Baywide Birthing

18/11/2025

🌿 What is Pre-eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related condition that can affect some women, usually after 20 weeks of pregnancy or in the early days after birth. It involves changes in blood vessels and can affect organs such as the kidneys and liver. It is most often linked with high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

It is not your fault, and nothing you did caused it. Pre-eclampsia can happen in any pregnancy, even when you are healthy and well.

Pre-eclampsia affects around 2–8% pregnancies. Midwives and obstetric teams routinely screen for it because early recognition and support can help keep you and baby safe.

🌸 Who is more at risk?

Pre-eclampsia can happen to anyone, but the chance may be higher if:

• It is your first pregnancy
• Pregnancy to a new partner
• You had pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy
• You are expecting twins
• You have high blood pressure, kidney disease, or diabetes
• Your BMI is above 35
• You are over 40 years old
• There is a family history (mother or sister)
• There has been a long gap (10+ years) since your last baby

These factors simply help your care team know when to keep a closer eye on your wellbeing.

💚 Signs and symptoms to look out for

Please contact your midwife or maternity provider straight away if you notice:

• Persistent or severe headache not resolving with Panadol
• Changes to vision such as blurring, flashing lights, or spots
• Abnormal pain under the ribs, especially on the right side
• Sudden swelling of the hands, face, or around the eyes
• In the postnatal period: sudden high blood pressure, swelling, headache, or vision changes

🌀 Why it matters

Pre-eclampsia can affect blood flow to the placenta and may impact both your health and baby’s. With early recognition and tailored care, most women and babies do very well. Your plan may include monitoring, rest, medication, or birth planning in hospital if needed.

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🕊️ You know your body best

Trust your instincts. If something feels different, stronger, or worrying, reach out. You are never wasting our time. Your wellbeing matters.

11/11/2025

Incredible opportunity for expectant mothers to ensure their pelvis is aligned and learn some stretches and exercises for optimal fetal positions before labour begins. First Tuesday of every month. Book now!

Free Community Workshop – 1st Tuesday of Every Month at 6 PM Structural Chiropractic, 807 Heretaunga St East, Hastings

10/11/2025

💞 Oxytocin — The Powerhouse of Birth

Often called “the love hormone,” oxytocin is far more than that — it’s the master hormone that controls birth itself.

🧠 Produced in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary gland, oxytocin signals the uterus to contract.
As pregnancy nears term, your uterus develops thousands more oxytocin receptors, making it exquisitely sensitive to this hormone.

💫 During labour:
• Each oxytocin surge stimulates a contraction — helping open the cervix and guide baby down.
• Between contractions, levels dip just enough for your baby and body to rest.
• After birth, oxytocin remains high to contract the uterus, prevent bleeding, and support breastfeeding and bonding.

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🧘‍♀️ Turning Off the Thinking Brain

Oxytocin works best when our primitive brain — the part responsible for instinct, rhythm, and hormones — takes the lead.
The neocortex (thinking brain), on the other hand, loves logic, conversation, and bright light… but it can actually get in the way of oxytocin’s flow.

When the thinking brain is busy — talking, analysing, timing contractions, or feeling watched — it keeps the body in alert mode. Adrenaline rises, oxytocin drops, and contractions can slow.

🌙 To support the primitive brain and oxytocin flow:
• Dim the lights and minimise conversation
• Protect privacy — fewer observers, less “doing,” more being
• Use rhythmic, repetitive movement — swaying, rocking, breathing
• Soothing sounds and familiar smells cue safety and calm

When a birthing person feels safe, private, and unobserved, the neocortex quiets, the primal brain leads, and oxytocin can work optimally — guiding baby into the world with strength and flow.

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⚖️ What Counteracts Oxytocin

• Adrenaline — from fear, stress, bright lights, or interruptions — can suppress oxytocin release or block receptor binding.
• Cold, discomfort, or feeling watched can activate the “fight or flight” response, slowing labour progress.

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🕯️ In Essence

Oxytocin is both the spark and the steady flame of labour — orchestrating contractions, guiding baby earthside, and nurturing the deep connection between you and your newborn.

🌿 To protect and support oxytocin:
• Keep lights low and space quiet
• Minimise conversation and interruptions
• Stay warm and comfortable
• Surround yourself with trusted support
• Move instinctively — swaying, rocking, or resting as your body guides you

28/10/2025

Check out these FREE pregnancy health zoom sessions for Indian Women….

28/10/2025

M E A S L E S is back in Aotearoa — here’s what pregnant women and families need to know 👶🌿

Measles isn’t just a childhood illness — adults and pregnant women can catch it too.
It spreads faster than almost any other virus — through coughing, sneezing, or even being in the same room.

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👩‍🍼 Why it matters in pregnancy
• Pregnant women can’t receive the MMR vaccine — it’s a live vaccine and not given during pregnancy.
• As part of routine antenatal care, your immunity levels are checked in your first set of pregnancy blood tests. You can view your result in your Expectations Portal, under Rubella. It will show one of three results:
• Immune – you’re protected.
• Borderline – partial protection; vaccination recommended after birth.
• Non-immune – no protection; vaccination strongly recommended after birth.
• If your result is borderline or non-immune, your midwife or GP will recommend having your MMR vaccination after baby is born — ideally before leaving hospital or at your baby’s 6-week check.
• This ensures protection for future pregnancies and helps protect your pēpi in those early, vulnerable months. 💛
• Measles in pregnancy has the potential to be serious and can lead to complications such as pneumonia, preterm birth, or miscarriage.

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🧸 Protecting pēpi (baby)
• Babies can’t be vaccinated until 12 months old, so they rely on those around them being immune.
• If you are immune to measles, you cannot contract or spread the virus — helping to protect yourself, your baby, and everyone around you. 💛
• MMR gives lifelong protection — 2 doses are needed for full immunity:
• 1st dose: 12 months
• 2nd dose: 15 months
• Vaccination protects not just your child, but every vulnerable newborn and pregnant woman in your community. 💛

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 If you’re not sure you’re immune
• MMR is free for everyone born after 1969 in NZ.
• If your whānau are unsure, check your vaccination records with your GP or in your child’s Well Child book.
• A simple blood test can be done by your GP to confirm immunity — or, if records can’t be found, it’s safe to have another MMR dose for full protection. 💉 This vaccination is available free of charge from most pharmacies across Aotearoa.
• Encourage partners, family, and friends to check their records too — this creates a protective bubble around māmā and baby.

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🏥 Measles complications
• About 1 in 10 people with measles need hospital care.
• Complications can include ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis (brain inflammation), and in rare cases, death.
• Even healthy adults can become seriously unwell.

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❤️ If pregnant and exposed
• Contact your GP or public health team immediately.
• Immune globulin (IG) may offer protection if given within 6 days of exposure.
• Avoid anyone who may have measles until your immunity is confirmed.

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🌈 The bottom line

MMR saves lives — but because pregnant women and babies can’t yet be vaccinated, your protection helps keep our whole community safe.
Check your records, your Expectations Portal, or ask your midwife or pharmacy — and protect yourself and your whānau. 💛

23/10/2025

💫 B I R T H P O S I T I O N S: From Ancient Greece to Modern Midwives

Did you know the way we birth today has shifted dramatically over the centuries?

In ancient times, women birthed upright — standing, kneeling, squatting, or using birth stools — harnessing gravity and instinct. Birth attendents supported from beside or behind, not from the end of a bed. This continued right up through the 17th and 18th centuries, when upright births were still the norm.

Then came the lithotomy position — that flat-on-your-back pose with legs supported by stirrups we still see so often. Its name comes from the Greek words lithos (stone) and tomos (cut) — because it was originally used for bladder stone surgery, not birth!

Legend has it that King Louis XIV (yes, the French one with the big wigs) fe**sh was to watch his mistress give birth — and suddenly, birthing women were laid back for a royal view. From there, the position stuck, largely for the convenience of doctors, not women.

Today, midwives are proud to be bringing things full circle. 💪
At Baywide Birthing, we support women to birth in whatever position feels right for them — standing, kneeling, squatting, side-lying, hands-and-knees, water birth, or yes, even on the bed if that’s what feels safest.

Because your body knows how to birth your baby.
We’re just here to help you find your strength, your rhythm, and your way. 🤍

28/08/2025

🌸 Hyperemesis Gravidarum – Beyond Morning Sickness 🌸

Nausea and vomiting are common in pregnancy, but hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is something much more severe. It can mean vomiting all day, struggling to keep fluids down, losing weight, and feeling utterly exhausted. Around 0.3–1.3% of pregnancies are affected.

💧 What helps?
• Small, frequent sips of fluid (ice chips, electrolyte drinks)
• Gentle foods or snacks when able
• Ginger (tea, capsules)
• Wrist acupressure bands
• Rest, rest, and more rest

Sometimes, natural remedies aren’t enough. Medical care may include:
• IV fluids and electrolytes
• Safe anti-nausea medicines (such as vitamin B6, antihistamines, metoclopramide, or ondansetron under guidance from midwife, GP or specialist)
• Support for reflux or constipation, which can make things worse

🧡 Emotional wellbeing matters too. HG isn’t “just being sick”—it can feel isolating and overwhelming. Depression and anxiety are more common with HG, and reaching out for emotional support is just as important as physical care.

✨ How can support people help?
• Listen with kindness—don’t dismiss it as “normal morning sickness”
• Offer practical help: meals, childcare, housework, grocery runs
• Sit with her during lonely or difficult moments
• Encourage rest and protect her space from unnecessary visitors
• Advocate alongside her at appointments if she feels too unwell to speak up

🚨 Seek urgent help if:
• You can’t keep any fluids down
• You’re weeing very little or it’s very dark
• You’re faint, dizzy, or very weak
• You’re losing weight rapidly

✨ You don’t have to go through this alone.
Hyperemesis gravidarum can feel overwhelming, but your midwife is here to walk alongside you.

Other supports in Aotearoa:
• Hyperemesis Support NZ (Facebook peer group)
• HG Advocacy NZ (resources & advocacy)
• PADA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa) for mental wellbeing
• HER Foundation for global resources

🤍 To anyone walking through HG: You are not alone. There is support, there are treatment options to ease symptoms and care plans to put in place.

31/07/2025

B R E A S T M I L K - some interesting facts shared …….

08/07/2025

📣 We are excited to introduce Acacia, our year 2 midwifery student who will be starting with our team next week!

Clinical placements are a vital part of midwifery, it’s here that theory meets practical, and students learn the heart of compassionate, evidence-based care.

We truly believe that having students in our care settings not only supports their learning, but also enriches the experience for everyone involved. Their curiosity, fresh perspective, and dedication remind us daily why we do what we do. 💛

03/06/2025

When it comes to educating yourself around pregnancy, birth, and parenthood it’s really important seek quality resources. Check out some of the links we share within our practice. The more knowledge you gather, the more empowered you become throughout your journey x

Baywide Birthing 🤱 | Midwifery with Trish & Libby 🌱 | Empowering families!

10/05/2025

❤️ H A P P Y M O T H E R S D A Y to all the incredible mothers and mothers-to-be! Whether you are a biological, step, foster, or adoptive mum, it's the love and dedication you show that truly matters. Today, we also hold in our hearts those who are facing challenges in becoming a mother, those who cannot be with their mums, and those who long for their mothers who are no longer with us. Special thoughts go out to the mothers who have experienced the loss of their little ones, as you remember your precious angels. Sending love and hugs to all xx ❤️

08/05/2025

EARLY PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS

Done a home pregnancy test and it has come back positive? Starting to feel anxious about what is normal in early pregnancy?

Please be reassured that with the rising hormone levels flooding your body, the physical and emotional changes can be overwhelming.
These are individual to each woman – Some may have severe nausea and vomiting, while others experience no physical changes.

Hormones responsible:
- human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)- This is produced by the placenta and supports early pregnancy. It is the hormone that is detected on those home pregnancy tests.
- Progesterone- Maintains a healthy pregnancy and aids in preventing miscarriage. It prepares the uterine lining for implantation and then rises in pregnancy to ensure the uterus does not contract to early and prevents preterm labour.
- Oestrogen- This plays an important role in both fetal and maternal development. It supports placental growth, development of fetal organs, and contributes to breast tissue growth and preparation for lactation.
- Relaxin- This is crucial for preparing the body for childbirth. It helps loosen the ligaments and joints in the pelvis and lower back, along with supporting the uterine changes and cervical softening.

First trimester symptoms:
-Nausea and vomiting – sometimes called morning sickness, except this can occur any time of day, or all day.
-Breast tenderness/fullness
-Fatigue, dizziness and headaches
-Frequent need to pass urine
-Mood swings
-Cramping and light spotting
-Feeling bloated
-Congestion
-Food cravings and aversions to tastes or smells
-Constipation
-Skin changes
In the first trimester its about listening to your body, rest, eat small amounts more often and sip on water throughout the day. By 14 weeks these symptoms should subside. But remember it is very individual!