The Local Rag chats to the women in our community who dedicate their lives to welcoming new generations into the world with grace, expertise, and boundless love.
As a group, do you have a common thread that unites you in your midwifery work?
Each of us is a part of the Raglan community, living and offering our midwifery services here. We are community midwives in Raglan, with a passion for being with women and their whanau in the extraordinary journey that is pregnancy and birth. By working closely with women, we are able to support them to work with their own strengths and their own needs, so their children can start life in as healthy and nourishing an environment as possible. The birthing of women into motherhood and the welcoming of a new generation are so significant for the well-being of our society that they deserve the very best attention, which we endeavour to offer.
How do you support each other professionally?
While we are all independent practitioners, and therefore come with our own experiences, skills and unique personalities, we all support each other in practice and work in a collaborative way. Midwifery can be unpredictable and at times challenging, so it is important for us all to know that help and backup are available if and when it is needed, perhaps especially in a rural community like ours; if help is needed in the middle of the night, it is not always realistic to expect it to come from Hamilton! And of course, there are times we need to get together to process and share the learnings and challenges that are such an integral part of a midwifery practice.
What would you like to communicate to the community about the services you offer?
Firstly, we are here! And we are ready to accompany women and their whanau in this momentous journey, with all the care, compassion, knowledge and experience we can bring with us. Birth is an exquisitely intimate experience, and it is important that each woman finds a midwife with whom they feel comfortable, feel respected, and know they are being heard. Choosing a midwife is a really significant choice, likely to lead to a profound relationship, so we suggest that women don’t just say ‘yes’ to the first one they hear about – do some homework and find one with whom there is a real connection. And ideally, make sure that we’ll be available when the birth is expected, and through those vital early weeks after the birth. ‘Continuity of care’ has been a valuable aspect of midwifery care in New Zealand – it means that, if possible, the same midwife will provide care throughout the pregnancy and for a period of four to six weeks after the birth. We all consider it an important ‘standard practice’ for us to visit women in their homes during the period after birth; receiving support with breast-feeding and all the other new experiences of motherhood is so much easier if a good relationship has already been created.
Where can I get help in finding a midwife?
Start by talking with friends about their experiences with their midwife, what they liked, what they wished could have been different – ‘women helping women’ is central to who we are. As a group, we are not competitive with each other, and we definitely want women to find a midwife who is the best fit for their character, needs, and situation.
Some online resources: Maternity Services Consumer Council (maternity.org.nz) has wonderful resources to help women navigate what might be important on your pregnancy/birth journey. There are also resources available on Home Birth Aotearoa (homebirth.org.nz) and on findyourmidwife.co.nz (although not all midwives are on this site).
What other resources are available in Raglan?
Larissa Grandi is offering ante-natal courses to supplement the normal ante-natal care and education from a midwife; the classes also provide a chance to meet others at a similar stage in their journey. Her next course is due to start in October.
Karin Bettley runs a Mothers Group at Rock-It on the first Thursday of every month.
Mela Levinsohn offers Havening, a profound modality to help process trauma from previous births.
Mela and Larissa are now offering ‘Closure of the Bones’ ritual in the community, a traditional Mexican ceremony done at about 6 weeks postpartum.
We have a community Plunket nurse who has also worked as a midwife (around six weeks after a birth, care is often taken over by a Plunket nurse).
And there is a wide range of others who can provide support in our wonderful community: osteopaths, herbalists, naturopaths, cranio-sacral therapists, pregnancy massage, pelvic health, physiotherapy, and counselling. Often there is also pregnancy Pilates and yoga. Feel free to contact a local midwife for help in contacting any of these. Local knowledge is such a valuable resource!
Meet the midwives:
Larissa Grandi is a mother of two, midwife, yoga therapist, doula, and trained physiotherapist; with 20 years of experience in childbirth, women’s health and wellbeing.
Penny Mason: As a midwife and mother, I have immense respect for the incredible process of birthing and parenting. It has been an honour and a delight to accompany so many women on their journey over the past 25 years, in England, Australia and now New Zealand. It is such a joy to accompany women as they become mothers and to welcome their babies. Being a part of this community for the past fourteen years has given me a wonderful chance to watch so many babies grow.
Tēnā koutou ko Mela Levinsohn toku ingoa. I am grateful to have been living in Whāingaroa and working in this rohe as a homebirth/holistic midwife for 20 years. I have birthed my children on this whenua and raised them under Karioi maunga and within this community. I honour the growth and transformation that is a part of birthing and offer loving respect to each woman and baby. I have over 20 years experience supporting pregnancy, birth at home, and babies, with natural remedies and modalities. My core values as a midwife centre on bodily autonomy, consent and deep listening.
I am a member of the Waikato Homebirth Midwives Collective and a founding member of Aku Huia Kaimanawa (national) Midwives Collective, 2022.
I offer havening treatments in the community and Hamilton, specifically around birth. Larissa and I offer ‘Closing of the Bones’ ceremony for women after birth in Whāingaroa. I have birth pools to lend for birth at home.
I’m Leanne Waite. I’ve been living in Raglan permanently for over ten years but had ties to Raglan for over thirty. I really love being part of the community and caring for women who call it home. I’ve been a midwife for more than ten years. I’ve worked in various settings including Waikato hospital, Waterford Birth centre and as an independent midwife. I believe women and their Whanau should receive care which is informative, educational and supportive, allowing them to make informed decisions that is right for their own unique pregnancy, birth and parenting journey.
Karin Betteley: I love our small community, I love when we know and help each other. When times are hard it’s these connections that sustain us. I fill my life with soul fulfilling things… art, music, friends, nature… My real work and pleasure is being mama for my two daughters who were born here in Whāingaroa. I’ve been a midwife and worked all over the Waikato for the past 17 years… home, hospital, birth centres…. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
