Bay of Islands Midwives

21/09/2021

So so so true 🤍🤍

In a world where we rush around and try to fit too much in, a baby’s ‘due date’ has come to be seen by some people as a kind of appointment.

Statistically, only 4% of babies are born on their due date and many healthy babies are born after this.

I sometimes suggest that people plan to do something nice on their baby’s due date; there’s a high chance that you’ll be free to do it!

But the important thing to remember is that, on the whole, our bodies and our babies’ bodies know what they’re doing.

If you’d like more information, see www.sarawickham.com

18/07/2021

So so true 🤍

No matter how you feed, you are absolutely amazing! 😍😍

credit: feliciasaundersphotography

09/07/2021

If you have a pepi pod at home that is undamaged and is no longer being used, you could swap this for a $20 petrol voucher.
All you do is bring it along to Te Puawai Ora at 18 Commerce Street, Whangarei.

The best times are: Tuesdays between 10am – 12pm and Friday’s between 10am – 12pm.
Ask for Natasha.

07/07/2021

Oh, how I'd love to go back to those first weeks and months. I was ever-present, yet never really there at all.

My head was elsewhere, caught up in all the shoulds, in the baby books, the apps, the impossible schedules; all the perceived perfections of motherhood that felt so at odds with what you were telling me you needed.

I followed my heart every single time. But never with conviction. Always apologetically as though I were somehow giving in. Not doing it right.

I fought it. Like a quiet war. It was exhausting.

I'd love to go back and mother that version of you, but as this version of me; the mum I am today. More relaxed, more rested, more sure, no longer seeking approval, embracing the fact that I will be happily rocking my boy to sleep until he doesn't need it anymore.

It's not just our babies that grow.

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Words by Karen McMillan (Mother Truths)
Taken from "Lessons: Reflections on Early Motherhood"
Available to buy worldwide: https://linktr.ee/mother_truths

Art by:

14/03/2021

Sooo many māmas can relate to this!! Your body your baby
Trust yourself and your midwife 🤗

"Who can relate?! I heard 'You’re so big!' and 'You’re so small!' literally within the same day in pregnancy and I was like what 🥴 but also 😂. And then I proceeded to have two (almost) 9lbs babies....soooo 🤷🏼‍♀️🙃🤪"
📷: on IG

My pregnant body is not here for your feedback: http://m.mother.ly/gGZKbmy

07/01/2021

So many women ask. Without being trite or dismissive this is the answer 🤗

Part of the problem within Western cultures is that we try to complicate everything. Clocks, schedules, forcing independence on small, totally helpless and immature humans. Rather than trying to change what our babies do naturally, have realistic expectations, follow your baby and trust your instincts.

Breastfeed your baby to sleep. Cuddle your baby. Repeat.

Keep it simple and you and your baby will reap the benefits.

26/12/2020

Great cause to support if you are able 🤗

03/11/2020

Always always always ❤️

It's your journey, and you can always say no.
⭐️
Right now, i️f you want to enter a facility to give birth, you might not be able to have companions of your choice with you at all times. But don't forget that you don't have to enter a facility until/unless you want to.
⭐️
And even if some of your decisions are being affected by what local facilities can offer and are putting in place, you still retain the right to make decisions about your own body. If you go into a hospital setting (or any other setting) to give birth, you always have the right to decline procedures, tests or medication that you don't want.
⭐️
It's so important to get informed. If you'd like to know more, there's loads of information at www.sarawickham.com and you also might like to read my book, "What's Right For Me? Making decisions in pregnancy and childbirth. www.sarawickham.com/wrfm
⭐️

18/09/2020

Love this 🤗

Too early for pumpkin pics? I hope not!
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“Dating pregnancy is not an exact science and there is considerable variation between women.
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It is normal that some women naturally have longer pregnancies than others.
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The idea that something terrible will happen if a woman remains pregnant for a moment longer than 42 weeks just isn’t true.
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The baby doesn’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight.”
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It’s so important that women have full information and are able to look at the pros and cons of different courses of action before making the decisions that are right for them.
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Part of that is sorting the myths from the facts. This quote is from my book, “Inducing Labour: making informed decisions." You can find out more about that and my other books and explore birth-related information and decision making at www.sarawickham.com/iol
🎃

01/09/2020

I’ve been a while quiet...
So what I love to tell women. All procedures, tests etc are a choice and should be presented that way to allow women to make informed choice 🤗

“When people say things like, “I have to…”, this may or may not actually be true.
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If you want to take a commercial flight to Paris, do you have to go through airport security? Yes. Sorry. If a doctor advises you to have a procedure, get your labour induced or take a pill, do you have to? No. You might choose to, once you’ve considered all the information and weighed up the pros and cons. But you don’t have to. It’s not the law."
🌼
It's worth being aware that, even if your decisions are being affected by what local facilities can offer and are putting in place, you still retain the right to make decisions about your own body. If you go into a hospital setting (or any other setting) to give birth, you still have the right to decline ANY procedures, tests or medication that you don't want. And it's still your decision as to whether to go there or not.
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Many of us talk as if we don't have agency, and that was even before we were experiencing a pandemic. "They're not allowing me to...", “I've got to...", “The nurse said if I don't lose weight I'll have to..." Well, it’s certainly true that, in times of crisis where people need to pull together towards a common goal, we have less agency than usual. But that doesn't mean we give up our bodily autonomy.
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This quote is from an upcoming book, and more on that at another time. For loads more information about decision making and how to navigate maternity care, please see my book: What's Right for Me? Making decisions in pregnancy and childbirth. www.sarawickham.com/wrfm
🌼

17/04/2020

To all my mama clients
Not everything is going to plan and not all mamas can have the people they would love to around
Hang in there during these anxious times and remember we are all in this together
We’ve got this 🤗🤗🤗