HealthInfo Canterbury
Overview of giving birth
Mō te whakawhānau pēpi
Giving birth is a normal part of life. But as no two births are the same, there's no way of knowing exactly how birth will be for you. There's no doubt that giving birth is challenging and life changing. Learning all you can about what happens during labour can make you feel more secure and in control.
Read this Plunket page about the stages of labour, including how to know you're in labour.
You may need pain relief during your labour. There are several medical and non-medical options for pain relief.
A birth partner can provide support during your labour and delivery.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Ministry of Health
- Labour and birth
Information about what happens as you go into labour and when your baby is born.
- Advice for dads
Find out how you can support your partner and be ready for your baby's birth.
- Labour and birth
- Healthify He Puna Wairoa – Childbirth information and resources
Information about childbirth in a variety of languages.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed February 2022.
See also:
Review key: HIGIB-113323
