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Maggie Banks, RD 3, Hamilton

Home birth midwife, 15 Te Awa Road, RD 3, Hamilton.
Phone: 07 856  4612 E-mail: banks@ihug.co.nz Website: www.birthspirit.co.nz

I have been a home birth midwife since 1989 and provide all pregnancy, labour, birth and post natal care in women’s homes until baby is 6 weeks old. During that time there are many discussions on ways of keeping healthy, preparing for birthing and mothering, as well as the necessary health checks for women and babies.

I have a comprehensive library relating to women’s and children’s health, breastfeeding and mothering, as well as videos and birth pools which are available to the women for whom I provide care. I limit the number of women I care for to four each month and I work as part of a group called the Home Birth Midwives Collective.

Maternity services are paid for through taxes via the Ministry of Health, therefore, there is no charge to women for my services.

I live in Tamahere, which is between Hamilton city and Cambridge, and care for women who live up to an hour’s drive from my home – for example, Hamilton city, Raglan, Cambridge, Matamata, Pirongia, Te Awamutu and Morrinsville.

Why do I work only with women who plan to birth at home?

Giving birth is a special but normal, healthy event in a woman's life and by far the majority of well women are able to give birth without any intervention, and at home when surrounded by known and trusted people. There is no scientific evidence to show that hospital is safer for birthing women who are well, who eat nourishing food and who have healthy life styles. To the contrary, there is considerable and mounting evidence that shows that when these women birth in hospitals they are at increased risk of experiencing medical interventions that impact negatively on their ability to birth well, and to breastfeed their babies without difficulties. The very first step of what is known as this ‘cascade of unnecessary intervention’ which is commonplace in New Zealand is to remove a laboring woman from her home when there is no health need, whether that be an obstetric hospital or a birthing unit. Therefore, the only time I attend a woman in hospital is if she has planned to birth at home but a medical indication arises in pregnancy, during labour, birth or postnatally which requires specialist medical attention for either her or her baby.

I am always happy to talk to women (and their families) who are searching out whether or not home birth is for them. The choice to birth at home belongs to every woman but it can only become the reality if women and their families know about it.

On the personal side

I am the mother of three - two of whom are mothers themselves which also makes me a grandmother to two home birth babies. I live rurally with my husband Tony where we farm a small lifestyle block.