Maternity & Newborn

We aim to provide high quality care to all women during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period; ensuring that we assist them to have the best outcomes possible.

Learn more about what to do when you think you may be pregnant.

You are encouraged to choose and register with a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwife as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Early care allows us to provide the best care possible. Options for practices in our area include:

  • Aoraki Midwives
  • The Midwifery Hub

You can search for availability and contact details in our area by going to the website “Find your midwife”. If you are unable to find a midwife, please phone our receptionist at Jean Todd for further help

Jean Todd
Jean Todd Maternity Unit at Timaru Hospital is a secondary facility that provides maternity care to families across South Canterbury.

Jean Todd Maternity Unit includes:

  • 9 single rooms with ensuite facilities
  • 3 birthing rooms (including 1 with a birth pool)
  • 1 common kitchen/dining area
  • Day Assessment Unit

The unit is staffed by midwives who provide 24/7 midwifery care. When labour occurs prior to 34 weeks we transfer care to the nearest tertiary hospital, usually Christchurch Women's Hospital.

Midwifery care provided in the unit includes women admitted antenatally, during labour or postnatally. We offer obstetric services for women who require specialist care.

Other funded services we provide include:

  • Pregnancy and parenting education classes
  • Monthly breast-feeding classes
  • Newborn hearing screening for all babies

We also work in collaboration with other services at Health New Zealand |Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury, including:

  • Physiotherapists
  • Dieticians
  • Diabetic Specialist Nurses
  • Paediatricians
  • Anaesthetics
  • Social Workers
  • Mental Health Wellbeing Team
  • Medical staff - when the mother has a pre-existing medical condition

We work with a number of services within South Canterbury including Arowhenua Whanau Services, Plunket, Public Health Nurses, Women's Refuge and GPs.

Maternity Quality and Safety Programme
The Ministry of Health launched the Maternity Quality and Safety Programme in 2011. The initiative includes:

  • A national quality and safety programme for maternity services, including maternity standards
  • Revised Maternity Referral Guidelines, which set out processes for transfers of clinical responsibility for care including in an emergency.
  • Standardised, electronic maternity information management to improve communication and sharing of health information among health practitioners.
  • Improved maternity information systems and analysis, so there is better reporting and monitoring of maternity services.

See the 'quick links' on the right-hand navigation menu to view our 'Maternity Quality and Safety Programme Annual Report' that sets out how we perform against the maternity standards and clinical indicators.

Pregnancy and parenting education classes
For information about or to register for pregnancy and parenting education classes, please contact the reception at Jean Todd Maternity Unit.

Location

Jean Todd Maternity Unit
Level 2, Timaru Hospital
Queen Street, Parkside
Timaru, 7910

Contact

Timaru Hospital: 03 687 2100

Jean Todd Maternity Reception: 03 687 2140
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am – 4pm

Jean Todd Maternity Ward: 03 687 2145
Visting Hours: 2pm – 8pm

Women may have one support person with them at all times.