Southern DHB Celebrating International Midwives Day

Southern DHB Celebrating International Midwives Day

Today, Southern DHB, as part of International Day of the Midwife, is recognising and celebrating the work of its midwives and the indispensable and critical role they play at every point of maternity care.

This day provides an opportunity for women and midwives all over the world to unite and focus the world’s attention on the work of midwives. The theme this year is “Midwives: changing the world one family at a time.”

Midwives in Southern DHB provide care to women and their babies pre, during and post birthing in a variety of settings whether at home, at a birthing unit or in the maternity wings of its hospitals.

Kate and Tony Rankin celebrated the birth of their first child, Max at Dunedin Hospital last week and said that,” the midwives have been awesome, they were extremely helpful, attentive and above all caring.”

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Photo above left to right: Midwife, Kylie Fraser, Kate Rankin and her new baby Max, Midwife, Lisa Ashton and Tony Rankin.

“After eleven years of being a midwife there is still nothing else I’d rather be doing. Despite the shift work and the hours, the rewards of seeing people become parents far outweigh this. I love my job and get great job satisfaction from doing it,’ said midwife, Kylie Fraser.

Each year approximately 1800 babies are born in Dunedin Hospital and approximately 1200 are born each year in Southland Hospital, with a further 500 born at home or in primary maternity units. Every single birth has a midwife involved in caring for the mother and her baby.

“This is a really important to day to recognise and celebrate the work of our midwives and their ongoing commitment to the health of women and their babies in this community. They do a fantastic job and this is the day to acknowledge it,” commented Southern DHB Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Leanne Samuel.

Celebrations are taking place across the District with an afternoon tea hosted by the New Zealand College of Midwives at Dunedin Hospital. At Southland Hospital, a celebration lunch will take place at Susie Q as well as a fundraiser for Vanuatu, and in the evening, a quiz night. Staff at Lakes Hospital will be combining forces with midwives and consumers across the district and celebrating the day in Wanaka. Maternity wards are also being decorated with balloons and posters.

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