Jade van der Hoorn - Midwife

02/04/2026

✨ Yes it's that time again, December due dates are starting to come through and just a little reminder that as self-employed LMCs many of us across the motu do take unpaid leave over this time to spend with whānau over the Christmas + New year period.

Here at Manaaki Midwives we have 2x Midwives off over Christmas (2weeks) and then swap and 2x off over new years (2weeks) rotating every year. With this in mind, I will be working through Christmas for clinics, acutes and Postnatals but not taking due dates after the 13th December to reduce the likelihood off Christmas Day babies (Sorry)! Due dates from the 1st - 13th I am available where my case load allows.

I will then resume taking clients from due dates of the 20th Jan onwards as I will be off - call from the 28th December - 10th Jan to spend time with my own whānau and re-fuel to continue to provide the best care i can to all in my care 😊

Bookings for December are now open, With the above noted info 💚

12/03/2026

Just for fun but also real worries right now! In all seriousness though, Will my kit and o2 tank fit on my bicycle? 💩🫣
Time to go back to the 50s midwifery transport!

04/03/2026

Here at Manaaki Midwives we love supporting our next generation of midwives, Kezia has reached out to us to see if we have any clients that may be interested in having a 1st year student midwife shadow there hapūtanga (pregnancy) journey?

As part of the degree they are required to follow 3-4 clients in year 1 through the pregnancy, birth (if you are happy for this) and the postnatal period until discharge to well child (Typically 4-5 weeks)

Care can be as involved as you choose, This does not need to include the birth it self and could just be for antenatal and postnatal experiences and as a first year it is about following the client, rather than the midwife (This comes later in the degree)

Please see below and reach out to Kezia directly if interested. 💚

25/02/2026

Is It Labour… Or Just Practice? 👀
Practice contractions are a very normal part of pregnancy. True labour builds, strengthens and finds a rhythm. If you’re unsure — call your midwife 🤍
What did YOUR early labour feel like? 👇🏽

23/02/2026

How cool is this ↘️
Looking for somewhere to take your little one and meet other parents.
Check this pop up event in Petone!

Mum Club Wellington is coming out to the Hutt!

Check out this awesome baby play pop up where you can get out the house, meet other like minded parents while your little one enjoys some sensory play! How cool is that?

Linked event below ↘️
https://events.humanitix.com/host/mum-club?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAQIwk9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAacP0XRwta6_iJ5ngw2n59LZRXV7KLhRawYTf0zXyb8k1klhxrkiEaQEVp0XjQ_aem_qsIVkZjCRBKDvrtPW2oBiQ

Mum Club wlgtn - Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/mumclub.wlg?igsh=MWRoNTQyejZoN2pjNQ==

17/02/2026

H O M E - B I R T H Boxes 💚

We are fortunate to have these home birth boxes offered to whānau intending to home birth in our region, Provided and sourced by our local maternity unit through funding. We as LMC Midwives still carry our emergency gear including oxygen, resus equipment and emergency drugs but these basic kits for me allowed me to reduce the size of my equipment i carry into a home birth!

What's here?
- Sterile birth kit (container for the whenua if whānau do not have one), Sterile swabs
- Birthing scissors sterile for cutting and clamping the cord (pito)
- IVL Access and flush alongside tegaderm
- Catheter material and chlorhexadine (In and out Catheter)
- Pēpi bag (VitaminK oral and injection, tape measure, cord clamp)
- Bluey (Puppy pad)
- Kylie (I brought these this did not come from the hospital)
- Sterile gloves
- Synthetic oxytocin and Syntometine (if needed) i give this to whānau to place in the fridge alongside syringes for administration
- Suturing pack (Swabs, sterile Bluey, scissors)
- Suturing material, Local anaesthetic, Needles and syringes
- Well child book
- Ural sachets
- Non sterile gloves
- Episiotomy scissors
Alot of this goes untouched at a birth, But this is some of the basics we may need at first glance!

Have you had a home birth or seen one? What did the midwife bring along. It can vary across the motu and we are very fortunate to have these materials at no cost for us in the Hutt Valley.

16/02/2026

Thank you to Jacinta an aiga for the beautiful feedback and sharing the birth of Opetaia - A speedy hospital delivery of her 5th pēpi 💚💫

"I was a māmā to 4 and with my previous 4 children I had the same midwife for all 4, I told myself after 30 i will not be having anymore children, plans changed haha. Finding the same midwife I had for my previous 4 children was hard and found out she was now residing in Australia.

Finding Jade was new and was a step I wasnt ready to take initially but that soon changed.

During my pregnancy Jade was amazing, being able to cater to me and my pregnancy needs was tough but she did it. From my late night tantrums to my early hour cramps she was there for me. I was scared to give birth and expose myself to a whole new person, being insecure was a big problem for me but Jade made me feel comfortable.

23rd Febuary 2025 came around and I was a day earlier than my due date - I was feeling tightness and sore. Unfortunately Jade wasnt available but her partner Liz was and she saw me straight away at the Lower Hutt Hospital. I stayed overnight for monitoring as babies movements werent normal, Jade then came through when she came back on call and I loved having Liz help me for a day but I felt like a toddler asking for my midwife and refused to go through with birthing my baby without Jade.

24th Feb came around and every pain that I forgot about came through - I was hungry, tired and most of all scared for my life. I progressed quickly and suddenly I was fully dilated but I just wasnt giving my all to pushing baby out, I felt like a ant going from lying down on my back to kneeling on the bed as nothing felt comfortable. Jade had calmly told me babys head was there and I just needed to take a deep breath and push - being my stubbornself I was yelling at my husband getting uncomfortable and asked Jade if I could step off the bed and lean, as I put my legs down baby came out by in one go & luckily Jade was there to catch baby. Jade was amazing midwife & baby is now 1 week from turning 1. Thank you to Jade and her student Petra who kept me safe & humble, I was lucky to have an amazing midwife for Pepe number 5!"

💚💫

12/02/2026

When I tell people I’m a midwife, they’re often surprised at how much we actually do 🤍

In Aotearoa, midwives can be your Lead Maternity Carer — which means we provide and coordinate your care through pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

And yes — for eligible people in NZ, it’s fully funded.

As both a midwife and a mum, I truly believe continuity of care makes such a difference 🤍

Did you know this about NZ maternity care? 💫

07/02/2026

Some fantastic words of affirmation for support people to use during the labour 👇

05/02/2026

I am excited to have Britney starting her final year placement with me from the 2nd March - 26th April 💫

At Manaaki Midwives we love supporting and guiding our future midwives that is why Britney will also be back with Shari later in the year to finish out her final year of study before becoming a New Graduate Midwife next year!! You may catch Britney at and running clinics during her placement dates above, alongside postnatal visits with consent and for those that are happy, at the birth too!

Students can be involved as much or as little as each whānau decide and are thoroughly supported and guided by us here at Manaaki in all they do!
We appreciate those who are taking the time to consider student involvement or happy for Britney to be involved throughout your hapūtanga (pregnancy) 💚

Looking forward to having you on board Britney! 💫

03/02/2026

Would you consider a 1st year student midwife following through and observing your pregnancy experience and potentially birth and postpartum?

See below 👇

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. :)

19/01/2026

Did someone say more LMCs across the Hutt Valley?
Check out these wonderful wahine joining the LMC workforce here in the Hutt from the 1st February!

Very exciting that we will have more options for whānau across the region when it comes to midwifery care and providers! You will find a few of them on find your midwife already but otherwise contact info in the post! 💚💫