Earlier this year, more than 30,000 people signed a petition calling for the birthing unit at St George’s Hospital in Christchurch to be kept open.

It all happened after the hospital announced it was going to close the unit because it didn’t have enough staff but, subsequently, agreed to keep it running until April next year, when its current contract with what used to be known as the Canterbury District Health Board runs out.

So imagine how those 30,000-plus people who signed the petition must be feeling today with the news that St George's has been sending mothers with newborn babies home early and even turned away a woman who went into labour on Tuesday.

She was told St George's was closed and she would have to go elsewhere. So, with Christchurch Women's Hospital full, she ended up having to go to Rangiora and her midwife missed the birth by five minutes because of the unexpected extra travel time.

Can you imagine how traumatic that must’ve been for this woman? You’re told there’s no room at the inn and then your midwife misses the actual birth because they have to drive to another hospital miles away.

Is this the sort of care we expect in New Zealand’s second-largest city?

I know there are women up and down the country who have to travel long distances when they go into labour. But, generally, these are women who live in locations where facilities aren’t on the doorstep and they know from the outset that some travel is going to be involved.

It’s a bit different if you live in Christchurch - or in the surrounding area - and all along you’ve known that it’s going to either be Christchurch Women’s or St George’s where your baby will be born but then, at the last minute, you’re told ‘sorry, no room, you need to go somewhere else’. As far as I’m concerned, that is completely unacceptable.

And this is not me beating up on St George's. I get they’ve got problems with staff shortages. So I’m not specifically beating up on them. But is this what things have come to?

It’s not just someone in labour being turned away this week. There have also been mothers sent home early.

One woman was sent home on the second night after giving birth. Now, I remember when our kids were born how those three nights in hospital were absolute gold.

And, as Sheena Ross from the College of Midwives is saying, the second night after a birth can be the most difficult night. She says babies often cry a lot on the second night and mums can require essential support with latching and feeding.

But this particular woman was sent home from St George’s at 7 o’clock on her second night. You can only wonder how things went for her. And not just her either - she will most likely have a partner and I don’t think we should forget about partners in this situation.

I know from my experience how the time mum and baby spends in hospital after the birth isn’t just gold for them, it’s gold for the other parent too who - especially if it’s the first time - are not only elated but can feel pretty overwhelmed by it all too.

And you can’t underestimate the value of the chance to get home for a bit of a rest before the whirlwind of having a newborn baby in the house hits.

The unit at St George’s is operating again after two community midwives were called in. I gather the hospital is looking for more too.

Nevertheless, the fact this happened in the first place just shows, doesn’t it, that maternity care in this country is playing second fiddle. I’m not quite sure what it’s playing second fiddle to - because if you can tell me which part of the health system is operating at gold standard, then I’ll be interested to hear about it.

But, from where I’m sitting, it looks to me as if maternity care is running on a wing and a prayer and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s not good enough.

Because this is not just about women who are due to have their babies this week. This is about women who are due to have their babies anytime soon.

Women who, going by what we’ve seen this week, could find themselves in the same situation and either be forced to go somewhere else at the last minute to have their baby, or be sent home early afterwards because there’s not enough staff to look after them.

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