Perinatal Support Nelson

24/09/2025

Daylight Saving Starts This Sunday: What It Might Mean for Whānau

On Sunday 28 September, clocks will spring forward one hour as daylight saving begins across Aotearoa. While longer evenings can be lovely, the time shift can be a bit disruptive, especially for babies, toddlers, and tired parents.

Here’s what to keep in mind:
⏰Sleep routines may wobble
Young tamariki often rely on consistent rhythms. Losing an hour can throw off naps, bedtime, and wake-ups, sometimes leading to overtiredness or crankiness.
⏰Feeding and settling might shift
If your pēpi is used to feeding or sleeping at certain times, you might notice changes in hunger cues or settling patterns.

⏰Gentle transitions help
Try adjusting bedtime by 10–15 minutes earlier each night in the lead-up to Sunday. This can soften the shift and help tamariki ease into the new rhythm.
⏰Stick to calming routines
Baths, stories, karakia, cuddles, whatever helps your child wind down, keep those rituals steady. Familiar steps can anchor them even when the clock changes.
⏰Darken the room at bedtime
With lighter evenings, blackout curtains or a dark sheet over the window can help signal “sleep time” to little bodies.
Try not to stress if it takes a few days

⏰It can be normal for sleep and mood to be a bit off for a few days. Go gently, offer extra comfort, and know that things will settle again.
Be kind to yourself

⏰This shift affects adults too. If you’re feeling off, tired, or stretched, you are not alone. Rest when you can, and reach out if you need support.

21/09/2025

Good Grief I’m a Mum – The Legacy of Motherhood is a free, confidential therapeutic group for mums with children under two.

Explore the emotional layers of motherhood in a safe, supportive space, connect with others, reflect on your journey, and be gently held in your healing. Whether you're a first-time mum or navigating life with multiple tamariki, this group offers eight weeks of guided support with Rachael, a qualified counsellor.
This is our final group for 2025.
To join, contact Perinatal Support Nelson or Rachael directly.
Come as you are. There’s a place for you here.

10/09/2025

Last week I completed one of our first, 8 week 'Good Grief I'm a Mum - Legacy of Motherhood' therapeutic group.
Thank you to Seth and the Team at Saxton Field for making space for us at the Oval Pavilion to hold our groups, this is such a great facility. Thank you to Nelson Bays Primary Health for providing funding for us to run these groups in our community, free of charge.

The new programme offers not only support for perinatal distress, but also space for meaningful exploration of the legacy of motherhood. Through the 8 weeks, invites Mums to reflect on their attachment with their own mother figure, and to gently uncover the mother wound carried across generations. This part of the programme focuses on recognising intergenerational trauma, breaking cycles, understanding implicit memory, and learning ways to navigate triggers rooted in childhood.

This group is grounded in:
· Relational care
· Collective strength
· Trauma-informed support
· Honouring each mum's inner wisdom and whakapapa.

I have a new group starting next term - please get in contact with me if you are interested.

31/08/2025

Te Tauihu Accessibility Expo 7th of September 2025 ☺️ Free Entry

For disabled and neurodivergent people, their whānau, and the people that support them to access information, support, connection and fun!

14/07/2025

For some, birth can be distressing, upsetting and traumatic - known to many as birth trauma.

Thank you to Birth Trauma Aotearoa for the mahi you do with whānau ❤️

For some, birth can be distressing, upsetting and traumatic - known to many as birth trauma.

But what is birth trauma exactly? Who does it affect? And what can be done about it?

Full story ⬇️

02/07/2025

Good Grief I'm a Mum and the Legacy Of Motherhood - New Content - Free - 8 Week Therapeutic Group for Mums.

I have a new group starting in a few weeks –😊 Places are filling up fast. Please contact me to secure your place 028 415 4966

New content - In this space we embrace the evolving legacy of motherhood, how generational experiences and healing shape both the mothers bond with their child and her own transformation. This space is about being in the present while simultaneously honouring the past while intentionally crafting the future. This group is open to any Mum who has a child under 2 years of age.
If you have a Mum who is wanting to make a change, break a cycle, or have experienced birth trauma, feeling disconnected from yourself or are experiencing low mood, anxiety or postnatal symptoms please contact me to secure your spot in the group.

Ngā mihi Rachael

01/07/2025

Kia Ora Koutou - Our AGM is coming up and we extend an invitation to you if you would like to attend.

Perinatal Support Nelson AGM
Tuesday 15th July 2025,
12pm Johnston & Associate's Board room
Trafalgar Street, Nelson.

Agenda includes:
1. Reports
2. Election of Board Members
3. Special Resolution: Proposal to Wind Up the Society
4. General Business

17/06/2025

Kia Ora Koutou community partners
We have a new addition to our groups - they are now 8 weeks long - and we take a deeper look at the legacy of motherhood, and attachment with your family of origin.

In this group we delve into the layered legacy of motherhood, exploring how generational experiences and healing impact not only the bond with the child but also the mother's own growth and transformation. It's about honoring the past while consciously shaping the future.

This is a group for any Mum who has a child under the age of 2 years old.

04/06/2025

📌Important Notice📌

Perinatal Support Nelson, is transitioning from an Incorporated Society to a Charitable Trust, to better reflect how the organisation operates. Incorporated Societies have registered members that pay subscriptions when required.
If you believe you are a registered member of the organisation we want to hear from you.

Please email us at hello@perinatalsupportnelson.org.nz
before Tuesday 10th of June with your name and contact details. Please note this doesn't apply to current clients.

Ngā mihi
Perinatal Support Nelson

25/05/2025

💜

05/05/2025

Motherhood is a journey of profound transformation—one that brings love, exhaustion, joy, and uncertainty in equal measure. Yet, amid the sleepless nights and endless demands, maternal mental health often remains shrouded in silence.

Too many mums navigate anxiety, depression, and overwhelming pressure alone, fearing judgment or dismissal. But maternal mental health matters. It is not a reflection of strength or weakness—it is a reality that deserves recognition, care, and conversation.

This week, we honour the voices of mothers who have felt unseen, unheard, or misunderstood. We acknowledge the weight of societal expectations and the courage it takes to say, *I need support.* Breaking the stigma starts with listening, with validating, and with ensuring that no mother feels isolated in her struggles.

To every mum who has ever questioned her worth, who has carried the invisible load, who has fought to reclaim her well-being—you are not alone. Your voice matters. Your experiences are valid. And your healing is possible.

Let’s stand together in advocacy, in compassion, and in the unwavering belief that maternal mental health deserves more than just a week—it deserves continuous care, understanding, and action.

27/04/2025

Kia Ora Koutou
We have a few spaces still available in our Wakefield Group. The group is open to any Mum with tamariki under 2.

In this group we delve into the layered legacy of motherhood, exploring how generational experiences and healing impact not only the bond with the child but also the mother's own growth and transformation. It's about honoring the past while consciously shaping the future.

Please contact Rachael on 028 415 4966