Either 'a blessing in disguise', or 'I couldn't get help,': Australian and Aotearoa NZ women's experiences of early infant feeding during COVID-19.

Background: To manage the COVID-19 pandemic, public health restrictions and a rapid pivot to telehealth occurred. Peripartum services were significantly affected by a strained infrastructure. Decreased face to face access to health services and support affected maternal experiences and confidence internationally, yet little was reported with the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand context.

Predictors and impact of women's breastfeeding self-efficacy and postnatal care in the context of a pandemic in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Objective: To investigate predictors of breastfeeding self-efficacy, postnatal care experiences, and there subsequent impact on breastfeeding outcomes in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: A cross-sectional online survey collected data between August and October 2020 with recruitment via social media. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive analyses, and linear and logistic regression analysis related to the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form findings.

'Living the rural experience-preparation for practice': The future proofing of sustainable rural midwifery practice through midwifery education.

Rural practice presents unique challenges and skill requirements for midwives. New Zealand and Scotland face similar challenges in sustaining a rural midwifery workforce. This paper draws from an international multi-centre study exploring rural midwifery to focus on the education needs of student midwives within pre-registration midwifery programmes in order to determine appropriate preparation for rural practice.

Joys and challenges of relationships in Scotland and New Zealand rural midwifery: A multicentre study.

Background: Globally there are challenges meeting the recruitment and retention needs for rural midwifery. Rural practice is not usually recognised as important and feelings of marginalisation amongst this workforce are apparent. Relationships are interwoven throughout midwifery and are particularly evident in rural settings.

A woman's hand and a lion's heart: Skills and attributes for rural midwifery practice in New Zealand and Scotland.

Objective: the complex and challenging nature of rural midwifery is a global issue. New Zealand and Scotland both face similar ongoing challenges in sustaining a rural midwifery workforce, and understanding the best preparation for rural midwifery practice. This study aimed to explore the range of skills, qualities and professional expertise needed for remote and rural midwifery practice.

Evaluating Maternity Units: a prospective cohort study of freestanding midwife-led primary maternity units in New Zealand-clinical outcomes.

Objective: To compare maternal and neonatal birth outcomes and morbidities associated with the intention to give birth in a freestanding primary level midwife-led maternity unit (PMU) or tertiary level obstetric-led maternity hospital (TMH) in Canterbury, Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Participants: 407 women who intended to give birth in a PMU and 285 women who intended to give birth at the TMH in 2010-2011.

Women׳s birthplace decision-making, the role of confidence: Part of the Evaluating Maternity Units study, New Zealand.

Objective: to explore women׳s birthplace decision-making and identify the factors which enable women to plan to give birth in a freestanding midwifery-led primary level maternity unit rather than in an obstetric-led tertiary level maternity hospital in New Zealand.

Design: a mixed methods prospective cohort design.

Methods: data from eight focus groups (37 women) and a six week postpartum survey (571 women, 82%) were analysed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics.

An exploration of influences on women's birthplace decision-making in New Zealand: a mixed methods prospective cohort within the Evaluating Maternity Units study.

Background: There is worldwide debate surrounding the safety and appropriateness of different birthplaces for well women. One of the primary objectives of the Evaluating Maternity Units prospective cohort study was to compare the clinical outcomes for well women, intending to give birth in either an obstetric-led tertiary hospital or a free-standing midwifery-led primary maternity unit. This paper addresses a secondary aim of the study--to describe and explore the influences on women's birthplace decision-making in New Zealand, which has a publicly funded, midwifery-led continuity of care maternity system.