www.shoremidwives.co.nz
Rae Leach
S.R.N. S.C.M.( Nurse and Midwife)
I qualified as a Midwife in 1980 in the U.K. and have continued to practise as a midwife ever since. I have worked in all aspects of Midwifery care through both hospital and community work.
We came to New Zealand in 2002 where I commenced working at Middlemore hospital, from there I joined the team at North Shore as a K.Y.M. midwife for 3 years before becoming an Independent Midwife working with Diane.
This role enables me to have a unique partnership with women, throughout the childbirth experience offering them support, knowledge and empowerment to achieve their goal.
Being a midwife is a very special career and I consider it a privilege to assist a new life into the world.
Diane Hirst
RGON RM, BHSc (Midwifery)
Post Grad Dip (Health Prof Ed.)
When I was 15, the woman I knew through babysitting her two daughters went into labour in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. She called the ambulance - but that was at least half an hour away. Soon after, her beautiful baby boy made his appearance, squirming on his mother's tummy as we covered them both with blankets in front of the roaring fire. What an experience! This ignited a life-long passion for midwifery. It still burns as brightly now as it did on that night in the 70's.
I couldn't wait to be a midwife, but first I had to qualify as a nurse (Direct entry to midwifery was not available then), and I got myself onto the first available midwifery course after that! Thanks to Birmingham, 1981 saw the precious Registered Midwife certificate in my hand. After four more years there, I spent six years in the middle east as a midwife, helping Arabic women give birth. I even learnt enough Arabic to speak birth talk! Riyadh also became a special place as our first son was born there and later, our second son was born in Yorkshire.
New Zealand became our family's home in 1993. My first job was at North Shore hospital as a midwife, then midwife advisor, and I went on to work at Auckland University of Technology as a midwifery lecturer for several years. Education became my second passion and here I gained a Postgraduate diploma in Health Professional Education. Even though I loved my role as an educator, I missed working closely with birthing women. It was like they were calling me back…..
There really is nothing in the world quite like the partnership that develops between a midwife and a pregnant woman. It is such a privilege to share that journey. My aim is to help every woman have a fulfilling childbirth experience that makes her feel powerful - in whatever way that is meaningful to the woman and her family.
For some women, this will mean birthing at home, or in water, (or both) and for others, this will mean birth in hospital or in a birthing unit. Some women may need specialist input for an underlying medical problem, or perhaps a complication may arise: all can be appropriately supported by midwifery care. You will be encouraged to be flexible and confident in your ability to give birth and become a parent.
Wendy Devereux
BHSc (Midwifery)
Hi, I am Wendy Devereux, a newly qualified independent midwife, entering a new chapter of my journey as I join the Full Bloom Midwifery practice and the Midwifery First Year of Practice Program. Throughout my training I have been extremely privileged to have been mentored and guided by some of Auckland’s finest midwives on North Shore City and South of the Bridge. I have had the unique experience to watch, learn and grow under the tutorage of these professional women, and enabled to develop my own style and philosophy of partnership.
While there are many different ways of birthing your baby, I have always believed birth to be a normal physiological event, which for the majority of women can be done with very little help. I see independent practice as a platform to provide women with informed choice, the opportunity to experience continuity of care, be supported to make choices and to experience the amazing journey of pregnancy, birth and the journey into motherhood. My role is to also work in partnership with other birthing and medical professionals such as Obstetricians, Physiotherapists, Acupuncturists, Lactation Consultants and GPs to ensure you have access to the appropriate care and support regardless of medical conditions or complications which may arise.
I truly love being a midwife. I have the privilege of getting to know a woman and her family and being a part of a momentous event in their lives. It enables me to work with a diverse group of people from a variety of backgrounds, hopefully making a difference in their journey into parenthood.
I believe every woman needs slightly different levels of support and information, and I feel it is important to have unhurried appointments to give me the opportunity to sit with you and discover what your particular needs are, to ensure I can tailor care just for you.
I view pregnancy and birth as a family event not as an isolated incident. Whether you wish to experience a homebirth, waterbirth, hospital birth or VBAC, whatever your choice, I will endeavour to support you and your family to achieve your birthing goals, in a holistic manner.
Loraine Willemse
BHSc (Midwifery)
Currently birthing babies... update coming soon.