOLD that I needed an exam to check how far along I was, it was that time that the midwife broke my waters (I was not asked if this could happen, I was TOLD that during the exam they broke which was a good thing). It was at this point that my baby went into distress and nurses and Drs were called in as in the rush of my waters breaking they had lost his heartbeat and needed to intervene by hooking me to a monitor (which I was not asked if this was okay) and putting a monitor on my baby's head. There was arguing between the Dr and the midwife, and I largely felt out of control, and that things were happening to me without any input from me or my husband. I feel like a lot of this was unnecessary and that everyone was just in a rush to get baby out and that the faster the better. I was then told if I wanted my own room then I needed to hurry up and hand baby over to get dressed and have a shower, this took time away from me bonding with my baby and I felt pressure to hurry up and get ready just so that I could secure a room.

This was wildly different to my experience at the birthing centre. Again, my waters had not broken during labour, but my midwife did not feel the need to perform an exam. During my whole birthing experience I was not physically examined at all, my midwife did not need to touch me at all during my labour. The environment was calm, quiet, the bath was run and waiting for me when I arrived, staff welcomed me and directed me to my room. When I felt stressed through physical pain, my midwife gave me options and asked what would be comfortable for me. As a result and not victim to time pressure I felt more in control and felt like my voice was the loudest in the room. The whole experience was calm, and I felt like I had a much better experience birthing when I was very calm and in control. Following the birth I was able to take as much time as I liked to bond with my baby. I was in the room that I birthed in, and I was calm and relaxed at this point.

During my stay at the birthing centre, I felt confident that the staff there were there to support me, irrespective of time, and business. I needed support feeding baby, and the staff spent as much time as necessary supporting me, checking in on me regularly and I really felt heard and valued. Having the option for my husband to stay with me made things 100x easier as he was not bound to visiting times, especially during the night when baby was getting grizzly and I was feeling overwhelmed with feeding. Having an environment where my family could be with me, I had the opportunity to make myself breakfast and snack when I felt like it all helped me to feel normal and in control of what was happening.