Not delivering in your local Hospital

Hi MrsT2013,

I've done exactly this - my local hospital is North Shore, but I had my first baby at Auckland Hospital and want to do the same with my second. Just had a great experience there, and have heard not great things about North Shore. Also means I get transferred to Birthcare rather than Warkworth afterwards, which is actually much closer to home for DH & family to visit (20mins over the bridge vs. 45mins!).

I just had to find a midwife who was licensed to birth at Auckland Hospital, I was lucky to get one locally to me (otherwise I was prepared to register with someone located in town and travel a bit further for prenatal clinics). She has had to still register me at both North Shore & Auckland as if there is an emergency and I have to be collected via ambulance from home, they won't go across the bridge. But all going well I'll be birthing at Auckland again. My mum lives in town so I plan to labour there just incase!

Hiya! I'm currently 'booked in' at Botany Downs Maternity Unit, which isn't a hospital - but it's not my local unit. This is my third pregnancy, and my first two were booked in at Botany. We've sinced moved out of the area and our local is now Papakura Maternity - but the midwife I'd had previously was happy to take me on again, though she works through Botany as an independent midwife. It wasn't a problem for her to take me on, it just meant that I had to go to Botany. Which isn't a problem for me, I liked Botany!

Although I do feel I should mention that both of my first two ended up being delivered at Middlemore, the first turned her head at the last minute and got stuck so we got transferred, the second got delivered there because it was more convenient for my midwife, since she was already there delivering another woman's baby when I called to say I was in labour.

But I can put my two cents in and say that at least in my experience, it really does just depend on the midwife. Although I used to think it depended on which DHB area you were in, and I'm still not totally certain on that one - both of my options for birthing units are still technically part of Counties Manukau, so I'm effectively in the zone for both (and Middlemore Hospital).

I birthed at Auckland Hospital, even though I'm on the Shore, but my bub had kidney and bowel issues and I was looked after by the fetal med board at Auckland. And they wanted to be near Starship just in case. Auckland was fantastic. I've heard two not so great stories about North Shore but many good stories.