Community hub for maternity care: Midwife drop-in clinic opens to support women and whānau.

Midwifery-led drop-in clinic, Te Hā Tama Ariki, opens in Helensville to support women and whānau in Rodney and the South Kaipara region.

Helensville Birthing Centre is proud to announce the opening of a midwifery-led drop-in clinic at Porter Crescent. We hope this clinic will be a real taonga for our wider community – with women and whānau health, wellbeing, and belonging at the heart of everything we do.

On Wednesday 9th August 2023, Te Hā Tama Ariki will officially open its doors to the public.

At 6am on 9^th August we will have a dawn blessing – we would love you to attend.

Local iwi gifted us the beautiful name: Te Hā Tama Ariki which speaks to the precious journey of life from pregnancy to baby to child, right through to adolescence, adulthood and tūpuna (our ancestors). It reminds us that it’s a responsibility and privilege to foster whanaungatanga – relationships, connectedness and support each other for the betterment of families.

A wide range of pre-conception, pregnancy, parenting and postnatal services

Entirely midwifery-led, the clinic will offer a wide range of primary care maternity and postnatal support, such as pre-conception advice, blood pressure checks during pregnancy, early healthcare interventions, prescriptions for pre-natal supplements, referrals to specialists, and postnatal and breastfeeding support, including space to chat if you’re feeling overwhelmed. The great news is you don’t need to book ahead, and you’re not limited to 15 minutes – you can stay all day if you like!

A community hub – linking whānau to services in Rodney and South Kaipara.

Depending on their unique needs, we can link whānau to other services including Parent Aid, Kindred Family Services, South Kaipara Good Food, smoking cessation support, pēpi pods for safe sleeping, and Warming Hearts for blankets, bedding, and baby knitwear – to name a few.

With a home-like feel – including comfy couches and an elevated view of the Kaipara River– this space will be a calm, welcoming and judgement-free zone. Women can ask for what they need discreetly and with dignity, empowering them to make informed decisions about their care.

There are only two other similar clinics in Aotearoa; one in Hawke’s Bay, the other in Porirua. As this clinic is not yet a standard part of New Zealand’s maternity healthcare, and because it will be funded by Helensville Birthing Centre, we can be led by the community – adapting to needs as they come up. We’ll be checking in with people using the clinic and asking them for feedback – allowing us to constantly reflect and improve.

It takes a village. Improving access and connection for rural women and their whānau.

Last, but definitely not least, a key motivator for us in opening this clinic is equity. Driving to the hospital, paying for parking, and getting time off work for appointments can make accessing maternity care a real challenge, for rural women especially. This means opportunities for early intervention or education are often missed, potentially having a negative impact on health outcomes for women and babies. Our hope is that the drop-in clinic will go a long way to address these challenges for rural women and their whānau – making the journey from pregnancy to parenthood more empowered, healthier, and happier with a whole village of support behind them.

What you need to know

Opening date: Wednesday 9^th August, 2023 with dawn blessing at 6am

Address: 1 Porter Crescent, Helensville

Clinic days: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 9am to 3pm

Who we can help: Women who are:

·       looking to conceive

·       pregnant

·       need practical support (food parcels, support to quit smoking, bedding, parenting help and more)

·       looking for postnatal advice and support

·       mums feeling isolated at home and needing company

·       mums needing someone to talk to. We’re not a counselling service – but we are great listeners and can link you to additional mental health support.

·       breastfeeding and need lactation advice or support

·       wanting to meet other mums and connect with coffee groups.

This is not an exhaustive list, and our services and support will evolve as we meet the needs of our community.

Run by: The clinic is entirely midwifery led. A space run by women, for women.

Contact: dropin@helensvillebirthingcentre.co.nz