Raise the red flag and demand mothers receive basic perinatal rights and support. We approached the Government for help. They turned us away. Raise the red flag. Make them listen.
We chose a red flag badge to represent our Who Holds Our Mothers? campaign because red represents Te Whei Ao, the realm of coming into being. It symbolises the female element. It also represents active, flashing, falling, emergence, forest, land, and gestation. Red is Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, the sustainer of all living things.
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Mothers Matter is a collaboration of committed individuals, health professionals and parents who are united in a common goal to have a nationwide discussion about the need for excellent perinatal care.
Equity of care is what’s needed: mothers should have the right to choose where they receive their birthing and postnatal care. Only Government can legislate to provide this basic right through a ring- fenced fund from the Ministry of Health.
Mothers already have a right to at least 48 hours of postnatal care, but are often not receiving it because of overloaded hospital maternity units. We need this legal right to be recognised and publicised by Government. This must include wraparound services that address the mental and physical health needs of mothers, their babies and whānau.
Women’s rights must be widely publicised and advocates made available to help women navigate the pathways to recognising the support and services they need to protect and determine their own health and wellbeing.
I started contracting at midnight on a Friday night and gave birth at 2.27am on Sunday morning. I was in labour for 27 hours, had not slept for 48 hours, so by the time I had my baby I was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.
My birth was hard, as they all are of course, but after labouring for around 17 hours, nothing had changed (I remained 4cm dilated). The maternity team realised my son's head was stuck and I had...