Midwife-Hamilton

I can't recommend Kathryn Duggan and her partner Rebecca Tainui highly enough. I had Kathryn as my lead but saw Rebecca a few times and they were both lovely.

Congrats

I second Colleen van der Laan. My sister used her as well and she is amazing!! She's based at Waterford.

My MW was Rachel Cassie and she is absolutely awesome!!    She was a GP for 15 years before becoming a midwife so I really trusted her and felt safe with her.   Her backup Rebecca was at my birth because Rachel was on holiday and although she probably had some different ideas to my own (she is very much into non intervention and doing things naturally) she is still very nice.

But yeah, I highly recommend Rachel Cassie, she has children, knows her stuff, is very approachable and friendly and very thorough without being pushy.    She didn't force opinions on me and kept me very well informed with everything I needed to know.

I had Shelley Sjaarda first time around and she was good too, although I switched to her at 28 weeks so didn't really get to know her very well. She's also a registered nurse.

Mine is Sam Shultz, and her backup is Sarah power. Have got her second time around as well as first.

 

Who have you ended up going with Lou?

I will have to do this soon too, but i'm waiting until i've heard the HB at 6wks.

Can you all give me a run down on their personalities? I think I need someone who is quite nurturing and reassuring. This is my 3rd pregnancy after 2 m/c's.

Rachel Cassie at the Midwife Shoppe in 5XRoads is very thorough, straight up but also very understanding and kind hearted.   She talks heaps and heaps but always listens to your concerns and is great at getting back to you straight away if you need her.      I loved the fact that she used to be a GP.     I always feel safer around doctors so that was an added bonus for me.

For my first pregnancy, Colleen van der Laan was the back up midwife and did quite a bit of my post natal care.   She is lovely!

Clare Hutchinson at the Midwifery Centre next door to River Ridge.

She's big old dutch lady but very nice, and very funny.

She's probably not everyones cup of tea though. She's a bit of a hard a$$ and doesn't stand for any crud. Like when I was giving birth to Mac I was messing about with my pushing cause I was scared of tearing. Then she checked his heartrate and said to me "Right he's getting upset Carin, you need to get him out...NOW!"
So she doesn't beat around the bush
But she's very educated, she goes on lots of training courses so she's up to the play on every subject.
Personally she suited me right down to the ground and I love her to bits

Edited by Mum2Mac

Mum2Mac wrote: Clare Hutchinson at the Midwifery Centre next door to River Ridge. She's big old dutch lady but very nice, and very funny. She's probably not everyones cup of tea though. She's a bit of a hard a$$ and doesn't stand for any crud. Like when I was giving birth to Mac I was messing about with my pushing cause I was scared of tearing. Then she checked his heartrate and said to me "Right he's getting upset Carin, you need to get him out...NOW!" So she doesn't beat around the bush But she's very educated, she goes on lots of training courses so she's up to the play on every subject. Personally she suited me right down to the ground and I love her to bits

I had her for my first pregnancy (which never eventuated) and since then have heard things that i'm not too keen on from a friend who is a midwife, so am choosing to look elsewhere.   Sure if I had difficulties she is definitely the one I would want there, but I think I need someone a little more nurturing this time around. Doesn't help that I know her daughter well too lol. I will birth at RR though.

I really like Colleen but I didn't really get to know her very well and only met her towards the end of my pregnancy.

For me personally I am going to choose Rachel again next time as I got to know her really well. I had a lot of breastfeeding issues the first time around and she went out of her way to help me get to the bottom of them all and make a really good plan to overcome my challenges.   and she did that all without pushing breastfeeding on me or forcing me to see it one way.    She is very into what you feel comfortable with, how you feel about things and helps you to make informative decisions and plans based on your own way of thinking.     I was so gutted not to have her at my birth as it didn't go well and I think had she been there, it would have ended better!

Oh yeah, I changed my name from neeandsam :D

Edited by mamanee

Oh gosh, so you're using all three locations, I didn't know you could do that.

Nee, I wasn't aware that your birthing was difficult, i'm sorry *hugs* I will give them both a call and see if/who is available in October. I feel stupid calling them so soon though- I didn't even see my MW again after the first visit with the first pregnancy, as I went to my GP after a week of spotting (didn't want to be one of those first time mums that call their MW over every little thing), and then I asked her if she could call my MW and tell her the pregnancy had failed. Turns out I should've called her as I was rhesus negative and needed the Anti D upon first sight of spotting. Oh well, I know for next time/this time lol.