Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu - Midwifery Council

🤱Happy International Day of the Midwife 👶

On this special day, we celebrate the incredible work of midwives around the world. Let’s take a moment to recognize their vital role in providing essential care to mothers, newborns, and families.

We thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the profession!

This week is the 13th annual Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Week.

Follow along here PADA - Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa to see what they are doing to eliminate the stigma around perinatal mental health in New Zealand.

We warmly extend the invite from Te Whatu Ora to join them for a Pregnancy Flu Webinar which is being held from 12.15 to 1.15pm on Tuesday 9 April 2024.

The aim of the online hui is to support kaimahi across the sector with a dedicated discussion session for each priority group as we work together to drive early vaccination by increasing awareness and building on community outreach efforts.

Each hui will cover the clinical rationale for each eligibility group, tips on communicating effectively with each focus group, an overview of the support resources available, advice on concomitant vaccinations, and the opportunity to ask questions.

Please copy and paste the following details into your diaries if you are attending:
Date: Tuesday 9 April 2024
Time: 12.15 to 1.15pm
Meeting link:

Join conversation

Kia ora tātou,

Remember that APC applications close on March 31st!

Ngā mihi nui to all the midwives who have already applied for their 2024/25 APC.
If you have not already applied, please do so as soon as possible as you will not be able to practice on April 1st if you don’t have a current APC.

Please remember that the office will be closed for the Easter break from Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April 2024 so staff will not be available to help with any last-minute queries.

Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions or issues applying.

Hei konā mai.

Kia ora tātou,

We are pleased to announce that Annual Practising Certificates (APC) applications are now open!

Please login to MyMCANZ to complete your application and remember to update all your Recertification Programme details. As you know, midwives (and all other health professionals) cannot practice without an APC.

If you experience any issues with your application, please email us at [email protected].

Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

Ngā mihi nui.

Kia ora tātau,

Our apologies to anyone who didn't get the attachment in our most resent email. This matter has been escalated. In the meantime, you can access the attachment at the top of the "relevant documents" section at the below page on our website.

Ngā mihi

Council Statements & Guidance The Council has issued a statement on Midwifery Led Ultrasound stating that kahu pōkai | midwives who hold a current practising certificate issued by the Council, can perform ultrasound specific to early pregnancy, provided they have completed an endorsed education course and remain engaged in an o...

Kia ora tātau,

Meri Kirihimete from Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu!

The Board and staff of Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council, would like to wish you all a safe and well-earned break with your whānau and friends. 🎄

Please note that the office closes at midday on Friday 22 December and will reopen on 8 January 2024. 📪

Ngā mihi maioha for your mahi supporting whānau on their pregnancy and birth journey throughout the year. Take care of yourselves and we look forward to working with you in 2024. 🎉

Kia ora tātou,

Te Whatu Ora has recently released information about the Voluntary Bonding Scheme 2024 intake. Please click the link below for full details.

The Voluntary Bonding Scheme 2024 intake information – Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand The Health Professions, Communities and Specialties eligible for the 2023 Voluntary Bonding Scheme Intake, and registration information.

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UNESCO - Midwifery: knowledge, skills and practices Midwives are companions and supporters of pregnant women and their families before, during and after birth. Throughout the course of a pregnancy, midwives make home visits, provide guidance and care, and facilitate birth preparation and capacity-building classes. They contribute to the protection of...

Kia ora tātou,

The 2023 Midwifery Workforce Survey results are now available on our website at the below link. Apologies for any delays in getting these results out to you all.

Ngā mihi

Workforce Data

Nau mai ki te Wiki o te Reo Māori! 🎉 Welcome to Māori Language Week!

We look forward to celebrating with you for Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori, the Māori Language Moment - this Thursday at 12pm. 👊

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

The theme for 2023 is "Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a Difference for Working Parents".

This is an important theme because there are various workplace challenges that prevent breastfeeding or lead to stopping breastfeeding early. Those with shortened maternity leave periods report shorter breastfeeding durations after returning to the workplace. Adequate breastfeeding facilities at work are only mandated across 42 countries, which includes Aotearoa. Promotion, protection and support will help create more breastfeeding-friendly workplaces and address inequalities.

For more information, click on the link below.

World Breastfeeding Week 2023 will focus on breastfeeding and employment/work. It will showcase the impact of paid leave, workplace support and emerging parenting norms on breastfeeding through the lens of parents themselves. Target audiences including governments, policymakers, workplaces, communities and parents will....

💙 Birth Trauma Awareness Week 💙

How does birth trauma impact?

Research tells us that 1 in 3 Mothers/Birthing people will report their birth as psychologically traumatic.
In Aotearoa, that’s around 50 people per day leaving birth emotionally harmed by the experience.
So, how does this impact new parents and whānau?

The impacts of birth-related trauma can stretch deep and wide.
Different people are impacted in different ways but some of the impacts include:

💙 Breastfeeding challenges;
💙 Confusion, shock, grief, feelings of failure;
💙 Challenges in bonding with baby;
💙 Relationship challenges between parents or with others;
💙 Mistrust of medical professionals;
💙 Fear of future pregnancy/birth;
💙 Specific mental health challenges including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-natal depression, post-natal anxiety.

Whatever the impact birth trauma has on the Mother/Birthing parent, or on others in the whānau, it's important to remember it is never the birthing person's fault and they are always deserving of understanding and support.

Birth Trauma Aotearoa’s work includes education and advocacy regarding the impacts of birth trauma and why we need improved support for our community 💙

Mānawatia a Matariki!

Kia ora tātou,

For full coverage of the Matariki festivities happening across Aotearoa tommorow, you can in live tomorrow morning from 6.00 - 11.00am. There will be a traditional hautapu ceremony from Ngongotahā at dawn. Everyone is encouraged to take part in both understanding the old traditions of Matariki, and the creation of new ones.

Matariki - Live Broadcast Watch our Matariki live broadcast

Kia ora tātou,

The Matariki theme for this year is Matariki Kāinga Hoki | Matariki calls you home. Everyone is encouraged to return to their whānau and their people, whoever that might be or wherever they are. This theme contains important environmental messages, as the various stars in Matariki invite you back to where you are from to reconnect with maunga, awa, moana and whenua.

📷: matariki.com

Kia ora tātou,

Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council co-chair Kerry Adams spoke with Ingrid Hipkiss on RNZ this morning about the recently announced Health Workforce report and its strong focus on the midwifery workforce. You can find her interview below.

Midwifery council pleased with workforce focus The Midwifery Council is pleased the Government is putting a strong focus on the midwifery workforce in its plan to plug shortages in the health sector. Te Whatu Ora estimates New Zealand is short by more than 1000 midwives and another 250 midwives would be needed to make up shortfalls out to 2033.....

Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council welcomes the high priority the Minister of Health has placed on retaining and growing the midwifery workforce in Aotearoa. The Health Workforce Plan 2023/2024 was released today and describes the changes needed to relieve pressures on the health workforce to improve the care they provide to the public.

Retention of our midwifery students in education programmes is a key focus of this report – we know that often students fail to complete their midwifery qualifications due to financial hardship, not lack of pastoral support.

We are pleased the Minister has recognised this and is offering additional financial support so more students will be able to navigate the significant clinical requirements of midwifery programmes - including time spent on-call 24/7. This will encourage an increase in New Zealand enrolments and make a real difference to improving Māori and Pasifika representation in midwifery.

The Council looks forward to working with the Ministry (Te Aka Whai Ora and Te Whatu Ora) to discuss the pathways for midwives from overseas wanting to register and practice in New Zealand.

Midwifery qualifications vary from one country to the other. In Aotearoa, midwifery is a specialist profession and midwives here undertake a four-year degree before they can be registered and apply for an Annual Practising Certificate.

As kaitiaki of midwifery in Aotearoa, the Council wants to ensure that all midwives who work with whanau during their pregnancy and birth journey are appropriately qualified, competent and culturally safe to provide the best possible care.

Health Workforce Plan 2023/24 – Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand The Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora Health Workforce Plan 2023/24, is designed to relieve current workforce pressures and meet the challenges of the future.

An emotional standing ovation for Ukrainian midwife Vera Tselyk taking part in the plenary session at the 33rd ICM Triennial Congress in Bali this week.

The session: ‘The last healthcare professionals standing – an exploration of the role of midwives in humanitarian and fragile settings’ showcased the brave women working in vulnerable settings around the world.

https://midwives2023.org/

We were honoured to host Ngā Maia last week in Pōneke to work together towards a culturally safe midwifery workforce.

International Day of the Midwives Advocacy Toolkit and Resources Pack

Kia ora koutou,

Today, we would like to acknowledge the mahi all midwives do as we celebrate our profession on International Day of the Midwife.

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the International Confederation of Midwives – so 2023 marks the start of another century of international midwifery. The last few years have been challenging globally and locally, but, as midwives, we know that our mahi continues no matter what. We would like to tautoko our fellow midwives as they walk alongside whānau during their pregnancy and birth journeys.

Ngā mihi nui on behalf of Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council.

We are calling for expressions of interest from midwives, with an interest in education, to be members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Midwifery Assessment Committee | Midwifery Whakamātautau Komiti.

Vacancies and Opportunities

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🔦 Shining a spotlight on… True Colours - Honouring the Mother

True Colours Honouring the Mother is a community based perinatal service who supports those with mental health challenges through their parenting journey. The peer support service has been running successfully for 5 years, our kaupapa is providing critical support to parents who present with a range of mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and OCD. The service was created from my personal experience of the stigma, whakamā (shame) associated with postnatal depression. In connecting with other parents, I recognised the need to embrace, educate and empower parents within our community.

💚 What do you do?
For parents connecting to others experiencing similar challenges and helping them to maintain awareness, and experience a sense of belonging, ultimately supports their wellness. This service provides many benefits like decreasing isolation, reducing the impact of stressors, increase sharing of health and self-management information, and providing positive role modelling.

💜 What are people’s biggest obstacles in perinatal care?
Knowing about what services are available and accessing preventative measures before they are in distress. I believe we need to widen our antenatal education to incorporate not only birth but the myriad of changes that parents and whānau experience throughout the perinatal period. For example the changes in lifestyle, roles, responsibilities and relationships. Life is suddenly dominated by the baby's needs, breastfeeding can be problematic, birth trauma and sleep deprivation take a huge toll on parents. If we empowered parents with this knowledge and preparation BEFORE having a baby this could positively impact their parenting experience and mental health. This is the subject of my current Masters of Applied Social Work Thesis.

💙 What’s your story?
As a mother with a lived experience of postnatal depression I facilitate these groups because I know connection, non-judgement, and the ability to be authentic and vulnerable are crucial to healing. Research indicates the nature and timing of support determines the successful treatment of perinatal distress, where 'safety' and compassion rated highly over a particular modality. The group creates the opportunity for connection, for parents to feel seen and heard in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Learning occurs by sharing experiences, techniques and services the parents utilise to stay well.

💚 What ONE THING can people do to help support new parents?
Focus on the parent not just the baby, reassure them they are not alone and bring them kai (food).

👉 Facebook: True Colours - Honouring the Mother
👉 In the News: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/perinatal-depression-month-long-exhibition-starting-in-tauranga-in-march/XLWC7FL3YRHXFOPUMHZGY34WZ4/

https://pada.nz/perinatal-mental-health-awareness-week/

Today marks the first day of Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Week of 2023.

Calling all Internationally Qualified Midwives working in Aotearoa

We hope you are enjoying living and working in Aotearoa New Zealand. As a midwife new to Aotearoa we would like you to invite you to a zoom hui with Te Tatau o te Whare Kahu | Midwifery Council and the New Zealand College of Midwives (NZCOM) to discuss how we improve the education and support provided to internationally qualified midwives.

To register with the Council you will have completed (or are still completing) some mandatory education. We are in the process of revising these courses and would like your input into: what works well and what doesn't and suggestions for improvement.

The NZCOM would like to know about your experience of working in New Zealand and how they can support you to fully integrate into the midwifery workforce and maternity system.

JOIN our ZOOM HUI on MONDAY 15th May at 12pm and again at 4pm

Please register you interest in attending by emailing [email protected] and we will send you the zoom link. If you are unable to attend, we would still love to hear from you. Please send your thoughts via email or request an individual discussion.