A fourth baby was born in the Lumsden area at noon today, according to Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker.

The baby was born while the Health Select Committee deliberated Mr Walker's petition in support of the centre after its downgrade of services in April.

“While we were deliberating my petition to save the centre a fourth baby was born in the area, this time at the emergency child and maternal hub in Lumsden,” Mr Walker said.

“While no report was signed off today by the committee, this is further reason as to why the Lumsden Maternity Centre needs to be a primary birthing unit.”

Even though this was the fourth birth in the area, it was the first birth where a second midwife has been on site, Mr Walker said.

The birth took an hour and a half, which allowed time for a second midwife to be called to the hub.

"However, for the rural Southland mother, it did not enable enough time for her to travel to Invercargill, more than an hour away, where she had planned to give birth.”

Mr Walker said it was upsetting to hear the mother was disappointed there was no gas available for pain relief, which would have been available if Lumsden was still a primary birthing unit.