Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital maternity guide

Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital (Shoalhaven Hospital) is a public hospital on Scenic Drive in Nowra, run by Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. It is a level 3 maternity service, and about 900 babies are born there each year. If you are 20 weeks or more pregnant and think you are in labour, call the Birthing Unit on (02) 4423 9207 or the Maternity Ward on (02) 4423 9240 before you come in. The Birthing Unit is open 24 hours.

Shoalhaven Hospital maternity at a glance

• Hospital type: Public, level 3 maternity service
• Run by: Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
• In labour: Call the Birthing Unit on (02) 4423 9207
• Pregnancy care options: MAPS midwives, MGP, GP shared care, obstetrician clinic, Binji and Boori, Waminda
• Antenatal clinic: 53 Osborne Street, Nowra
• Birthing Unit: Four birthing rooms, each with a large bath
• Nursery: Neonatal Unit next to Maternity
• Typical stay: At least 4 hours, up to 3 days

Where is the Shoalhaven maternity ward, and how do I contact it?

• Address: Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital, 2 Scenic Drive, Nowra NSW 2541
• Birthing Unit: (02) 4423 9207, open 24 hours
• Maternity Ward: (02) 4423 9240
• Antenatal clinic: (02) 4429 2929, 8am to 4.30pm, 53 Osborne Street, Nowra
• Neonatal Unit: (02) 4423 9387
• Hospital switchboard: (02) 4423 9500
• In labour: from 20 weeks, call Maternity or the Birthing Unit first. Under 20 weeks, go to the Emergency Department.

The Birthing Unit, Maternity Ward and Neonatal Unit are next to each other, a few metres apart. A new acute services building opens to patients on 28 October 2026, and work on the existing hospital is due to finish in 2027, so entrances and signs may change. Follow the signs to Maternity, and call the Birthing Unit or Maternity Ward if you are not sure where to go.

How do I book in at Shoalhaven Hospital to have my baby?

You book in with a GP referral and a booking form.

1. See your GP. Your first visit is with your GP at 6 to 10 weeks. You need a GP referral for your first hospital appointment only.
2. Send the booking form. Fill in the antenatal booking form, choose the model of care you prefer, and email it to ISLHD-SHG-MAPS@health.nsw.gov.au.
3. Wait for a call. The team contacts you to arrange an appointment with a midwife.
4. Go to your book-in visit. You see a midwife at 12 to 14 weeks, and the visit takes about 90 minutes. Bring your yellow antenatal card and any test or ultrasound results.
5. Book a class. Free Saturday workshops run on selected dates from 9.30am to 3.30pm. Ask your midwife, or call (02) 4429 2929.

What pregnancy care options does Shoalhaven Hospital offer?

• MAPS (midwife care). A small group of midwives looks after you before and after the birth. Pregnancy visits are at 53 Osborne Street.
• Midwifery Group Practice (MGP). A named midwife cares for you in pregnancy and birth, with a small team as backup. Places are strictly limited and fill quickly, so ask your GP to note your interest on the referral.
• GP Antenatal Shared Care. Care is shared between your GP and the antenatal clinic.
• Obstetrician clinic. An obstetrician sees you for your pregnancy visits.
• Binji and Boori. If your baby is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you can have care from Binji and Boori midwives and an Aboriginal Health Worker before and after your baby is born, at 54 Worrigee Street, Nowra. Call (02) 4252 9780.
• Waminda Minga Gudjaga. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, endorsed midwives from Waminda, a non-government organisation, can care for you in pregnancy and during labour and birth at Shoalhaven Hospital. Call (02) 4421 7400.
• Milton Ulladulla midwives. If you live between Vincentia and North Durras, midwives at Milton Ulladulla Hospital provide your pregnancy care, and you give birth at Shoalhaven Hospital.

NSW Health explains each option on its Pregnancy care options in NSW page.

Where is the midwife clinic in Nowra?

The antenatal clinic is at 53 Osborne Street, Nowra, open 8am to 4.30pm. Call (02) 4429 2929. There is disabled and pram access from the back car park. If your pregnancy needs extra checks after 20 weeks, the clinic can refer you to the Day Assessment Unit in the Birthing Unit, on 0439 627 825. A visit there may take a few hours.

What is the Shoalhaven Hospital Birthing Unit like?

The Birthing Unit has four birthing rooms, and each has a large bath. Water immersion is offered for labour, and for birth if your pregnancy is low risk. You can give birth at Shoalhaven from 36 weeks. If labour starts earlier, you may move to another hospital, usually Wollongong Hospital or the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick. You can bring a birth partner, but call the Maternity Ward on (02) 4423 9240 to check how many support people you can have. It is recommended you stay at least 4 hours after the birth.

Does Shoalhaven Hospital have a special care nursery?

Yes. The Neonatal Unit is next to Maternity, a few metres from the Birthing Unit. It cares for babies who are born early or unwell and need extra support, for example help with breathing, tube feeding or light treatment for jaundice. Babies born elsewhere can transfer back here for ongoing care in the Shoalhaven. Before your baby goes home, the unit offers rooming-in for one to two nights. If you ask staff, you can get discounted 24 hour parking while your baby is in the unit.

How long will I stay on the Shoalhaven maternity ward?

The Maternity Ward has 12 beds in single and shared two-bed rooms, and your baby stays in your room with you. It is recommended you stay at least 4 hours after the birth and possibly up to three days. The average stay is 48 hours. Your midwife talks with you about when you will go home.

What are the Shoalhaven Hospital maternity visiting hours?

The hospital does not publish set maternity visiting hours. Call the Maternity Ward on (02) 4423 9240 to ask about visiting hours and how many visitors are allowed.

What support is there after I take my baby home?

• Midwife home visits: usually available if you live between Gerringong and North Durras. Your midwife usually visits between 8.30am and 3.30pm, and visits are free for Medicare card holders.
• GP checks: book a check for yourself 1 to 6 weeks after the birth, and one for your baby 7 to 14 days after birth.
• Binji and Boori: support for Aboriginal families with children up to age five. Call (02) 4252 9780.
• Karitane Careline: 1300 227 464
• Tresillian Parents Help Line: 1300 272 736
• healthdirect: 1800 022 222, for 24 hour health advice

For sleep, follow the Red Nose safe sleep recommendations from your first night at home.

Other maternity hospitals near the Shoalhaven

• Wollongong Hospital Public
• Campbelltown Hospital Public
• Sutherland Hospital Public
• Goulburn Base Hospital Public
• St George Hospital Public
• Royal Hospital for Women Public

See all New South Wales birthing hospitals.

Shoalhaven Hospital maternity FAQs

Hospital details checked against Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District on 21 October 2026. Services and contact details can change, so confirm with the hospital before you go. This page is general information and is not medical advice.