Pre-conference workshops
Wednesday 27 August
Pre-conference workshops
Pre-conference workshops are available for conference delegates at an additional cost.
You will register for the workshops as part of your conference registration process. Click here to register.
As there are limited numbers available for each workshop, registrations are subject to availability and will be based on a priority system.
Registered delegates, make sure you register early so you don’t miss out!
Students, please note some workshops are only available for registered midwives and there is capped number of students allowed to attend the remaining workshops.
If you are not planning to attend the conference but would like to register for a workshop then you will be added to a waitlist. If there is an available space you will be notified mid August. Please register your interest here.
9.00am – 1.00pm
A | Tūranga Kaupapa
Ngā Māia
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives, and only open to College members.
COST: $158.00 - College member-
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives.
This workshop session, brought to you by Ngā Māia Māori Midwives o Aotearoa, enables midwives to explore cultural safety and reflect on Tūranga Kaupapa in practice. The Midwifery Council require that within the 2024-2027 recertification cycle all midwives in Aotearoa must complete 8 hours of Tūranga Kaupapa cultural safety education, and Ngā Māia are their accredited provider. This is a great opportunity to meet your recertification requirements while attending conference and immerse yourself in a wonderfully crafted, immersive education experience. Ngā Māia and the College have partnered to bring you this opportunity at a significantly discounted price – a conference super special!
9.00am – 12.00pm
B | Aromatherapy essentials for maternity
Sarah Ballard
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member, $40.00 student-
Aromaternity workshops offer practical evidence-informed aromatherapy education to enable safe use of essential oils during pregnancy, labour and birth, and beyond.
This in-depth workshop designed to be fun and interactive! Participants learn what essential oils are and how they exert physiological and psychological effects on the body. An exploration of six specifically chosen essential oils will provide education and confidence for their use within pregnancy, labour and/or birth.
A content booklet is provided, and participants will also make a bespoke essential oil birth blend bottled in a 10ml roll-on vessel to take away.
9.00am – 12.00pm
C | Enhancing pelvic health: Practical tools for midwives
Melissa Davidson
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives.
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member-
Pregnancy and childbirth bring about remarkable changes to a woman's body, encompassing physiological, physical, hormonal, and psychological transformations. While some women navigate these changes with ease, many others experience significant pelvic health challenges. These can include urinary incontinence (affecting 40-65% during pregnancy and 30% post-partum), perineal tears (up to 85%), levator ani avulsions (15-52%), withdrawal from social and physical activities (50%), and sexual dysfunction (over 15%). These issues can have a lasting impact on a woman's life.
In this workshop, we will explore simple and effective tools that pelvic health physiotherapists use, which midwives can seamlessly integrate into their practice to enhance patient care throughout the childbearing year. We will also discuss easy-to-implement prevention strategies to ensure the best long-term outcomes for your patients and address common misconceptions about pelvic floor muscles and health.
9.00am – 10.30am
D | Navigating equitable and best practice for the management of iron-deficiency anaemia in pregnancy and postpartum: What is the evidence, and where are the gaps
Calje Esther
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member, $40.00 student-
This workshop is presented by Dr Esther Calje, midwife and subject matter expert in relation to iron homeostasis during the childbearing continuum. Esther will provide an overview of international and regional guidelines for the management of maternal iron deficiency and anaemia along with an overview of current evidence and evidence gaps. This interactive and highly informative workshop will enable participants to engage in lively discussion throughout the session to share midwifery practice insights, knowledge, and evidence on the management of iron deficiency and anaemia in pregnancy. Midwives will enhance their understanding of screening, interpretation of laboratory results, diagnosis, and treatment options for iron deficiency. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the latest from our amazing local expert!
10.30am – 12.00pm
E | Topical issues for employed midwives
Caroline Conroy, MERAS
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives.
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member-
The health sector is in a period of change. This workshop will provide an opportunity to update and discuss with employed midwives the topical changes that are occurring and their impact on employed midwives.
Current work that is underway for MERAS that impacts on employed midwives includes:
The pay equity claim for those midwives working in the maternity funded sector in primary maternity units or as caseload midwives
The senior midwife working party and job evaluation process that commenced in 2024 with Health NZ
The MERAS & Health NZ Collective negotiations with a new Collective to be ratified this year.
Discussions on the changing skill mix within our maternity services as more new graduate midwives join the workforce and the impact on new graduates and the experienced midwives supporting them.
Care capacity demand management (CCDM) and the changes occurring this year and how does this support the work midwives.
As well as the current work listed above there may well be new issues and opportunities emerging and this workshop will provide a great opportunity for employed midwives to discuss those.
This will be an interactive, flexible workshop with lots of opportunity for discussion and sharing of ideas.
1.00pm – 4.00pm
F | Perineal protection – translating evidence into midwifery practice
Robin Cronin
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives.
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member-
Dr Robin Cronin is recognised as a subject matter expert in relation to perineal protection during childbirth. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with her lively and highly enjoyable workshop which will provide midwives with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in relation to perineal protection, including reviewing pelvic floor anatomy, critical discussion of perineal protection in midwifery practice, and review of ACC birth injury cover. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to practice techniques for perineal trauma assessment and episiotomy incision. Space is limited for this workshop so secure your spot today!
1.00pm – 2.30pm
G | The culture of deprivation
Isabella Smart
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member, $40.00 student-
This workshop will provide a space for midwives to explore the impact of poverty, discrimination, and disadvantage in Aotearoa. Children who experience social and economic deprivation grow into adults who use health services. These service users have often been subject to well documented developmental impacts due to their “normal” life experiences of poverty and deprivation. The culture of deprivation has had, and continues to have, negative and, at times, devastating impacts on maternity outcomes. This 90 minute workshop is an opportunity for midwives to consider the parameters of deprivation and the “cultural norms” which can arise from it, and to dive deeper into the true meaning of cultural safety and what midwives can do to reduce bias and improve people’s experience of care. Attendees will be challenged to measure, reflect and consider their “comfort zones” and how this shapes their responses to people whose culture is deprivation. Thought-provoking real life examples of the negative impact of health professionals are provided and will be discussed. The hope is that by individual awareness systemic change will occur.
1.00pm – 2.30pm
I | Tukukura: Exploring practical strategies to help calm the birth space and yourself
Deb Peters
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member, $40.00 student-
This workshop enables midwives to explore what influences their childbirth belief systems, reflect on how they affect the birthing space, and learn strategies to positively support birthing women and whānau. You’ll engage in experiential breathing and relaxation exercises, explore tools to support normal birth, and ultimately enhance your ability to create a positive birthing environment. Workshop participants will engage in discussion and reflection and explore the senses to enhance the experience of the birth/work space. Come along to this immersive and interactive workshop and nourish yourself in the process while you learn new skills to support physiological birth and positive labour experiences.
3.00pm – 4.30pm
J | The app is where it is at
Karen Palmer, Kristina Maconaghie
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives.
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member, $40.00 student-
This practical workshop enables midwives to explore the 3rd edition of the BreastFedNZ app and relate content to practice scenarios. The app has undergone significant change and is designed to meet the needs of new parents in Aotearoa today. You’ll learn to apply the app in a clinical setting and discover what is new and enhanced in this latest version. Don’t miss this opportunity to further develop your skills and knowledge in relation to breastfeeding support in your practice!
3.00pm – 4.30pm
K | Perinatal pathological investigations after baby loss:
Answering all your questions
Kay Jones
This workshop is specifically designed for registered midwives.
COST: $40.00 College member, $65.00 NON-Member-
Midwives provide essential care and support for whānau who experience perinatal loss. This interactive workshop will allow midwives to explore the landscape of perinatal loss and consider aspects that will best support grieving families through this time. Build your understanding of practicalities, sensitivities and legalities related to perinatal pathological investigations and consider cultural and social nuances related to pathological investigations and the potential impact these may have on bereaved whānau and their experience of care. You will learn to apply cultural safety principles to provide situation-sensitive bereavement care and will be able to incorporate new knowledge into your midwifery practice with understanding, compassion and competency. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences and use critical thinking skills to consider questions that arise during perinatal loss experiences.