There’s always something happening in the world of pregnancy, birth, and parenting in Aotearoa. Here’s what’s been on our radar this week – from a social media trend worth knowing about to some genuinely good news for Taranaki whānau.
Have you heard of “mummymaxxing”?
If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram lately, you may have noticed a particular kind of content creeping into your feed – perfectly dressed children, minimalist kitchens, organic snack prep, and mothers who appear to have optimised every single moment of their day. This is mummymaxxing: a social media trend that frames motherhood as something to be maximised and performed, rather than lived. Experts are now speaking up about the impact it’s having. RNZ has a great piece exploring why this kind of content is contributing to guilt and shame in mothers who are – let’s be honest – already doing plenty. If any of it has made you feel like you’re falling short, this read might help.
One in three babies in NZ is now born by caesarean
The latest figures from Health New Zealand show c-section births have reached a record high, with 34% of all births in Aotearoa now delivered this way. That’s one in every three pēpi – a number that has been climbing steadily for years. There’s no single reason behind it, and no single experience of it. Whether planned or unplanned, a caesarean is major surgery and the recovery is its own journey. If you want to understand more about what the data shows and what support exists in Aotearoa for c-section recovery, we’ve written about it on Hey Māmā.
And explore our own c-section facts piece on Hey Māmā
Brand new maternity facilities open in Taranaki
For whānau in the Taranaki region, this is good news. The New East Wing at Taranaki Base Hospital officially opened last week, bringing a purpose-built primary birthing unit, new delivery suites, a postnatal ward, and a neonatal unit all under one roof. It’s part of a $462.6 million redevelopment of the hospital – and for a region where the maternity department hadn’t had a major update since the 1990s, this is a meaningful step forward.
Read the full announcement on the Beehive
4 in 10 mothers say they felt unheard during maternity care
A new international study published in Psychology Today found that four in ten mothers reported feeling unheard during their maternity care experience, and more than half of those experiencing postpartum anxiety or depression symptoms didn’t receive any treatment. This isn’t a NZ-specific study, so local figures may differ – but the finding will likely resonate for many māmā who have navigated the maternity system here. Feeling dismissed or overlooked at a vulnerable time matters, and it’s worth talking about.
Read the full piece via Psychology Today
School holidays are here — ideas for Tāmaki Makaurau whānau
The winter school holidays kicked off on Saturday. If you’re in Auckland and looking for ideas to keep tamariki busy, the Auckland Council has put together a solid list of affordable activities happening across the city this July. Matariki on 10 July adds a lovely anchor to the break too.
Read the Auckland Council’s holiday guide
If any of these topics are landing close to home right now, you’ll find pregnancy, birth, and postnatal support providers across Aotearoa on Hey Māmā.
This bulletin is a roundup of external news stories. Hey Māmā links to original sources and does not reproduce or represent the views of those publications.