Resources
Our network of professionals
Bellyful
New Plymouth
Bellyful nourishes and connects communities by cooking and delivering meals to whānau, with babies or young children, who need support.
Blissful Birth & Beyond
Birth pool hire
Beki
021 185 6571
Caul To Bloom
As a caring doula (a non-medical person who provides emotional and physical support, practical help and evidence-based information) I help women and their families to have a birthing and postpartum experience they will treasure forever.
Shannon Engelbrecht
027 501 0313
Childwise
I am a Parenting Coach certified through the Jai Institute for Parenting. If you are struggling on this crazy journey called parenting, I'd love to walk beside you for a bit. I know the struggle and I know the way to peace within your family.
Caitlin Hocken
022 623 2500
Flourish
Flourish is the result of a collaboration of passionate Taranaki people and their associated community groups, wanting to connect whanau and children (pre-birth to 13 years) to applicable services, and create something special within our community which could not be achieved alone.
Flourish is here to improve overall well-being, by enabling Taranaki whānau and their children to holistically flourish through support, growth, connection, and play.
Flourish wants everyone to be able to ride the inevitable struggles of parenting and to not feel isolated, or left wanting when they reach out.
Flourish wants our children, and their children, to live in a strong, resilient, and connected community, whereby families have easier access to the support they need, in order to create their own best possible environment.
We welcome you to come and join our Flourish whānau – your support, experience, ideas and thoughts about all things parenting will hold a valid space.
In all we do, we give Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Tikanga Taranaki a space to be heard, seen, and felt.
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
Flourish
Full Circle Physiotherapy
Musculoskeletal and Pelvic Health Physiotherapy for a range of women's health issues. We offer specific physiotherapy services for pregnancy, postnatal and continence care as well as your general physiotherapy needs.
Emma Perks
021 0824 7798
Hypnobirthing
HypnoBirthing™ is as much a philosophy as it is a method of birthing. It is a series of tools to support a woman and her birth partner to birth their baby in an empowered and intuitive way, free from stress and strain.
Zara Brouwers
06 757 4420 or 027 350 3978
www.revayoga.co.nz/hypnobirthing
Nicola Douglas Acupuncture
I come from a background in nursing and graduated in 2022 with an Advanced Diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine. I am passionate about women's health and love working with people through their fertility, pregnancy and postpartum journey - and well into the years beyond. I take many years of experience and knowledge of acupuncture, herbs, supplements, moxa, diet and lifestyle advice into my clinic. I am blessed with birthing 4 children and can help you labour and birth (however that may be) as your most empowered version as we move through any challenges pregnancy brings. In Choices in ChiIdbirth I will bring to you the teachings of acupressure to take with you leading up to, and into labour. This simple, yet powerful tool brings so much, both physically and mentally during the birth process. And what I love most about it is that you and your partner are in control, and you already have everything you need to begin.
Nicola Douglas
021 468 805
Taranaki La Leche League
La Leche League Taranaki is a voluntary peer to peer breastfeeding and parenting support group. We have once a month series meetings held the first Tuesday of each month at Flourish - 1 Rogan Street (NP Raceway, upstairs). These meetings run from 10:30 am and are around 2 hours long. Please come as it suits you. Shared Kai available and Koha for room rental is appreciated. We are available for phone, text, email, messenger support, where you can speak to an accredited leader for support and information.
La Leche League Taranaki
027 758 3076
Thrive Yoga & Fermented Foods
Yoga classes for all shapes and sizes. Fermented Foods parties & coaching.
Ruth Cohen
0210 239 8297
Tui Ora
Their Breastfeeding Community Support Service, Tiaki Ūkaipō aims to support mothers with breastfeeding. They can provide one on one support from other mothers as well as advice from a lactation consultant. Home visits and clinics are available.
Tui Ora also provides Tamariki Ora/Well Child Services, Perinatal, child, and adolescent Mental health services.
Clinic Details
Stratford: Thursday 9am-12noon at 8 Romeo Street
Hawera: Thursday 1-3.30pm at 34 Fairfield Road
Waitara: Friday 9am-12noon at 14a Domett Street
New Plymouth: Friday 1pm-3.30pm at 36 Maratahu Street
027 522 8935
(06) 759 4064
Emma - Lactation Consultant
Lesley - Lactation Consultant
027 327 7818
Perinatal Mental Health Team
The Perinatal Mental Health Team provides support to women who are experiencing mental distress related to pregnancy and the postnatal period up to one year after the baby is born. Help is available through referral by your midwife or GP.
(06) 753 6139 Extn: 8545
Pregnancy Help Taranaki
Pregnancy Help can provide support in a few different ways. All support from Pregnancy Help is free of charge.
Pregnancy Help can assist by providing essential clothing and equipment for the baby. Such items being a range of maternity and baby clothing, equipment such as bassinets, baths, bedding and other baby items.
Cloth Nappy Bank
Save money and help the environment. Cloth nappies available for free, washing instructions included.
Telephone Support
We will listen to you and provide information to support you in making your own choices. You are welcome to call us whatever the circumstances. Every Pregnancy Help branch has a telephone number which any woman who is pregnant or who has recently been pregnant can ring for a friendly listening ear. Partners, other family members, and friends are all welcome to contact Pregnancy Help.
Referral Service
Pregnancy Help can make referrals to other appropriate services in the community and may be of assistance with arranging appointments. Such referrals may be for specialised counselling, Maternity service, WINZ.
(06) 765 5042
Seedlings Nature Kindergarten
Seedlings is a quality nature kindergarten that is committed to nature education, located in rural New Plymouth. Tania Mitchell & Trina Upson-Campbell offer parent/infant classes based on Dr Emmi Pikkler's approach in building peaceful partnerships from Pennie Brownlee's "Dance With Me in the Heart".
Tania Mitchell & Trina Upson-Campbell
(06) 758 6694
Finding information online
Approach online information mindfully. Take time to verify sources, fact-check claims, and consider different perspectives. Critical thinking helps navigate the vast sea of information.
Useful Websites
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Home Birth Aotearoa
Packed full of useful information, no matter where you choose to birth. Empowering birth stories, information about informed consent, resources and so much more.
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Dr Sarah Wickham
Dr Sarah Wickham is a midwife, researcher, author and speaker. Her website is packed with 100s of informative evidence based articles surrounding all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth.
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Spinning Babies
Spinning Babies is an approach to optimise the physical relationship between the bodies of the mother and baby for the easing of childbirth in a natural way.
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Nancy Mohrbacher
Nancy Mohrbacher is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who has created a series of short videos on YouTube showing what she called Natural Breastfeeding positions (also often called Laid back breastfeeding) and some trouble shooting and other information.
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Evidence Based Birth
Evidence based information surrounding all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth.
Recommended Reading
These books are available to borrow
contact admin@activebirthtaranaki.org.nz.
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Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
Dr Sarah J Buckley
The wisdom and science of gentle choices in pregnancy, birth and parenting
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Homebirth
Sheila Kitzinger
Written by a leading women’s rights campaigner for Homebirth
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Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Ina May Gaskin
Inspiring stories of joyful birth. Techniques for relaxing and opening for birth.
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Hypnobirthing a Celebration of Life
Marie F Mongan
A definitive guide for easier, safer, more comfortable birthing
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Lotus Birth
Shivam Rachana
Lotus birth lore from around the world
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Joyous Childbirth Changes the World
Dr. Tadashi Yoshimura (Author), Ina May Gaskin (Foreword)
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The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality
Kimberly Ann Johnson
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The Birth Partner 5th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Partners, Doulas, and Other Labor Companions
Penny Simkin
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The Hypnobirthing Book: An Inspirational Guide for a Calm, Confident, Natural Birth
Katharine Graves and Robbin Goddard
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The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth
Genevieve Howland
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The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother
Heng Ou & Amely Greeven
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How to Heal a Bad Birth: Making sense, making peace and moving on
Melissa J Bruijn and Debby A Gould
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Spiritual Midwifery
Ina May Gaskin
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The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
La Leche League
The world’s foremost authority on breastfeeding