International Day of the Midwife
Parents Centre New Zealand supports the midwives in their campaign for better working conditions and fair pay.
“Too many midwives are leaving the profession, endangering all the maternal rights that both Parents Centres and
Midwives fought so strongly for” Said Liz Pearce, Parent Education Manager at Parents Centres New Zealand.
“We hear many stories of midwives leaving the profession due to severe midwifery shortages, fatigue, not being paid
enough, increased workloads and burnout. It is important for parents,whanau, and the wider community that our midwifery
profession remains valued and sustainable.
Parents Centre supports them wholeheartedly”.
New Zealand’s maternity system is one of the finest globally. This is due to the drive and determination of midwives in
the 90’s who fought hard for their profession to be separate and distinct from the nursing profession; they fought for
women to be able to choose to have their pregnancy and birth solely under the care of a midwife; and they advocated to
have continuity of care with their Lead Maternity Carer (LMC). We now have a maternity system that all of New Zealand
should be fiercely proud of.
Parents Centres New Zealand are the primary provider of Childbirth and Parent education in New Zealand. In 1952 Parents
Centres advocated and championed for women to have an active role in their maternity journey, giving them the power to
make the right choices for their families. We work alongside and support midwives to ensure New Zealand’s first-class
midwifery care continues to be
unique and the envy of the world.
Parents Centres New Zealand is the largest provider of antenatal and parent education in New Zealand. We have a network
of 46 community based Centres run by 3,000 passionate volunteers and over 85 professional qualified Childbirth
educators, our membership exceeds 15,000 families.
All support and education is community focused and meets the needs of the communities that it serves.
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