The new birthing centre in Bethlehem has been officially blessed by the kaumatua from Te Runanga o Ngati Kahu.

The new Bethlehem Birthing Centre has been officially blessed by a local kaumatua.

Local iwi representatives and the centre's management attended the blessing ceremony on Thursday.

Bethlehem Birthing Centre co-founder Chloe Wright says establishing strong relationships with local iwi is important to the centre, and having the blessing of Ngati Kahu is integral.

'Mauri ora [a Maori philosophy of global and holistic physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing] is important to us, as well as our ongoing relationships with local whanau. It means a lot to us that the centre will have the blessing of local iwi.

'Bethlehem Birthing Centre is for everyone – all birthing women – and we celebrate and respect cultural diversity and norms.

'We believe expectant women of any age and background deserve the right to be cared for in a high-quality primary birthing facility, that offers them practical baby care information and support so they are better prepared for motherhood.”

Chloe says the cultural needs of all expectant women and their families will be taken into account by the facility's registered professional staff.

Bethlehem Birthing Centre, a privately-owned and publicly-funded primary birthing facility for women having natural, non-complicated births, is due to open in November.

The purpose-built 12-room birthing centre will occupy the upper level and part of the ground floor of a newly-constructed building on the corner of State Highway 2, opposite the Z service station.