Waikato maternity services are committed to supporting you to incorporate your cultural values into your birth experience, labour and maternity care. This is because we acknowledge and understand that Kaupapa Māori traditions and practices will have an influence and an impact on your childbirth experience.
Support to incorporate the cultural beliefs and values of you and your whānau can help you feel safe and make it more likely you will experience a satisfying birth outcome. Included in this section is information about Kaupapa Māori traditions, practices and some services in the Waikato that can offer support to you and your whānau.
These classes are a kaupapa Māori approach to pregnancy and parenting education. The sessions are underpinned by the cultural needs and beliefs of Māori, while aligning to the Ministry of Health pregnancy and parenting programme.
Hapū Wānanga classes are open to all pregnant women, both Māori and non-Māori, and their families. The courses are available for free. All meals from morning tea to afternoon tea are provided.
You can register online on the Hapū Wānanga webpage.
Whenua (also called the placenta or afterbirth) has a particular importance to Māori people because of the spiritual and physical connection between the whenua and the land. Because of this connection, there is sacredness around the care of whenua.
Waikato Hospital staff recognise the special significance of the whenua. We encourage māmā who are keeping their whenua to find a whānau member to take the whenua home directly from the delivery suite. We do provide temporary storage of your whenua in Maternity Ward E2.
When complications such as infections, bleeding, prematurity, or a sick baby, occur in your pregnancy, or at the time of birth, the doctor may recommend and request your permission to send your whenua for examination. This may give important information that can help to explain what has happened and to improve the care we give you in future pregnancies.
The whenua tests require your informed consent and an explanation about them will be provided before any testing is carried out. We will try to return the whenua to you as soon as we can. Testing of the whenua usually takes about seven days.
Please let staff know if you need your whenua returned quickly and they will clearly document this on the request form that goes with the whenua to the laboratory.
All staff in primary birthing facilities across Waikato DHB recognise the special significance of the whenua. We encourage māmā who are keeping their whenua to find a whānau member to take the whenua home directly from the birth room.
The Well Child Tamariki Ora programme is a series of health visits and support that is free to all whānau of children from around six weeks up to five years of age.
Some Well Child Tamariki Ora providers offer a tikanga Māori approach. You can choose which service you would like. Talk to your midwife about the nearest service to you and talk to your whānau about which Tamariki Ora service they are with.
Whoever you choose, the service includes Well Child checks carried out by a registered nurse. This can be in your home, or some services will visit wherever whānau feel most comfortable, for example your kōhanga or marae. Most services also offer the support of a kaiāwhina for linkages to other health and social services, and health advice.
You can choose and register with a service through your midwife before your baby is born. If you have not chosen after your baby is born, you will be asked by your midwife which service you would prefer.
Your chosen service will contact you to set up your first visit. Some services will visit you before your baby is born, but most services will set up their first visit with you when your baby is four to six weeks old. The Ministry of Health Well Child Services page has more information about what is included in the home visits.
Below is a list of Tamariki Ora providers in the Waikato who take a tikanga Māori approach. The Ministry of Health website lists all Waikato Well Child Tamariki Ora services and their contact details.
Based in Tokoroa and covers the areas of Tokoroa, Putaruru, Tirau, Matamata, Cambridge, Te Awamutu and surrounding areas.
Phone: 0800 728 5292
Based in Te Rapa, Hamilton and covers the areas of Hamilton, Raglan and North Waikato.
Phone: 07 846 1389
Based at Kirikiriroa Marae in Hamilton and cover the areas of Hamilton, Ngaruawahia, Cambridge and Te Awamutu
Phone: 07 856 5479
Based in Thames and covers the areas of Thames, Paeroa, Coromandel, Whitianga, Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata, Waihi and Te Aroha
Phone: 07 868 0033
Based in Te Kuiti and covers the areas of Te Kuiti and Waipa
Phone: 07 878 0028