I went there with Kiya when she was 6 months old. Short version: they were fantastic! It was so worth it! They helped far beyond the issues I was dealing with (sleeping/feeding).
(Very) Long version: At the time, I was living with my parents and there were 6 of us in a 3 bedroom house. My Mum was working full-time, my Dad was studying full-time, and my sister (10yo) and brother (8yo) were in primary school. This meant that I was the only one who could cope without a full night's sleep and Kiya decided that being in her Mum's bed was much better than being in her cot. Neither Kiya or myself were getting enough sleep, my milk was suffering as a result, and I was struggling with consistency when it came to her solids.
Mothercraft is housed in a lovely lockwood-style building in a nicely landscaped part of Waikato Hospital's grounds. There are parks out the front of the building for the people who are staying that week, and their visitors. You walk in the entrance, and the office is on your left. There is a small kitchen straight ahead, with the entrance to the lounge/dining area just past the office on the left and a long hallway directly opposite the lounge door leading away to the right. The rooms are down the hallway, firstly only on the left as you walk down, then on both sides from about halfway down. The first half of the right-hand side is taken up with a large laundry/washroom and a bathroom. I'm pretty sure there's another bathroom further down the hall but I can't remember for sure (sorry, but it was nearly 5.5 years ago!)
Whe I was staying there you arrived Monday afternoon and left Friday morning, went home over the weekend, then came back the next week if they (Mothercraft) thought it necessary. At the time, one of the nurses said to me that 2 weeks was the maximum anyone could go for. Meals are all provided, and you can get a swipe card for the gate ($5/week when I was there) so you don't have to pay every time to come and go. I was there for 2 weeks (Kiya inherited my stubborn streak
) and by the end of that Kiya was sleeping through the night, having solids three times a day, and was being supplimented with a couple of bottles a day. She was happier, and so was I.
The nurses were really supportive. As they weren't full up right the first week, they put Kiya in her own room at the far end of the hall while everyone else was at the nearer end (they allocate rooms from closest to the entrance first). They told me to have a few good nights sleep in a separate room and that they would be the bad guys who went into her during the night and make her go back to sleep. She had such a loud cry that even right down the other end of the hall she could (and did!) drown out every other baby in the place! By the end of the first week, Kiya was sleeping through the night, and has ever since. That weekend, I moved out of home and Kiya and I finally had separate rooms! When I went back the next week, we were put in the same room which was fine.
The nurses taught me how to wrap Kiya in a way that she couldn't get out of. They guided me into a suitable daily routine, and helped me figure out her solids into a sensible and appropriate pattern. Because the quality and quantity of my milk was not enough for Kiya, the nurses gave me information on formula and supported me as I decided to swap her daytime breastfeeds for bottles. They even provided the bottles and formula! I don't want to give the impression the nurses pushed bottle feeding onto me, rather I knew Kiya needed more than I was giving before I went there and they were on hand to guide me as to an appropriate way to suppliment my breastfeeding.
It was hard work, but so worth it. My time at Mothercraft set me up with so many skills and knowledge that I call on often.
Edited by becca.l
Mothercraft Unit Hamilton
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Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
