Mothercraft Unit Hamilton
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Category: General Chat
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Topic: Mothercraft Unit Hamilton
Posted By: Kellz
Subject: Mothercraft Unit Hamilton
Date Posted: 15 February 2007 at 10:04am
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Was wondering if anyone has been there, or know of anyone who has, and what it was like, did it help etc? I am on the waiting list to go there for help with Isla's sleeping/feeding problems, and all the info I have from my plunket nurse is that its "very strict and lots of people leave and come home",...great, thanks very helpful that!
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Replies:
Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 15 February 2007 at 9:55pm
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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. ------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 16 February 2007 at 7:55am
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Wow! Thanks so much for your reply Becca and for all the info! Im glad you told me what the building was like cos the brochere I finally managed to get from plunket says that its "communal living" so I was imaging all mums and babies in one giant room, and Isla screaming so much she would get us expelled!! Lol!
The results you got in such a short time make it sound very worth while. Thanks again 
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Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 16 February 2007 at 8:10am
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You are very welcome! "Communal living" just means you share common areas: kitchen, lounge, bathrooms and laundry. ------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 16 February 2007 at 8:14am
| Yeah I thought it must just mean that,..but was worried I would get there and we would be all together! Lol! I get stressed enough taking Isla to playcentre or coffee group cos of her screaming, so was scared we would all be together and we would cause havoc! |
Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 16 February 2007 at 8:45am
The nurses are used to crying babies, and they said Kiya was the loudest they'd heard! I'm not sure whether to be proud of that or not! 
Over the two weeks I was there (can't remember who was in which week) the some of the other occupants were: a mum with newborn twins who was learning a good routine before going home, a mum with a 9 mth old who didn't know his tired signs, and a mum who's second child (4 mths) had been in and out of hospital so wasn't in any routine at all. ------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 16 February 2007 at 11:17am
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I wouldn't worry about Isla's screaming putting them off Kellz - when I took the gremlins to Family Centre when they were a few weeks old they spent the whole day screaming and I felt so guilty and the Plunket nurse said to me "they're not the first and they won't be the last". -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: luna
Date Posted: 19 February 2007 at 5:14pm
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Kellz ... I'm in Hamilton too, didn't need them, but only heard great things about them. Hope they help. ------------- Selina http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 19 February 2007 at 8:30pm
| Oh cool thanks Luna. Its good to know that others have had good experiences there. We arent in Hamilton, we live in Whakatane, but that is the closest facility like that for us. I have been referred by plunket here, but havent heard anything yet. Apparently the waiting time is about 3 weeks. |
Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 20 February 2007 at 3:53pm
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Hey I'm from Whakatane, and living in Hamilton at the moment. I was thinking of going to Mothercraft after the birth of my son but the midwifes and nurses at Waikato Hosp gave me so much help and advice I decided I was able to cope on my own. I think it's an awesome facility though ------------- 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 22 February 2007 at 7:49pm
| Yay! Got a ph call from the Mothercraft unit this afternoon,..and they have a place for us next week. They are also going to get us in to see a Paed while we are there which is great. We have been refered by our Dr this week to see a Paed here, but is probably gonna take a month to get an appt. |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 25 April 2007 at 8:26pm
| Bumped for Kelpa |