Invercargill Midwife Bernie Archer

03/05/2026

Somewhat correct

Things that definitely did NOT induce your labor:

The $47 worth of dates you choked down.
Six dates a day for two weeks. You now hate dates. Your baby? Still in there. Unimpressed by your commitment to dried fruit.

The entire fresh pineapple you suffered through.
Your mouth is raw. Your tongue hurts. You have heartburn. Your baby? Cozy as ever. Probably laughing at you.

S*x.
Sorry, husband. I know the internet said it would work. I know you believed in yourself. It didn't. Now you're both exhausted and baby is still vibing in the womb. At least you tried?

That bumpy car ride you took ON PURPOSE.
You drove over speed bumps. You found the worst road in town. You jostled yourself for 30 minutes. Your baby? Rocked to sleep. Thanks for the nap, mom.

Spicy food.
You can't handle spicy food. You ate it anyway. Now you have heartburn AND regret. Your baby? Still gestating. Unaffected by your poor choices.

Curb walking until your hips screamed.
Up and down. Up and down. For an hour. Your legs hurt. Your pelvis is angry. Your baby? Unbothered. Comfortable. Not moving.

The exercise ball you bounced on for 47 hours.
(Okay, it felt like 47 hours.) Your tailbone hurts. You're dizzy. Baby? Nope. Still in there.

Acupressure points.
You rubbed them. You pressed them. You watched YouTube videos about them. Nothing. Your baby apparently doesn't believe in alternative medicine.

The "labor-inducing" smoothie recipe from that mom blog.
$15 of ingredients. Tasted like lawn clippings. Did not induce labor. Did induce disappointment.

Every wives' tale known to humanity.
Red raspberry leaf tea. Evening primrose oil. Long walks. Ni**le stimulation. Watching emotional movies. Cleaning your entire house at 40 weeks pregnant because "nesting induces labor."

None of it worked. Your baby is still in there. Rent-free. Unbothered. Moisturized. In their lane.

Here's what actually works:

Your baby deciding it's time.

That's it. That's the only thing that reliably starts labor.

Your baby will come when they're ready. Not when the dates say. Not when the pineapple suggests. Not when you've bounced yourself into oblivion.

When THEY are ready. When their lungs are mature. When their brain sends the signal. When everything is perfectly aligned for their arrival.

I know you're done being pregnant. I know you're uncomfortable. But they're on their own timeline.

So save your money. Save your energy. Skip the suffering.

Your baby knows when it's time. Trust them. ❤️

Now tell me: What ridiculous thing did YOU try to induce labor? And what actually worked? (Spoiler: probably just baby being ready, but let's hear the stories!)

30/04/2026

02/04/2026

Homebirth is a safe and evidence-based option for many low-risk women.

Research shows that when women plan to birth at home, they are more likely to experience a spontaneous vaginal birth, with fewer interventions along the way.

A familiar space, trusted support, and the ability to move freely all play a role in how birth unfolds.

For healthy pregnancies, outcomes for babies are comparable to hospital birth.

Having access to clear, balanced information helps women and whānau choose what feels right for them.

Informed, supported, and respected — that’s what every birth deserves.

Beautiful homebirth mumma: Lia Shirkey .maree 📸

31/03/2026

Ultrasound Prices
Kia ora,
Attached are the latest updates on the pricing for pregnancy/obstetric related ultrasounds for Pacific Radiology Otago and Southland and Southern Ultrasound in Invercargill and Wanaka effective today.
Pacific Radiology:
$90 or $30 with a Community Services Card
Southern Ultrasound
$80 or $30 with a Community Services Card
Nga mihi nui
Janelle
Chair Southland NZCOM
Attachments:
• southern ultrasouna.png
• pacific radiology paf

31/03/2026

09/02/2026

We have a new cohort of student midwives beginning their studies in two weeks! They will be looking to support whānau expecting a baby in our communities from March 2026 onwards.
If you or someone you know is pregnant, is due from March 2026 onwards, and would like to have a first year student, please contact us. Our Bachelor of Midwifery programme has students based in Dunedin, Southland, Central Otago, greater Wellington including Wairarapa, Whanganui, and Palmerston North.
What's in it for you?
* You will have extra support and companionship during your pregnancy and childbirth experience.
* The first-year students are keen to learn how you and your whānau experience pregnancy.
* You are in charge and can decide what you want to share with the student, and our students will be supervised by a lecturer/kaiako at the School of Midwifery.
* Help future generations of midwives to follow through with you and your whānau in a supportive role during pregnancy, childbirth and the early weeks at home with your baby.
Are you interested and due from March 2026?
Please fill in the consent form online here, and our School will be in touch with you in the new year. https://forms.office.com/r/MxKMEK0JT4

Please share this post to your networks. :)

02/02/2026

I recommend every pregnant women should listen to Melanie Jackson's podcasts She is a rock star of relevant researched based information for NZ women acknowledging that Australia does not have our great model of LMC care

31/01/2026

Most inductions take 24–48 hours.
Are you actually prepared for what that means?

Many families say,
“Oh, an induction is fine, just a little help to get labor started.”
But do you realize what an induction actually entails?
Because once it begins…
you’ve stepped onto a very different path than spontaneous labor.

Let’s talk about what doesn’t get explained in a 5-minute prenatal visit.

With an induction:
• You usually cannot labor at home as long as you’d like
• You’re continuously monitored, limiting movement
• Contractions often become stronger, faster, and more painful than natural labor
• You’re more likely to request or be offered an epidural
• Epidurals can slow labor → leading to higher doses of Pitocin
• Stronger contractions + limited movement + numb legs =
increased chance of assisted delivery (vacuum or forceps)
• Which increases the likelihood of a cesarean

This is the cascade of interventions.
Not because anyone did something wrong,
but because one intervention often requires the next.

Other realities families aren’t told:
• Inductions commonly last 24–48+ hours
• Sleep deprivation before active labor even begins
• Eating restrictions
• IV lines and medications
• Limited comfort positions
• Less ability to follow your body’s natural rhythm

Are inductions sometimes medically necessary?
Absolutely. And they can be life-saving.

But elective or routine inductions deserve informed consent, not casual acceptance.

Because many inductions are suggested for reasons that are not true medical emergencies, such as:
• “Your baby is measuring big” (late-pregnancy ultrasounds can be off by 1–2 pounds)
• “You’re past your due date” (a due date is an estimate, not an expiration date)
• “We don’t want the baby to get too big”
• “You’re 39 weeks, we can induce now”
• “Your cervix isn’t ready, let’s get things going”
• Scheduling convenience (even when no one says it out loud)

Preparation changes everything.
Support changes everything.
Education changes everything.

No family should walk into birth decisions without knowing they have options.
And you deserve to understand the path before stepping onto it.

13/01/2026

03/01/2026

Something to think about in the New Year

What are the best questions to ask if you're offered induction of labour?

As someone who has researched and written about induction of labour for more than two decades, I get asked that quite a bit.

Especially as I have a fundamental belief that there is no one 'right' path for everyone.

Twenty years before anyone hashtagged , I was promoting that very idea to women and families.

One size doesn't fit all.

You need to decide what's right for you.

And in order to do that, you might need to ask some questions.

So I have put together this guide to the five best questions that you can ask in order to get more information and make the decisions that are right for you.

I'm also going to tell you what can you learn from the answers you are given.

You can find my blog post at https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/five-questions-to-ask-if-youre-offered-induction-of-labour/

I hope you'll find it useful.