Tuatapere Maternity Centre Renovation BEFORE and DURING

We are so pleased that the Centre is being updated to include, among other things, the installation of a waterbirth tub. That was one of my goals with coming to Tuatapere--to share my appreciation of waterbirth with my New Zealand colleagues and patients.  Yes, they do have waterbirth in this country, but it is new to our facility offerings with a real birth tub.

Looks like someone spilled pepto-bismal all over the walls. It might have been beautiful once, but now dated.

Construction started and birth tub waiting to be installed.

 

We are seeing progress!

Some people volunteered to help paint the hallway ceiling...

Who spilled paint??? (Thank goodness it was the old carpet that was being replaced.)

Not naming names of the paint spiller...but this person does have a guilty look doesn't she??? 

But hey, she is a student here to do clinical work...whose idea was it to put her to work?

Birth room when I arrived. (Sigh)

Intermediate solution was to borrow a comforter from a postnatal room and rearrange the furniture, adding some plants, etc., it helped...but it is apparent, that a serious "makeover" is due.

Yes, this is the birth room in the midst of the project.

Paint on the windows and trim done, and wallpapering started.

The real workers on the renovation include some of these wonderful people: Sue, Leona, Jodie, Karen, and Barry, who puts up with lots of meddling women, who have varying ideas on how to pull this project together.

As of today...we have a birth room and birth tub with running water.  None of the cupboards are installed and we don't have any electricity...but we can be like the Amish and use kerosone, flashlights or candles. (Thank you Rondi Anderson, CNM for letting me spend time in Lancaster Co. PA, attending births with you...without electricity...I knew it would come in handy some day). 

With 8 women due or overdue, this is going to be INTERESTING.  Extension cords, I guess????

Looking forward to sharing the completed rooms: new wallpaper, some new furniture, paint, curtains, bedcovers, flooring, flat screen tv in the patient lounge.
As they say in New Zealand, we are getting to be quite "FLASH."