Before birth
During your pregnancy you will come to hospital for appointments with your midwife or care team.
Maternity outpatient appointments
You will visit our maternity outpatient department for planned appointments with your midwife or midwife team:
- Centenary Hospital: level 2
- North Canberra Hospital: Marian building, level 3
Fetal Medicine Unit: Centenary Hospital
Our Fetal Medicine Unit is also on Level 2. You may need to come here for scans with a specialist. We have more information about our Fetal Medicine Unit.
Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit: Centenary Hospital
Our Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit is also on Level 2. You may be booked here if you have problems in early pregnancy (up to 20 weeks). We have more information about our Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit.
Maternity Assessment Unit: Centenary Hospital
Our Maternity Assessment Unit is for unplanned appointments after 20 weeks of pregnancy, for example, if you water breaks and you haven’t gone into labour. We have more information about our Maternity Assessment Unit.
Genetic Counselling: Centenary Hospital
We offer genetic counselling if you have concerns about the possibility of an inherited condition during your pregnancy.
We may also offer genetic testing if the gene is relevant to your personal and family medical history.
We have more information about genetic counselling.
Antenatal and Gynaecology Ward: Centenary Hospital
You may be admitted to this ward for midwifery and nursing care if you:
- need to be admitted to hospital during pregnancy for a pregnancy related condition
- have had gynaecological surgery
- need to stay in hospital for gynaecological or pregnancy related conditions
- are in the first 2 to 3 days of postnatal care (after giving birth).
During and after birth
You will give birth in our Birth Centre or Birth Suite, unless you’ve been accepted into our homebirth program. If you need to stay in hospital after the birth, you will stay in our postnatal ward.
Birth Centre: Centenary Hospital
Our Birth Centre has five rooms and is located on Level 2 of Centenary Hospital for Women and Children at Canberra Hospital. You are likely to give birth here if you’re booked into one of our continuity programs.
The Birth Centre has been designed for low intervention births. Each room:
- is large enough for you to move around while you’re labouring (‘active labour’)
- has a bath for water births or labouring
- has an ensuite with a double shower head for labour.
Birth Centre: North Canberra Hospital
Our Birth Centre is ideal for women who desire an active birth and natural pain relief, with minimal intervention and a short stay in hospital. You are likely to give birth here if you’re booked into one of our continuity programs.
The Birth Centre has been designed for low intervention births. Facilities include:
- Spacious birthing room
- Large spacious bath
- Breastfeeding chair
- Portable cot
- Air conditioned
- Double bed
- Partner encouraged to stay
- Kitchen/family/children’s play area
Birth Suite: Centenary Hospital
We have 15 birthing rooms available on Level 2 of Centenary Hospital for Women and Children at Canberra Hospital, some with different features to support different birth plans.
Around half of the rooms have a bath and there are different bedding configurations to suit labour preferences.
Both the Birth Suite and Birth Centre have a communal lounge area with tea/coffee and microwave facilities. There is an admin desk at the entrance to both the Birth Suite and Birth Centre.
Birth Suite: North Canberra Hospital
The birth suite has six birthing rooms all with ensuite facilities.
Postnatal ward: Centenary Hospital
The Postnatal Ward offers a family friendly environment for mothers and babies who need a longer stay in hospital.
We provide care through a team that includes midwives, nurses, lactation consultants, doctors and neonatal specialists.
We encourage and support you to stay with your baby on the ward. A family member or support person is also welcome to stay overnight if you are in a single room. Each room has an ensuite and access to kitchen facilities.
Postnatal ward: North Canberra Hospital
After birth, your postnatal care will be provided in our Maternity Unit, Ward 3S.
The postnatal ward consists of 10 single rooms and four extremely large twin share rooms. Rooming in for partners is available, please discuss this with the Ward 3S midwives.
Breast feeding is supported and lactation specialist midwives are on-hand to ensure babies are feeding well before you go home.
Ward locations
We have a list of our maternity and neonatal ward locations.
