Free Nappies for Newborns, Time for Midwives

MEDIA RELEASE
18TH August, 2006

Free Nappies for Newborns & Free-Up of Time for Midwives

Two practical initiatives announced to help families with newborn babies as maternity co-operative rolls out nationwide support from South Auckland.

Details of an ambitious plan to provide a free pack of nappies to every newborn baby have been announced this afternoon.

One of the country’s largest maternity co-operatives, SAMCL* is offering a ‘Stork Pack’ - 16 free nappies - to every newborn.

The programme has just got underway in South Auckland and will be expanded throughout the country in the following months.

“We really wanted to do something useful and practical for families, to try and reduce the exhaustion and stress that often arrives with a new baby”, said SAMCL General Manager Tony Mansfield.

“Expectant mums are given a lot of brochures and information but little that really saves them money or makes their lives easier”.

The second initiative is designed to give families more time with their midwife and reduce the administrative side of maternity care.

SAMCL’s launching an electronic notification system that will automatically send details about every newborn to its GP, well child provider and the National Immunisation Register.

“It’s pretty simple, give midwives free nappies for the family and reduce their paper work… they get to spend more time with their mums and babies, it’s what they want and what the families need”.

The ‘free nappies for every newborn’ idea was conceived 18 months ago.

SAMCL approached Treasures and asked if they’d donate thousands of nappies to the cause.

Treasures designed a special ‘Stork Pack’, it includes 16 free Treasure Ultra nappies plus a voucher that gives a $1 discount on the next pack.

“Expectant mums are sometimes given a sample nappy or two but they’re often damaged by new parents coming to grips with the challenge of nappy changing”.

“By the time parents finish the Stork Pack they should have mastered this tricky task”.

Around 55,000 babies are born in New Zealand every year. SAMCL estimates they will distribute up to 30,000 Stork Packs annually.

That’s almost ½ a million nappies with a retail value of over $175,000.

“It will be quite a logistical exercise to distribute and audit the process so each newborn receives a Stork Pack but we’re really committed to making it work and helping mums and babies”.

Any Independent Midwife is welcome to contact SAMCL and arrange to receive Stork Packs for their babies, they do not have to be a member of the co-operative.

There are approximately 950 Independent Midwives practising in NZ.

Background on SAMCL:

SAMCL is a not-for-profit co-operative that was set up in South Auckland in 1996 to provide a support service to its members.

It’s now a national organisation with 320 members.

When it became national SAMCL changed its name from ‘South Auckland Maternity Care’ to ‘Serious About Maternity Care’.

Any midwife, GP or Obstetrician that is practising maternity care can become a member of SAMCL – there is no fee.

SAMCL services include:
- starter packs including clinical and computer equipment to set up in independent practice
- an interest free loan to help buy the equipment required to start
- software designed to capture clinical notes, track claims, provide statistics and reports
- administration support
- discounted banking services, stationery, computer & clinical supplies
- group mobile phone rates
- support and facilitation services to help in dealing with incidents and complaints
- representation of members’ views at local and national levels

ENDS

* SAMCL is pronounced Sam-Kal.

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