24/7 maternity services offered to new mothers in Waimarino

Midwife Katie Brewis holds newborn Tipene, while mum Cassida Richards holds daughter Ngareta, with Waimarino's new midwife Jess White at back. Photo by ROBERT MILNE of the Ruapehu Bulletin

Relief is here for new mums in the Waimarino as a 24/7 maternity service is back in action.

The Whanganui District Health Board's health centre in Raetihi have recruited a second midwife, Jess White, to join Kate Brewis in providing round-the-clock support for mothers and babies.

Brewis, who has served as a midwife for 14 years at the Waimarino Health Centre in Seddon St, is delighted and relieved to be back providing the community with a full time maternity service.

"We are back to 24/7 cover for the first time since July when the last midwife resigned and we hope women will be reassured to know this," says Brewis.

"Our focus is on building trust and working in partnership with the women and their whānau. It is our intention to support women to feel confident within themselves and their bodies, as well as feel confident with the midwives and the service we provide" she says.

With White's arrival they are encouraging low-risk women to give birth at the Waimarino health centre or home as statistically they know they are more likely to have a better outcome.

"For some people, entering a hospital can be quite intimidating. Being at home or in a small home-like environment with the people you choose to have around you can be an incredibly empowering and satisfying experience," says Brewis.

She says their top priority is the safety of the mothers and their babies and it is their responsibility to ensure the service reflects this.

In the past the service had been operating at the least likely times for babies to be born - Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

"This has been stressful for the local birthing women and their whānau.

"With the secondary hospital one hour 20 minutes away, women were concerned about when was the right time to leave or whether they would make it in time. Not many are keen on birthing halfway down the Parapara," says Brewis.

She says the Whanganui Hospital and staff provide an amazing and vital secondary service for their community when needed, however, she believes it is just having the reassurance that a midwife can come and assess you in your own home that reduces a lot of stress.

With the service being 24/7, support is also offered over the weekends and for urgent assessments outside of work hours.

Both Brewis and Whiteemphasise they are able to offer a full service with conception right through to six weeks after birth.

"We really encourage mums to engage with us as early as possible in the pregnancy. We offer screening, blood tests, advice on nutrition and can refer to other services such as smoking cessation," says Brewis.

As a mother-of-five, Brewis finds the job very rewarding.

"Women and their strength amaze me every day. We have such a diverse community and I feel so privileged to be a part of it, especially at such an intimate time in people's lives," she says.

For White, who has both trained and worked as a leading maternity carer community midwife in Whanganui for the past eight years, says she is loving her new job.

Her recent move to Ohakune has seen new beginnings for herself, husband and two children and she says: "It's a wonderful tight-knit community and we're loving it."