ARTICLES

Read articles from our home birth matters magazine. Written by home birth women and midwives of New Zealand.

A metric for pain

We need to stop using birth as a metric for pain. A few years ago I had a wisdom tooth out, during the healing process I got dry socket, a complication with healing that can be painful. I couldn’t really speak or eat…

2022 Home Birth Conference and Hui

Our keynote speakers and expert panel speakers are all knowledgeable wāhine Māori as it was important for us to be prioritizing the voices of tangata whenua. These incredible women all have a passion for…

A Basket for Birth.

A Basket for Birth. By Rose Fisher Dec 2015 I’m often asked, “What do you need for a homebirth?”...

Rhythms of Marama.

Rhythms of Marama. By Rachel Pearson Apr 2017 My name is Rachel, and I am a daughter of the Divine...

Growing Homebirth.

Growing Homebirth. By Tammi Heap Mar 2015 We as humans trust in the physiological miracle of the...

Pay Equity for Midwives

REFLECTIONS By Sian Hannagan Sep 2015 On August 31 the New Zealand College of Midwives took a...

Most Recent Articles

2014 National Spring Hui

2014 National Spring Hui

Auckland Home Birth Support Groups together with Home Birth Aotearoa warmly invite you to come along to our National Spring Hui, to be held at the Umupuia Marae, Auckland. We invite representatives and members…

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Documentary “Microbirth”

Documentary “Microbirth”

Featuring prominent scientists from the UK and North America, “Microbirth” warns that modern birth practices could be interfering with critical biological processes making our children more susceptible to disease…

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2014 Trustee Nominations

2014 Trustee Nominations

Nominations are open for trustees to Home Birth Aotearoa Trust. Trusteeship is a voluntary position, strategically managing the activities of the trust in collaboration with our existing trustees and employees…

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2014 Southern Pod Hui

2014 Southern Pod Hui

Our Hui brought together Members from Queenstown, Te Anau, Dunedin, Invercargill and Bluff. It was a beautiful experience in a beautiful location surrounded by equally beautiful, magical and like minded people…

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2013 Home Birth Hui

2013 Home Birth Hui

Summer kicked off with the national hui in November, held at Arai Te Uru Marae in Dunedin. Hui this year began with a trustee hui where our strategic vision was examined and planning for current and new projects…

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Why Home Birth?

In New Zealand, around 3.5% of births are home births (according to a 2019 study), and this percentage has remained fairly stable, although increasing slightly in recent years. In certain regions, such as the West Coast of the South Island, the rate of home births is at a much higher 12.5%. This is most likely because of supportive midwifery homes and natural birthing centres in the region.