Before your little one came into the world, you may have had no idea of how much you could love them. Naturally, this means you’re dedicated to providing the best care available. One tricky thing will be figuring out what your baby support options are in New Zealand.
Don’t worry, we’re here to make it easier for you, so you can learn exactly which services the government and other organisations provide. We’ll also help you to find out about how to book in for your baby’s health checks.
Health checks aren’t always a big event – sometimes your doctor, midwife or early childhood nurse will simply check that your child is growing and developing well. They’ll also make sure there aren’t any obvious problems. However, there are some key health milestones throughout the early years of your child’s life that you should be aware of:
The Well Child Tamariki Ora Programme (let’s call it WCTO for short) provides all the core health checks your baby will need from birth right up to five years of age. WCTO is completely free.
The WCTO programme provides all the essential medical care your growing baby needs to stay healthy. Typically, a midwife will care for your baby for six weeks. After this, they’ll hand over to your baby’s WTCO health care provider.
Parents can expect the following core services, as well as others specified on the WCTO core health checks schedule.
WCTO has an age appropriate schedule, which will be easy to follow once you’re in the programme. Your doctor or nurse will also inform you when your appointments are coming up. Don’t stress too much about missing appointments.
This is when your little one will have their check-ups:
View the WCTO provider’s page on their official website to find health care professionals in your city or town.
Plunket provides a range of health care services alongside government programmes, such as Well Child Tamariki Ora. While the WCTO program delivers well child and developmental checks, Plunket focuses on family wellbeing and support for parents. Each year Plunket sees more than 90 percent of newborn babies across New Zealand.
Plunket is well known across New Zealand for their health visits, growth and development assessments, and educational support for parents. Plunket works together with families and communities, to ensure the best start for every child.
Plunket visits:
Information and support:
Community services:
The PlunketLine is a toll-free number you can call 24/7 which is staffed by specialist Plunket registered nurses. The number is 0800 933 922 – call any time for parenting information and guidance about when to seek medical attention.