Background: Midwifery-led mentoring programmes are a key professional support mechanism for midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand. They include the Aunties Initiative, a Pasifika-led mentoring initiative for Pasifika midwifery students and new graduate midwives. There is currently no literature on the mentoring relationship from the perspective of Pasifika mentor midwives. Aim: To explore the midwifery mentoring relationship from the perspective of Pasifika mentor midwives (aunties) in Aotearoa, and to strengthen understanding of Pasifika models of mentoring in midwifery. Method: This was a qualitative study using talanoa-based, conversational focus group data from senior Pasifika midwives involved in the Aunties Initiative. Data were analysed using an inductive approach based on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six steps of thematic analysis. The study was led by Pasifika members of the research group, with members of the Pasifika midwifery community in Aotearoa providing feedback on the findings and the article’s development. Findings: Four key themes were identified. The participant Pasifika mentors (aunties) view their primary role as Building the village, a culturally safe and affirming learning space in which mentoring occurs collectively. The aunties described Weaving a support system around their mentees (nieces) to build their confidence in navigating clinical settings and relationships, which included each niece’s family as a key support mechanism. The aunties engaged in Role modelling collegiality and passion for the profession to create positive workplaces for their nieces and as a way of giving back to their communities. Finally, mentoring was important for Future-proofing the village of Pasifika midwives, which was both reassuring and satisfying for Pasifika mentors. These themes were interwoven by an underlying concept of Succeeding together. Conclusion: The aunties’ culturally informed, collective approach to mentoring, guided by a commitment to collective success, benefits not only Pasifika mentee midwives, but also the mentors themselves and the communities Pasifika midwives care for.

Background: A global and national shortage of midwives has made retaining the current workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand increasingly important. Understanding the contemporary workplace environment is essential for retention. Aim: To explore midwives' work environment in Aotearoa New Zealand over three consecutive years (2019-2021). Method: A cross-sectional study was undertaken using an online survey in three consecutive years (2019-2021). The survey gathered demographic data, paid and unpaid work data, work settings and working hours. The survey tools used to describe midwives’ workplace conditions were: Quantitative Workload Inventory, Job Satisfaction Scale, Pay Satisfaction Scale and Work-Life Balance Scale. Findings: The 1766 total participant responses, distributed sequentially across the three years as n = 758, 506 and 502, represented 18% of all registered midwives. Overall, the midwives reported high levels of job satisfaction but low levels of pay satisfaction. Assuming significance is p < .05, variance analyses identified that job satisfaction (Mean [M = 4.31; Standard Deviation [SD] 0.94), pay satisfaction (M = 2.53; SD 1.1), and work-life balance (M = 3.21; SD 1.10) were significantly higher and workload lower (M = 4.31; SD 1.12) for 2020 when compared to 2019 and 2021. Job satisfaction levels for caseloading midwives (M = 4.22; SD 0.9) and those in other mixed roles (M = 4.17; SD 1.01) were significantly higher than for midwives working in secondary (M = 3.81; SD 0.98) and tertiary (M = 3.77; SD 1.01) units. Quantitative Workload Inventory reported significantly higher mean scores for midwives working in tertiary (M = 5.35; SD 0.88) and secondary (M = 4.84; SD 1.03) settings when compared to those working in caseloading (M = 4.09; SD 1.05), primary unit (M = 4.19; SD 1.3) and other mixed role (M = 4.32; SD 1.24) settings. Conclusion: Overall, midwives reported high job satisfaction, but this was alongside high workloads and low pay satisfaction. When work settings were compared, midwives working in secondary and tertiary hospitals reported higher workloads and fewer working hours than those working in primary and other mixed role settings. High workloads and low job satisfaction are risks to workforce sustainability.

As we present the 61st issue of the College Journal, which is in its 36th year, we are excited to be actively showcasing greater diversity in the research shared. This commitment enables us to amplify minority voices and introduce vital new perspectives. Ultimately, this serves to strengthen the entire profession, helping us evolve and provide increasingly culturally safe care to the whānau and communities we serve. One of these key communities is Pacific peoples, and in this issue of the Journal, we are pleased to share research on Pasifika perspectives of mentoring in Aotearoa (Otukolo et al., 2025).

The Publisher regrets that an error appeared in Table 5 of this article. The numbers and percentages for acute postpartum admission to HDU/ICU/theatre “Yes” occurrence were incorrectly stated as PMU n = 85 (7.8%), TMH n = 371 (13.0%). They have been corrected to PMU n = 9 (0.8%), TMH n = 126 (4.1%), as per the following table.

Introduction: Effective communication between pregnant women/people and midwives is important in establishing trusting and respectful relationships. Texting and email have been shown to be convenient ways for people to connect and share information. Aim: This paper reports on findings from interviews with pregnant and recently pregnant women/people on what is important for them when using communication technology to connect with their midwife. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an online platform. Two participants had previously completed an online survey in phase 1B of the multi-phase study and had expressed interest in participating further. Three other participants were recruited via a closed Pregnancy Facebook group and midwives. All participants were emailed an invitation to participate. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Findings: Three themes emerged from the findings, highlighting what was important for participants when using communication technology with their midwife during their pregnancy: being known, access and connectedness, and the midwife recognised as a professional. Discussion: Being known was important when using communication technology, as it enabled respectful and trusting relationships to develop. These relationships were further enhanced through the functionality of communication technology which provided space for participants to compose messages and respond to their midwife, and through the convenience and flexibility with being able to communicate in a non-intrusive manner. The professionalism of the midwife was recognised with ensuring privacy of information, despite participants being unconcerned about privacy themselves. Conclusion: The knowingness that comes from a continuity of care relationship contributed towards a relationship of trust. This was reflected in the respectful choices made by the participants when using communication technology to connect with their midwife.

Background: As awareness of the possibilities for trans people to attain parenthood grows, trans, non-binary and other people with diverse genders are increasingly accessing perinatal care as part of their family-building journeys. International literature confirms that midwives can feel clinically challenged by, and poorly prepared for, working with pregnant trans people, but also that they are motivated to provide high quality care and desire professional support to do so. This two-phase study included interviews with trans people who were or had been pregnant, and/or whose partners were or had been pregnant, which informed the development of a nationwide perinatal care workforce survey. Aim: Phase Two aimed to identify current practice relating to inclusion, and the knowledge, beliefs and education needs of the perinatal care workforce in relation to working with pregnant trans people. Method: An online nationwide survey of perinatal care providers was undertaken in 2022. Data were collected through single- and multi-response questions, Likert scales and open-ended text boxes. Analyses included descriptive statistics and content analysis of open-text responses. Results: Of 476 respondents, this paper reports only the midwives’ responses (67%; n = 317). Fewer than 25% of midwives recalled receiving any specific education about providing culturally safe care for trans people, but most (78%) identified interest in accessing education if it were made available. Midwives are knowledgeable regarding some clinical aspects of gender affirming care, e.g., the effects of hormone therapy on fertility, but we identified some knowledge gaps. Most articulated positive attitudes towards caring for pregnant trans, takatāpui and intersex people but a minority raised concerns about what they perceived as the ‘erasure of women’ within wider efforts to be inclusive. Many noted workforce pressure as a barrier to progressing change. Conclusion: Some midwives are already implementing inclusive practices, primarily led by Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) who champion affirming and inclusive community-based care. Ensuring that trans people and whānau can anticipate consistently affirming care when they engage in services beyond their LMC, particularly during hospital-based care, needs prioritisation as a workforce development strategy. To date, midwives have not been well prepared to provide inclusive care to this community, but they are willing to engage in education to support affirming and inclusive practice.

Dear Editors, This article includes several unqualified statements, e.g.: “Not all people who breastfeed/chestfeed are women” and “Unchallenged trans-exclusionary services can foster the assumption that all people who come to PHCPs [Perinatal Healthcare Providers] will be female”.

Background: Midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand, regardless of the setting, practise within a model of midwifery partnership. Soliciting feedback on practice provides an essential mechanism for midwives to work towards improving their practice. The New Zealand College of Midwives provides such a process for consumers of midwifery services to give feedback on their experiences directly to the midwife, via online consumer feedback forms. Aim: To identify the characteristics of midwifery care that contribute to positive and negative midwifery care relationships within the hospital setting. Methods: A retrospective mixed methods approach was used to analyse the consumer feedback on hospital midwives received between 1 January and 31 December, 2019. Quantitative data from feedback forms were analysed descriptively in combination with an iterative and reflexive thematic approach for the qualitative data. The analysis sought to identify characteristics of care that contributed to a positive or negative midwifery care experience in a hospital setting. Findings: There were 1,284 online feedback forms received for hospital midwives. The majority of respondents who completed feedback questionnaires were satisfied with their care (92%), reporting that hospital midwives provided information/explanations to support informed decision-making (94.0%), that they felt involved in planning/decisions about their care (93.7%) and that they experienced respect for decisions made (93.7%); these characteristics having the highest levels of agreement. Via qualitative analysis, we identified four key themes as contributing to the midwifery care experience in a hospital setting. Positive experience themes included: Building trust quickly, Respecting decision-making and Fostering maternal confidence, resulting in Meaningful partnerships. The negative experience themes were found to be the inverse of a positive midwifery care experience in a hospital setting. Specifically, these were: Not giving time and Judgement and disrespect, resulting in an Unsafe space and an Absence of partnership. Conclusion: The data from consumer feedback forms for 2019 affirm that the quality of the relationship with a hospital midwife is important in shaping the maternity care experience of women and birthing whānau in Aotearoa New Zealand. The characteristics of care that contribute to a positive midwifery care relationship in hospital reflect the principles outlined in the model of midwifery partnership.