Baby, how we've changed

Giving birth at Auckland City Hospital's new delivery unit is a far cry from the early days of National Women's. In the 1960s, fathers were kept out of the delivery room and staff were dressed head to toe in gowns. Now the whole family can attend and women can soak up the view from the ninth floor of Auckland City Hospital. REBECCA WALSH reports

Then - 1964


* Having a baby at National Women's in 1964 was a regimented process. When women arrived they were bathed, shaved and given an enema. As their labour progressed they were moved to different areas of the hospital, ultimately giving birth in a theatre.

* The focus was sterility rather than comfortable surroundings. Women received care from different people as they progressed through labour and there was no continuity of care.

* Fathers were kept out of sight. It wasn't until 1975 that fathers were allowed in the room, and even then they had to stay at the head of the bed.

* Women spent most of their labour lying down. A midwife was present at every birth and either the woman's GP or a hospital specialist.

* Epidurals (an anaesthetic used to numb the body from the waist down) were not used yet and during labour women were given large, regular doses of drugs such as Pethidine. One such drug, diamorphine (also known as heroin) is now illegal. It is a class A drug and highly addictive.

* Less than 10 per cent of women were offered a caesarean and forcep deliveries were far more common.

* The average stay in hospital was up to 10 days and it was hard to get out before 7. Women mostly shared rooms. * There were rules about staying in bed after delivery and babies were brought to their mothers for feeding.

* Babies were sometimes given glucose and water and access to babies for breastfeeding was restricted.

* Babies were checked from top to toe, including details of their weight, height, head circumference, heart and lung measurements were also taken.

Now - 2004


* In between contractions, women can check out the view from the ninth-floor delivery unit. The unit comprises 15 single rooms, each with an ensuite. About half the rooms have a hot tub.

* Women can have whoever they want at the birth. For some that means only their partner, others have their entire family.


* Most women have one or two scans before the baby is born, to check for abnormalities, and many find out whether it's a boy or girl before the birth.

* In about 40 to 50 per cent of births the midwife is the only health worker present. Women have a lead maternity carer whom they see throughout their pregnancy and who attends the birth.

* Although there is more monitoring equipment available, equipment is used only when essential.

* Women can give birth lying down, standing or kneeling. National Women's does not have a policy for water births but women are encouraged to use the tubs during labour.

* Women talk through a birth plan with their lead maternity carer. They have a choice about pain relief - gas and pethidine are still used and epidurals have become more widely used - but women can refuse pain relief.

* A total of 24.5 per cent of births at National Women's in 2002 were caesareans. At the same time the number of forceps deliveries has gone down.

* Women who go through complicated labours are likely to be in hospital 3-4 days, while others could be home within hours. Most stay in hospital for 1-2 days.

* Babies have the Guthrie test, then a Well Child check within 24 hours, at one week and again at six weeks.