Kōrero I wish I could’ve had with the WellChild nurse

I wish I could have been honest about terrible sleep - I lied and said sleep was okay, because I didn't want suggestions to sleep train. I also didn't mention…

I am a first time Mama and although I had all the support from Whanau and friends I still opted to do well-child checks instead of just going to doctors…

I wish that the post natal support that I received was for both my child and myself. I had regular check in for my child's health, but our decision to…

I chose not to take part in the Plunket system with my third baby after my experience with my Well Child nurse after having my second baby. I had a…

I wish my nurse showed up to the visits she booked with me instead of canceling a couple hours later

I wish my nurse could have identified the abuse in my relationship. Domestic violence, in my case - emotional and psychological abuse, seems to be avoided and ignored by professionals…

I wish my well child nurse could have given me strategies to help me cope with my super wakeful child, instead of pushing solids/tipping his cot up/reflux/weaning from brestfeeding none…

I wish I could've had an honest and helpful korero around co-sleeping. To be told the guidelines to do so safely, instead of the tired old 'baby in a crib…

Just before my son's 6 month check, I was diagnosed with post natal depression. When I mentioned it, the nurse's response was that she was here for my son, and…

Whenever I asked questions or expressed concerns I was told to phone the helpline. My daughter had chronic constipation and I asked for advice every time - was told to…

I wish my Plunket nurses had been better trained in the information they gave out. I hated my Plunket visits, all 3 nurses I saw over the years made judgemental,…

Our son was born 11lb, 1 oz. He was a hungry boy and as much as I wanted to breast feed him it just didn’t work out well. So he…

There were things I just never mentioned during plunket visits as I didn't want to deal with disapproval that I wasn't following their recommendations, like baby led weaning. I stopped…

I wish my well child nurse actually visited. With my second child, whilst supporting my partner through chemo, and going through one of the most difficult times of my life,…

I wish the plunket nurse was more open to more gentle settling methods when I discussed about my daughter (who was 5mths at the time) about her sleeping and not…

I wish my plunket nurse had listened to my concerns about my son and his poor sleeping and complete disinterest in eating solids. He breastfed all day and night, woke…

My son was a very, very unsettled baby and would only sleep on me or in my arms. I bedshared with my son from day 1 as that was the…

The first time I saw my well child nurse I mentioned that my baby didn’t sleep well so after a certain point in the night I would bring him into…

I wish I could have been more honest with my well child nurse about how I struggled to bond with my babies due to severe postnatal depression and other undiagnosed…

I wish that the appointment I was scheduled to have during covid level 3 had gone ahead by zoom. I had relocated towns with a 5 month old baby, away…

Something I wish we spoke about is the downs. Yes there are definitely many ups! Becoming a new Māmā and experiencing all the love and joy your new pepi gives…

I remember a lot of box ticking. I remember rushing to my babies room to make sure there were no blankets near the cot as I didn’t want her to…

I would’ve loved to have just talked about conflicting and overwhelming advice I would be given from all angles. Just somebody who understood that everybody has an opinion and that…

Excellent service for new mothers supportive educational and great nurses doing well checks thank you

I wish I could of got more info in regards to the impacts of my stress and gallstone pain I was dealing with whilst hapu towards the development and impacts…

I wish I felt comfortable enough to be 100% with them. I guess I felt like they were growling me if I didn't do things they way they liked/expected. Other than…

Being a young parent our well child provider talked to me like a young child, asking questions about safe sleep and I explain how my baby sleeps and then wanting…

Kia ora, In 1999 I was 19. I had become pregnant unexpectedly and ended the relationship. I had moved home from University after I became so unwell I had no…

This year in April , our 7yr old daughter lost her daddy to cancer. Through my own grief I searched for grief counseling for our daughter. Our daughter wanted to…

Kia Ora I became a mum at 18 as expected I was nervous and didn't know what to expect I am now 26 and have 4 children 2 under 2…

There were some things I wish I shared with my nurse. The reason why I didn’t was because I was afraid of being judged. I am a first time parent…

My first ever visit with the Plunket nurse - she turned up to my mothers house (I didn’t live there, but luckily I was there for the day - my…

I wish I could have told my plunket nurse how horrible things really were. My partner worked away for the first 8 weeks of my pēpē's life, my we were…

I'd been saving up my questions for my next Plunket visit, sleeping, eating, is what my baby is doing normal? But then my Plunket nurse text me, "I've resigned, there's…

The whole appointment the nurse looked at her screen typing as I spoke, checking boxes and plotting numbers on graphs. She didn’t even look me in the eye when she…

I have decided I won’t be attending any further plunket sessions with my daughter, or with any future children that I have. I really wanted this service to work for…

When my daughter was 3 weeks old I had to stop breastfeeding because my nipples were so badly ruined. I was pumping to feed, but not getting enough and switched…

I know that putting down baby somewhere safe to sleep is super important. I had fallen into bed-sharing, but felt too embarrassed to say that, so I just rattled off…

I used to run parenting sessions. We had so many parents turn up and be upset about something Plunket had said to them. We used to joke that lying to…

I wish that my first wellchild nurse had looked at the bigger picture of weight gain (which was really good) rather than just the week, where my baby's gain had…

I wish I could have told my plunket nurse how much damage her comments did. It was the very first Plunket visit. Because visits are basically only a data gathering…

I wish I had been able to share with our wellchild nurse that I was finding breastfeeding, pumping, & bottle top-ups for my twins extremely overwhelming. That because of a…

A Wellchild nurse came to do a before school check. Our son was 4 years old & on chemotherapy for Leukemia which made him his weight fluctuate drastically each month.…

My first Plunket nurse didn’t recognise the signs of reflux and made me feel like I was doing a terrible job of feeding and thought there was nothing wrong. I…

I had post-natal depression with my first & it took me a couple of months to accept it and ask for help from my partner and GP. Not longer after,…

We were going to a beach wedding over in Cairns when my first was 3 months old. My Wellchild nursed refused to give any sunscreen advice because sunscreen wasn’t approved…

When I was first pregnant, my husband and I researched everything as it came up. We felt pretty well informed. Suddenly we had this six wk prem baby and were…

I wish I had pushed back when my plunket nurse called to tell me they couldn't see us for the 12 month visit due to understaffing and being told word…

I wish my plunket nurse would have been more supportive and realistic about the realities of having twins. My twins never took to breast feeding so I exclusively pumped for…

I was absolutely terrified of becoming a first time Māmā, worried I wouldn’t be good enough, worried I wouldn’t know how to raise her. My daughter was born at 36…

One thing I needed as a younger mum, was factual support, not to feel like I was being judged. When I had my daughter 20 yrs later, it was such…

I feel the advice around starting solids is outdated from research I have done myself online and recently published books. Also bedsharing should be something we can discuss openly and…

I wish my nurse was more open about exploring lifestyle based choices, breastfeeding and returning to work, co-sleeping. I felt pushed to move my child out of our room at…

My problems with Plunket started fairly early on with an older nurse who seemed kind of "old-school" and very judgemental. In one session this nurse asked me three times if…

I wish I felt more cared about by my plunket nurse. We have had one appointment with her and one phone call. Both of those interactions have left me feeling…

Please do not share my personal hard times with my neighbours. Please don't tell me that I can't eat bananas because I am a diabetic. Please don't be patronising, for…

When I told you I was struggling with my baby’s sleep, I wish we could have discussed normal infant sleep, realistic expectations and how to get through it. You told…

Kia ora my concern is how do we know if the nurse or staff are racist or not. Being Maori, this is a real concern. The treatment and attitude my…

I wish I could have been honest that we were bed sharing and that this was accepted and that I wouldn't be judged for it. It was right for us…

I wish we could talk about safe bedsharing to sleep and breastfeed. I read Sweet Sleep by the La Leche League and started sometimes bedsharing and always putting baby to…

My well child nurse was very intense. Her visits made me anxious, she would always over share on her experiences. Our little one suffered from bad reflux and I asked…

I know they are well-meaning but I was quite stressed by my well-child provider. She was so focused on weight gain rather than looking at my healthy child. I just…

When I was struggling in the first few weeks of my child's life, my well child nurse told me to dance around the house. What I really needed was some…

I wish that my plunket nurse would have listened to what I was really saying. I was having issues with breastfeeding and my baby wasn’t gaining weight. I stressed these…

I appreciate the regular checkups plunket provides. But I find it mainly helpful for getting weights and measurements and make sure my baby is doing ok. I found they gave…

My plunket nurse keeps forcing tummy time at each visit. My research as an early childhood teacher has led me to have pretty strong views against the need for tummy…

I had two extremes of plunket nurses. One interrogated every aspect of what we did, when I mentioned occasional formula was told I should stop using it and stick to…

My plunket nurse is actually very well informed. She supported safe co-sleeping, explained normal infant sleep and supported BLW. She helped me make my own decisions. My only issues were…

The fact that my mum friends and I have a joke called #donttellplunket is telling that we feel judged rather than supported. I was originally referred to plunket by my…

I have had two great plunket nurses. They have given me some great advice but have also given me advice that I have chosen not to take as I didn’t…

I needed support due to my son waking every 15-20 minutes at night for months (starting when he was 8 months), instead of my concerns being taken seriously I was…

When I had my son nearly 4 years ago, my plunket nurse came over and in a flippent, clearly ticking a box way said "any depression?" with a smile on…

Dealing with cyps and child out of NICU with terrible sleep my boy would nap on me when I slept so we both got rest. Had a family Start worker…

I’ve been really happy with all 4 well child nurses I’ve come across with my two children over the last two years. They have respected my decision not to do…

I wish I had thanked her more for her time and support, she was so lovely to me and my new baby, and truly cared for both our wellbeing. I…

I wish I could’ve said how sad and angry I was about never receiving the promised help. I had bad PPD and struggled breastfeeding and I got told there was…

I wish my well child nurse had just told me when they didn't know something and told me they would find out and let me know later, instead she told…

My first son cried a lot and I didn't know why. I was having a bit of pain feeding and wondering why, when I heard on a FB group about…

My Well Child Nurse from Plunket arrived at my home, saw my baby sleeping in a wrap (following all safety precautions) and said "I hope you don't do that regularly.…

Cosleeping. I strongly believe that safe Cosleeping should be taught and supported. So much risk is there from parents falling asleep accidentally, or unintentionally cosleeping. Antenatal and post-natal it's just…

I wish I could have shared that I was struggling with tiredness and needed help with breastfeeding. I was using a nipple shield (due to my boy being 3 weeks…

Our plunket nurse was the only one for our area. I found her very awkward and hard to deal with. I thought if I stopped contact I would get contacted…

My pepi would scream whenever we placed her on her back to sleep. When I asked the nurse for ideas/help, she could only repeat the sids recommendations - that she…

Kia ora, I had just moved to wellington from a small North Island town with a toddler and a newborn. The process and potential predisposition gave me PND. With the…

I wish my well child nurse listened and observed rather than talked about herself. I had an extremely traumatic birth and felt it couldnt reach out for help. It was…

I never got to build a relationship with my well child nurse. In fact, my child’s wellchild book is mostly blank. He is 18 months and we haven’t seen or…

I wish they offered more advice on sleep for babies and infants. I was advised by my plunket nurse to hire a sleep consultant but I believe this should be…

From the beginning we had a wonderful, supportive, and open-minded Plunket nurse, who talked through options for feeding, sleeping, and reassured me about my babies size and growth (she is…

I wish we were suppprted to trust our intuition more.. with my son I did all they said with regards to sleeping, drowsy but awake, sleep training etc etc.. my…

My well child child visits have all been 10 minutes or less despite my daughter having some health issues such as her soft spot closing super early, and mouth formation…

I chose not to use Plunket for my second child. I actually had a fairly positive experience with them with my first, but I quickly became aware I was in…

I wish there was less focus on box ticking in terms of weight and height milestones and that I felt empowered to trust in my body's ability to feed my…

I wish my Plunket nurse had more knowledge of breastfeeding past infancy. Choosing to continue feeding until 2+ years wasn't something I felt like I could talk about with my…

I wish that I could have talked to my nurse about co-sleeping, extended breastfeeding, night time responsive parenting, gentle responsive weaning, co-regulation. All the things that I knew in my…

I wish we could have had more robust conversations about starting solids. Rather than feel supported to wait until 6mo/baby sitting independently and choosing 'baby led weaning' over traditional puree,…

I wish I could have been more honest about our sleeping situation to better normalise safe bed sharing. We skirted around the edges when she asked questions. I felt well…

I wish I didn’t feel judged when I talked about co-sleeping, baby wearing and feeding my baby to sleep. I would have loved a conversation of support when I finally…

I wish I could have told them I was bed sharing. I wish I could have asked how to do so safely. I was fortunate enough to find resources online,…

I wish I would’ve felt comfortable to ask how to safely bedshare, as well as had a more in-depth discussion about my baby’s sleeping (it wasn’t normal as she had…

I wish my Plunket nurses could have had more information / suggestions for my baby who didn’t sleep well at night. The only solution was to cry it out with…

I wish we could've talked about how to safely cosleep and the benefits of following the child's lead. I wish there was less judgement, less push for sleep training, more…

Lying to the Plunket nurse is just par for the course. Yes of course my baby sleeps on his back every night - actually he won’t sleep unless he’s on…

My first nurse from plunket didn't agree with cosleeping, bed sharing, baby led weaning, extended breastfeeding past 1, and felt I should turn my babies car seat forward facing at…

With my third child, I stopped visiting the nurse as I felt she didn’t listen and had an agenda for each visit before I even arrived. She constantly went on…

I believe I experienced PPD with my second child, the thought of Tamariki Ora coming and taking my kids so easily stopped me from opening up and reaching out for…

That bed-sharing was the best thing that happened in m my mothering journey. It’s natural and can be done safely. Let’s realise that most parents will sleep with their baby…

At my first two appointments I explained that I was having severe anxiety since baby was born, that I had a history of mental illness and that I was having…

I was having some intrusive thoughts after my first child was born. I would have benefitted from talking this through with someone. But the way the questions are asked are…

My daughter was born early. I always wanted to breast feed my daughter as I know breast milk is the best. I found being in NICU very difficult. I was…

I really like my plunket nurse and she is very caring and helpful. However, I feel like she believes that some ways of doing things (sleep training instead of bed…

I wish I could have asked for advice on how to safely bedshare; how to ensure my baby led weaning baby would have enough iron in her diet. I wish…

I wish I felt confident to breastfeed, and I wanted support to solve issues I was having with it. When I said I had flat nipples and latching was so…

My daughter falls asleep on me every night, then I bring her to bed with me and we safely co-sleep. Any type of settling her in her bed doesn't seem…

About half way through the first visit the nurse became alarmed because we had cats and she was allergic to cats so she wrapped it up early. It seemed a…

My tamariki ora nurses were beautiful, I went with a Māori provider, they were both lovely people. I felt comfortable with sharing with them. The main issue I had is…

The compulsory question: Are you safe? Was always asked uncomfortably, at the end as a finisher as we were getting up and in a way that there wasnt the space…

Being a new mum was hard. My first bub cried a lot and only seemed to sleep when I was holding her. I wasn't comfortable with leaving her to cry…

I just told the Plunket what I thought they wanted to hear and that's what they wrote down in my children's book. I wasn't open about my addiction, problems with…

I felt the Plunket nurse was rushed and stressed. I didn't really attend many visits after my second child as I didn't want to but more pressure on the service,…

I wish I could have told my Plunket nurse how grateful I was for her support and let her know how much of a help she had been in answering…

The nurse asked if baby was having tummy time. I said that I didn't agree with tummy time and tried to explain my reasons (including that many experts and paediatricians…

I wish I had the courage to tell the nurse at my most recent appointment how horrified I was to hear that they offer such outdated methods such as cry…

I didn't tell them we hadn't introduced dairy because when I ate dairy while breast feeding my son would projectile vomit. I wish we could have talked about it without…

I wish I was encouraged to bed share safely rather than being told off for doing so. All my babies were extremely windy and on my first ever Plunket visit…

I have never told my Plunket nurse that I cosleep with my baby. Every appointment I get asked if the baby sleeps in their own bed and I always lie.…

My first plunket nurse with my eldest was amazing, she supported my choices and gave so much support for my silent reflux baby. My nurse for my second child was…

For my first child we had a new plunket nurse each visit which meant we never built a rapport and just felt like all they did was ask the standard…

I was hesitant to use plunket as my well child provider due to hearing so many awful things over the years and on social media but went with them anyways…

On one of my first visits to Plunket I was showing visible signs of being overwhelmed, over tired, stressed, anxiety etc the nurse asked why I thought I was feeling…

My second child was a chubba bubba! She was over the top of the height-weight chart at her 4 month check up. Now I was as surprised as anyone at…

When my baby was 12 months old and our nurse asked how often he fed and I said I didn't know.. and she pressed me so I said maybe 3…

My Plunket nurse was probably a really lovely woman. She did home visits because we were so unable to make it to Plunket rooms for visits. But one day, she…

It's an unwritten rule amongst co-sleeping mum's to lie and just say baby is sleeping in a cot to avoid annoying lectures from Plunket nurses. When my baby was 6…

I had thrush and Raynauds when feeding my first child. She dismissed me about it and just said breastfeeding was hard. It was horrific until I got help from an…

My original plunket nurse had to change me over to one of the community clinics as she had too many clients. On my first visit, I explained how my daughter…

My third child was born with a genetic condition that causes a number of disabilities, both hidden and obvious. Although she was hospitalised for several months of her infanthood, and…

I said that I was struggling to cope and felt like I needed a glass of wine sometimes late at night to settle my nerves. My plunket nurse straight away…

Before the birth of my first child I was a psychologist in the mental health sector which was noted in one of my first plunket appointments. After this information was…

I had many negative interactions with my first plunket nurse. The very first meeting she told me “co-sleeping is not ok in any culture” She said this with such judgement…

After an awful experience with Plunket with my second child, I was nervous for my first visit with no3. I was pleasantly surprised to meet a new nurse that was…

My son was born premature and had some complex medical issues, I don’t think the plunket nurse ever paid any attention to his notes asking the same question each time…

I had my second child 6 years after my first and was absolutely determined to breastfeed this time around. I felt like a new mum again, I was anxious, exhausted…

I wish I stopped replying to my plunket nurse earlier. Every time I asked her something about breast feeding, bottle feeding, solids or sleeping she gave me a disapproving look,…

Our first plunket nurse was great, she was an experienced grandmother that didnt let tick-boxs stop her from being helpful...unfortunately she retired after two visits and every nurse after that…

I wish we didn’t slip through the cracks when you moved areas. In 3 months my baby has only been checked once. More than 6 weeks has passed since then…

I wish I could have told you I don’t feel important. That appointments were cancelled at the drop of a hat when I had been trying to impress you because…

1. I felt my previous trauma was seen. She asked questions that helped me to look at what I was bringing into my role as a parent - but there…

My plunket nurse came into my house for her first visit and said how glad she was that she didn’t buy a house in the new area we had just…

I felt so unsupported & disempowered by Plunket with my first daughter that I chose not to use the service with my second. I wasn't a super young mother, but…

I didn’t have a well child nurse for my baby born Feb 2020. Before we went into the first L4 lockdown my midwife already changed to over the phone postnatal…

We Co-slept and extended breastfed with both of our girls. I didnt need it be told off for this by my plunket nurse (more the cosleeping) and I knew she…

I chose Plunket as my daughters well child provider. I hadn't put much consideration into the provider, my midwife asked me not long after my daughters birth- so I was…

My husband and I co-slept with my daughter right from when she was a newborn. It is what my people always did until colonisation, and felt most natural and right…

My son had a red patch on his penis and unable to reach my tamariki ora nurse on the weekend I called the plunket line number she had shown me…

I wish my whanau and I were more than a tickbox on my Wellchild Nurse's clipboard. I wish I had the courage to tell her that no, I wasn't waking…

I asked them not to come back. I felt fear every time they came and when they left I had to actively defear. It would affect my sleep that night…

I just felt judged. I didn’t feel like I was being heard - I was only asked questions for their data I asked about sunblock and was made out to…

I wish I had been able to tell my Well Child nurse about our co-sleeping so that I could receive good, safe and supportive advice instead of feeling like I…

I was feeling like a good mum despite all the struggles baby and I had thrown at us with a very tricky birth and early feeding experience. My first Well…

My husband went back to work after a week and I was left looking after a newborn and a 7 year old child with special needs, while recovering from a…

I have never forgotten my first Plunket/Well Child visit. I swear the nurse never looked at me the entire time she was asking her questions and ticking boxes in her…

When I had my first son I wish my Plunket nurse actually got back to me.. she never did after 6 months. And with my youngest I had lots trouble…

Our well child nurse only turned up once my girl was born prematurely at 29+3 weeks and nearly 11 weeks spent in nicu. When we had our first well child…

I wish that the Wellchild nurses would not put all children and their development into a square box. My youngest has some health issues and every time I raised my…

I wish I could have talked openly about cosleeping. It was the only way we could get some sleep. I did the research and side lying feeding while asleep was…

My plunket nurse was absolutely amazing and I wish I had told her more times how much her positive and kind encouragement meant to me as a solo mum with…

I was very keen to do right by my baby and one thing I discovered early on was to listen to my instinct for what he needed. Sometimes this instinct…

My partner and I feel very lucky to have an amazing Well Child Nurse. However if there is one thing we think would have helped would be our midwife and…

With six children and a few house moves I have gone through a few plunket nurses. I have had good and bad, one lady was just lovely and extremely easy…

I struggled to build a rapport with my plunket nurse when I had my first baby. I always felt very awkward during the visits. My baby was formula fed and…

I wish I could’ve talked to my Plunket nurse about vegetarian/vegan food for babies and toddlers. The Plunket nurse (and another Plunket educator) made me feel judged and they kept…

My wellchild nurse was a very nice lady, who lived in a happy wee bubble of her own making. Even when I tried explaining to her how much I was…

Kia Ora Unfortunately my last journey with my youngest was a very difficult one as she was born with a brain disorder, We'll Children's serves were a no show after…

I did not have midwife during my pregnancy because no midwife at my area wanted to take me. Their excuses were they were too busy and my due date did…

The Tamariki Ora nurses I had were amazing. I originally dealt with Plunket and found they were too narrow minded and by the book, in their approach and didn’t see…

Postnatal care for me. Oh how some simple questions about how my body was doing after a difficult birth may have saved me from years of discomfort and surgery NINE…

With my first child I tried to do things the "right" way - sleeping her alone in a cot every night. She hated it and I ended up very sleep…

Our Plunket nurse is great. I have however three wee comments to Plunket in general. For most parts the nurses are trained to push through "the one and only" somewhat…

Plunket was great apart from the breastfeeding stand I understand breast is best but when your body has been through a traumatic experience during birth sometimes it’s doesn’t do what…

To the Plunket nurse who visited me with my first baby: I wish I hadn't backtracked and told you what you wanted to hear so you could fill in your…

Particularly with your first child you don’t know what to ask, what to expect or what is ‘normal’. The Plunket nurse I had with my first daughter was absolutely fantastic.…

I was so overwhelmed. I was struggling mentally and emotionally, my baby just woke all the time through the night and I thought I was failing somehow. When I was…

I wish I could have openly discussed that I was cosleeping, how to do it safely, and how much of a help cosleeping was for me with sleep deprivation. I…

I have a 2.5yr old and a 6month old. I wish the well child nurses I've seen were more supportive of alternative parenting styles. I felt so anxious to co…

Our first baby girl is a delight but from day one has not slept well and struggled with breastfeeding. I developed a breast abscess and found things all very hard.…

My first baby wasn’t a unicorn. He cried a lot, struggled to gain weight and woke very frequently. At our appointment around 12-15 months the Plunket nurse asked if he…

I liked my Plunket nurse but she gave terrible sleep advice and referred me to a blogger who specialises in sleep training when I tried to explain how sleep deprived…

I feel like I was made to be scared of co-sleeping. I really wish my Plunket nurse would have explained how to safely co-sleep and shown me how breastfeed lying…

Wish I got more information on breast feeding at hospital. First few days I was struggling because he was feeding but still seemed really unsettled. I found out through a…

When my daughter was little, she was never a good sleeper. I was always against co-sleeping but sometimes ended up doing it out of desperation. It was the only way…

Breastfeeding/bottle feeding advice is needed! All the babies I grew, I breastfed, the gifted one was, obviously, bottle fed. What a friggen mission! Breastfeeding took 6 weeks to master, then…

My Son is nearly 2, and I’ve only seen plunket 3 (maybe 4) times, each for maybe 15 mins. One appointment was double booked and I had to come back…

Things I wish I had been told! That my baby needed more than two minutes on each side after a few days old, he was always hungry. I was still…

I didn't have a well child nurse visit me at all with any of my 4 children. I can't really remember why, but I preferred it that way. I did…

No judgment! I wish i could have told her that i was co-sleeping (yes it can be done safely and many cultures do! Safe sleep 7 etc) without her telling…

I am a mother to a 3 year old child and I have not had much experience with a wellchild nurse. My provider was Plunket, I have only had the…

I had two babies within the space of 17 months. Both babies had reflux, difficulty breastfeeding and rarely slept. I had numerous Plunket nurses and lactation consultants in my home.…

My first baby was stuck in the birthing canal for 3 hours. The result of this was my son was jaundiced and my tailbone was severely bruised and I could…

I wish my well child provider had have asked me more about my postnatal health. No one talks about what happens to your body when you have a baby and…

I'd worked in public health so I thought I'd nail this motherhood thing. I understood 'best practice'; the evidence and the risks; 'breast is best', 'co-sleeping increases the risk of…

- Baby routines - I did not cope well forcing baby in to a routine. And while the feed, play, sleep may work well for some I eventually found that…

Whats in a name. I have two beautiful tamariki who both have Maori names, names in which have significant meaning, have whakapapa connections and where given to them with love…

I had four Plunket nurses in the first year of my first child's life, they couldn't seem to keep staff. The last one in particular - the last one because…

When my first child was born we were living with my mother in law because my partner (the childs father was between jobs). The nurse told me I had to…

I flat out lied to my plunket nurse because I just knew they were going to give me the same cookie cutter answers as if all babies and whanau are…

I wish I could have told the plunket nurse that my daughter was co sleeping with me, that this was the only way she would sleep, without being told that…

I wish that there was consistency in information between different wellchild nurses. One visit I was told to start solids, next visit told off for this - as a young…

I wish my well child nurse or midwife had given me information on safe bedsharing. My baby did not sleep and I ended up dropping off in unsafe places like…

I wish there had been any consistency at all in who I saw in early visits. Instead I got completely different information and personal opinions. And care absolutely disappeared from…

Kia ora koutou. I don't have much to say other than when we lived rurally we constantly had visits postponed and then cancelled and after a while they just didn't…

I have three children, I had mixed experiences with plunket nurses. Most were great and listened and had good advice. We had an experience where our 2nd child wasn’t going…

Both my babies were born full term and exclusively breastfed. And both had terrible reflux, one incapable of burping who vomited minimum a dozen times a day and the other…

I had a wonderful nurse who I couldn’t fault (same one for both children). But I did feel like she was restricted in her role, by not being able to…

Now a Mum of 5 children that range between 14 and 5 years old I can be more reflective and look at why the journey with midwives and plunket nurses…

I felt like just a number. Even when we do seethe nurse she not really interested. My youngest child is 3 in December and I haven't heard from my Well…

I was a young mum and felt judged for that. I also felt huge pressure to breast feed and was made to feel inadequate and stupid when I struggled with…

I felt constantly judged for my parenting decisions by multiple Plunket nurses. I found breast feeding incredibly difficult the first time and Plunket were of no help with this -…

Keeping in mind that my mātāmua is almost 14 now, this story might no longer be relevant. When I first had my child, I had done a ton of research…

I never told my plunket nurse how i was really feeling at home - overwhelmed, underappreciated, stressed to the max, confused, alone, frustrated, and scared of my baby. Until one…

I wish I could have had some korero with our Wellchild nurse. Any korero. In our South Island city our local Plunket rooms seem to have been mothballed. My 10…

I wish I could’ve told her how not being able to breastfeed was effecting me, I wish I could’ve told her what I really thought when she said “I don’t…

I was living rurally, had a toddler and a newborn and found it hard to organise myself to get to Plunket Well-Child checks. I regularly saw a Plunket car drive…

You would think with my mother working for Plunket, that I would have been well supported. Think again. A while ago now, but when my eldest was 3 mths old,…

I am a health professional and this is my second baby so I feel quite confident in parenting. I engaged with well child services from 6 weeks and have attended…

I wish I could have said about my child’s allergies and getting more help with that. Seems to be brushed off. By most health care people as she will grow…

Not once did I ever tell my Plunket Nurse that I slept my two eldest sons on their sides (using a safety sleep device), or that I was topping up…

I wish I could have told my well-child nurse that I was rough with my baby a few times and that I smacked her from time to time when she…

When I was a ftm 4 years ago I wish my well child nurse had been more supportive around bedsharing, Co sleeping and not sleep training. I wish she had…

A lot of the time during being hapu and after having my baby, I felt guilty I could not be up to par in the pakeha worldview. I was told…

Arohamai, possibly not the stories you are after but I did want to share my experience. As a Pacific Island woman I made the choice not to go to Plunket…

I am so thankful for our plunket nurse. She is positive, approachable and affirming of our parenting style. My first baby is very petite but I never felt any pressure…

Im not sure if this is relevant as it was 25 years ago. I did struggle as a single mum and a child that had horrible tantrums and i had…

I learnt after our first few visits that I could not be honest. I learnt to give you the "right" answers to your many questions, as you were not understanding…

That I'm really struggling and I need help. I felt passed around the system. Baby had reflux, lost weight. Plunket referred to hospital pediatrician who complained about me being there…

I respected the time you sat with me and shared kōrero. I wish I didn't feel judged that I was bed sharing baby and feeding him to sleep. I felt…

I wish my well child Nurse could have listened to my concerns well. As I am feeling left alone. I am advocating for my son who is 7 when he…

Back in 2015 when I quit a low-paying job to be a stay home dad, the first year was very challenging. Since my wife had a lengthy natural labour and…

I wish my daughter wasn’t judged by her weight or height, she was born a chubby baby and it has continued but it doesn’t stop her learning or who she…

I wish I had more confidence in the advice you gave me. My baby was dropping percentiles in the 3rd month and the first Well Child Nurse told me to…

You wrote feeding and sleeping well at each appointment, after I spent the whole time holding back tears trying to explain that baby was doing neither.

The first time they called it was a bad day. Baby wouldn’t latch and she was screaming with hunger and I was weeping and feeling like a failure before I…

*content warning - baby loss* This story is long so sorry in advance 🥰 In 2006 at the age of 17 almost 18 I found out I was due to…

I wish you would have actively supported me in my desire to breastfeed my premature twins. Instead you undermined me at every opportunity, from failing to diagnose incredibly obvious oral…

I wish I could have been honest about sleep without being told to let my baby cry for 2 hours. I wish that I was told it was normal for…

I wish I could have felt comfortable talking about safe co-sleeping and night feeding, instead of being made to feel like both were not good practices (I’ve since read research…

So I have four children under ten. I suffered pre and post natal with the first three and post with the 4th who is 9 months. I’m now under tamariki…

Where to begin: bed sharing and co-sleeping, contact naps, formula top ups, and the one “safe” topic was to say to the Plunket nurse that I’d enrolled with a baby…

I wish I could've told you I was still using a nipple shield. Our first appointment was over the phone and I felt like you didn't listen. You didn't know…

I wish I could have gotten more help for my husband who had PPD. The counsellor I was recommended was too expensive for more than one session. He need the…

I wish I could have told the Plunket nurses that after my baby hit 4 months, his sleep became so terrible that he was waking every 45 mins and I…

I wish I could have told my plunket nurse that I felt anxious to leave my baby. That I didn’t know if this was normal, but the less sleep I…

I wish I could have had the same support person each time so we could have built a stronger relationship. Each time my appointment was with someone new. It felt…

I wish I could’ve told my first plunket nurse how great and understanding she was. Even of my cosleeping and attachment parenting. She got reassigned suddenly and there was no…

I had a phone appointment when my daughter was 5 weeks old and the nurse was so horrible, judging because I didn’t drive and wasn’t on birth control, was really…

I wish I could’ve actually seen a wellchild nurse. Is 2 times sufficient in 4yrs? My midwife had to chase for a first visit and she was unprepared when she…

I presented at Hospital with pain in my upper stomach. It was level 4 and 10pm on a Saturday night. The pain was excruating. I knew I had a gall…

I wish, 15- 21 years ago, that the Well Child (Plunket) nurses knew to screen for postnatal depression and anxiety and more importantly for relationship violence. Not the physical type,…

I wish I actually got appointments! Even if it was my third child I was in a different situation and still wanted an appointment.

I wish you would have helped guide and reassure me when I told you I was interested in baby-led weaning, instead of outright refusing to help. You came to visit…

That I needed help. I was/am drowning a lot of the time but I don’t trust you enough to ask for help, or think that the help you may offer…

I had my first child in 2016 and enrolled with Plunket. I thought you had to be tangata whenua to enrol with the local iwi provider. I had what objectively…

I was told by a Plunket nurse that i should put my baby in their crib, close the door for the night and leave them to cry. But make sure…

My daughter is 3.5 years old (first and last child). We had a wonderful local plunket nurse who provided great support for our first year. Then she retired. I returned…

I wish I could have told her how much I was struggling. How guilty I felt that I didn’t love my daughter. How guilty I felt that I felt totally…

I found each well child visit more like an interview, its literally a check list. As there was no pre existing relationship between the nurse and I, I found it…

I wish I could have talked about safe bed sharing. With a very wakeful baby that struggled to sleep and wouldn't sleep in his own bed I was exhausted. I…

I wish I could had said how much I was suffering without feeling guilty or ashamed. I lived in a different town for my first child and got on well…

My first baby wasn't a good sleeper and I felt broken from the tiredness. I kept telling my plunket nurse that it was so hard and she kept saying babies…

My well child nurse visited only twice and I never heard or seen her again. Would of been nice to build a relationship which was beneficial to me and baby

I found going to the plunket nurse a waste of time, they weren't any help, the only thing that was worth while was to see how much my boy had…

My nurse is great and really casting, and manages to remember children from one appointment to the next. One thing that I struggled with though is the question of sleep.…

I have three children. My first nurse said that, at 5 weeks old, I should be leaving my son to scream to go to sleep. I replied that he would…

When my boy was a newborn, I wish I had had the confidence to openly reject the Plunket advice to only breastfeed my baby every 3-4 hours. Such a dated…

My son was born premature at 36weeks, IUGR and only 2kgs. He had lots of other health issues and was fed through an NG tube. As he was so small…

I have to say I was very lucky. I knew something was different with my son very early on but didn't want to say anything. On his wellchild visit, the…

My plunket nurse was amazing my mum friends however some haven’t been seen some 6 -8. Simply forgotten about. The better questions is how would you have changed your postpartum…

I wish I had of said.... Actually I still don't know. My daughter was born with multiple congenital problems. She is my one and only :) She is 17 today,…

My plunket nurse was very judgemental, I made sure only to answer the questions and not add anything else. Around 10 months I switched to my GP who was more…

I think there should be a mental and physical check up for mum’s either before they start with their Well Child practitioner (final visit with midwife or seperate dr visit)…

I had a traumatic birth and trouble breast feeding, with low milk supply. I found it really hard during the first few months of bubbas life. At one plunket check…

My baby struggled with reflux and is a terrible sleeper. At the time he was born it was a very busy time for our family and my husband was away…

I had a very traumatic birth and six days in hospital. My daughter was born via emergency c section, I had external and then internal bleeding etc My recovery took…

I have experienced both bad and good experience with Plunket. We didn’t start off on a good note as it wasn’t until my baby was actually almost 3 months old…

After going through IVF hell you made me feel terrible about being unable to breastfeed. Very little practical advice. Just constant emphasis on how important it was. My child's pre…

First off, finding out I was pregnant was a shock but exciting. Secondly finding a midwife was really hard but I found one around 3 months of pregnancy even though…

I was 21 when I had my first child. She was planned and I was the most excited new mum ever! I loved my baby girl and everything that came…

I am a first time mum. My Well Child Nurse appointments have felt that there was a conflict of knowledge on her behalf. She based her advice on what she…

I am a first time mum. I don't like talking to my plunket nurse. Firstly she needs to learn to listen then talk. I got my baby's 5months shots done…

I appreciated the breastfeeding centre and the support they provided. I did not appreciate my visits to my local Plunket nurse. They were filled with judgement and little advice. They…

I was lucky to have a fantastic nurse for the majority of my journey with a Wellchild nurse. However, when she was sick I was given an appointment with another…

With my first child, my Plunket nurses appointments were so short and to the point, it was like running through a checklist. There was no space in the appointment to…

It's been nearly 10 years since my tamaiti was a wee babe but my one and only interaction with a Well Child nurse has been burned into my memory and…

I have 4 children. With my first three babies I had a wonderful experience with my plunket nurse. I had the same nurse for each of my three eldest babies…

I have 8 children and have had a love hate relationship with plunked and lactation consultants for the last 18 years. I wish I could have told the nurse after…

As a first time mother that had a really traumatic birth and a baby that was small not prem but had been starved and not grown for weeks the doctor…

Having an unexpected, high-risk pregnancy in my 40's, which resulted in a long term stay in the hospital until baby was born was challenging for me and my whanau. I…

I wish I could have really told her how depressed I really was. Every time she handed me the note pad that had the how are you feeling questions she…

I had inverted nipples and obviously needed help with breastfeeding. I was made to feel useless and not supported at all. Even though I persevered and used formula to top…

When I had my first son I was 20 and had no family support around and none of my friends had kids. My partner was 21 and it was also…

I was an older mum, having my first child at 37, she was a healthy girl and we co slept as she awoke often in the night. As this was…

I wish I could have told my wellchild nurse that I wasn’t happy being a mother. I wish I could have told her my soul was being crushed by a…

I suffered PN psychosis. And intrusive thoughts. I was told....but your baby is cute. I was told ...why can't you cope. I was told to stop breastfeeding. My GP saved…

I found my Plunket nurse a huge support with my first child. I am also so thankful for the Plunket maternity wellbeing service I received after my son was born…

I loved my experiences with plunket. Hignsight is wonderful isn't it?! I wish I could have told them I was feeling depressed and stressed. But I wasn't ready to admit…

I wish I could’ve told the Plunket nurse I really needed her to come to my house. I didn’t want to make a big deal about going in for appointments…

After a traumatic birth and horrible hospital experience, I was desperate for some understanding and supportive people to help me in those early days as it was only me, my…

I have two tamariki and chose Plunket for both. They were fantastic, always worked around me for our appointments and even started early so I could have an appointment before…

I had an amazing experience with my plunket nurse. She was non-judgemental, present, and really open to providing me with the information and tools I needed to be the best…

I suffer from bad postnatal depression and still struggle with it now. My baby is now one and it has had a detrimental impact on both of us. At our…

I wish I could have been able to tell my plunket nurse that I was cosleeping and instead of being shamed was educated in the subject. The one time I…

I wish I could have admitted I was co-sleeping (with both of my children). They both didn’t sleep “like babies” but slept like real babies, and we all got so…

I wish I could’ve told the nurses that I saw that their rigid (and often wrong) views are not backed by latest scientific data. That us mums are trying to…

I wish I could have told my wellchild nurse that I felt like I didn’t have a bond with my baby. After a really difficult pregnancy (hospitalized at 24 weeks)…

When my daughter was around 7 months her overnight sleeps changed dramatically and she was beginning to wake extremely frequently. My husband and I had decided to trial introducing formula…

In the beginning my son seemed normal and plunket kept telling me as such, but when I started raising concerns in the first two months I was told being a…

My son, who is now 19, has had severe eczema since he was a baby. This has taken a huge toll on our entire family over the year. He has…

My baby had had a bit of a tricky start to life. We had a traumatic birth and he had a few medical conditions but nothing serious. It was a…

My Plunket nurse was a gossip. We lived in a small community with a fairly high birth rate. She use to ask my husband and I if we knew anything…

I co sleep because it works - can you support me through this journey instead of just telling me not too

From the moment my well child nurse walked in I felt judged. We were the same ethnicity, reasonably close in age and from the same socioeconomic background. I’m not sure…

My two younger children slept in the bed with me. It’s what worked best for our family. I never shared this with our well child nurse because I knew I…

My eldest child wasn’t really interested in eating food until she was 1, which I now know is perfectly normal. My Plunket nurse tried to tell me to breastfeed her…

My first child I had at 18 years old my well child care nurse shamed me for being a young mum and I always felt like she judged me. When…

A lot of things. Mostly that I thought I had PND. At about 12 weeks? Just as we went into lockdown, it all came crashing down and I went for…

I wish I could have admitted we were co-sleeping. And that we weren't prepared to sleep train with CIO. I would have really appreciated some safe co sleep guidance. But…

I wish I could have engaged in healthy kōrero with my wellchild nurse about cosleeping. Instead when I raised the subject I was shut down with cosleeping being condemned as…

I had my first encounter with a well child nurse after my care was handed over from my midwife at 6weeks PP. I had severely inverted nipples and was breastfeeding…

I wish i could of told them i sleep with my baby every night in my bed without being shamed for it. Id much rather have helpful advice around how…

I wish I could have told my Plunket nurse that I was co-sleeping. I have 3 children and have co slept with all of them, I learnt quickly with my…

The first visit was amazing, she got it! We had a small baby IUGR which meant she grew slower than other babies, was 2nd percentile. This wasn’t a problem for…

My first well child nurse made me so insecure about my parenting as a first time mum. She was very old school and didn't like techniques I was using (such…

That I safely co-slept with my child. Any word of it was extremely frowned upon, yet I had done my research and was making sure I was being safe. I…

I wish we could have talked about formula making and bottle sterilising. Instead I was told they could only advise on breastfeeding which was confusing as I was unable to…

I wish I could have told her how scared I was, 23 years old & parenting an unplanned baby. I wish she had asked me if l felt OK. I…

literally everything. My nurse spent so much time asking things like if I was being sexually abused (while my poor husband was in the next room) and dramatically talking about…

My baby never slept. I was surviving on 20 minute power naps day and night. I was told it was normal and just sleep when I could. I ended up…

Why didn't you do as I asked? I left so many verbal cues and then space, and then silence when I wasn't feeling good and didn't quite know how to…

I wish I could of told my well child nurse how my babies sleep really was and that we safely bedshare on rough nights and how we still breastfeed to…

I had a nice relationship with my Well Child nurse, but I felt I couldn't talk openly with her because of our different cultural background. There are aspects of NZ…

Kia ora koutou, My baby is māori. Her whakapapa; Te Aupouri. When she was 6 weeks old, she bled into her nappy. I was petrified and instantly called the midwife…

I wish they had bothered. I wish they had kept the day and time they said they were coming. Told there was no nurse for our area at one stage.…

I found her views old fashioned. Co-sleeping is very bad. Leave your baby to cry to sleep, even if he is terrified and vomiting. Crying for 2 hours a night…

That I have a mental injury under an acc sensitive claim. I have never told anyone about this. However when new professionals came into my life when my twins were…

I wish my nurse had focused on my mental health and referred me to talk to someone with personal experience in raising a globally delayed child. I wish she had…

With all my 3 babies (the last 2 were twins now 14 months) I was never asked about my mental health. I was diagnosed with PND at 9 weeks ppd…

I wish I’d been able to talk about co sleeping. I’ve done some research and it’s so natural and accepted in many cultures. I find it works for me with…

I wish my nurse had asked me to rate my mood or some other kind of question that would have made it easy for me to say that I think…

I wish co-sleeping wasn't as taboo as it is. Every single mum I know has had their infant in bed with them at some point, either by choice (as I…

I was lucky I knew before hand I didn't have to use Plunket so could access a provider that suited my cultural needs. I was comfortable with my provider and…

I wish I could have told them that I was co-sleeping, baby-led weaning, and baby-wearing. Instead I nodded along and withheld information UNTIL I switched to our kaupapa Māori health…

I didn’t even know you could choose your Well Child provider. Plunket were AWFUL. AWFUL. When I switched to Ora Toa I finally found people that cared about me AND…

As a first time Mum with a Bub that really didn’t like sleeping by herself during the day - Plunket told me ‘wow this is the most difficult baby I…

A anxious new Mum that had severe PND but my WellChild provider kept telling me I was ‘fine’ and ‘having a baby is hard’. She literally wrote in my Plunket…

Tēnā koe, I am a māmā to four tamariki, soon to be 5. My journey with our well child nurses began 12-13 years ago. As a young māmā at 22…

More information, support & understanding of Mums who formula feed their babies. My firstborn had some complications at birth & was on a cooling mat in NICU for his first…

I recently had a baby, my second child. The Plunket Nurse I was assigned to was not ideal. She literally ticked boxes through out our session, there were was no…

I was so desperate to get it 'right' (but I was deep in postnatal depression). When I was asked questions like: is your discharge normal or is baby feeding regularly,…

My experience with Plunket was beyond careless. My son's very first plunket visit involved answering invasive questions. When asked "do you do drug's?" I answered "no" and the response that…

My kids scared of the wall paper roller/despenser on the wall. That's why she always has a cry here... not my generational trauma you heard about from my sibling who…

The well child nurse for us was two different people each child but they were lovely. They did however have boxes to tick. The first was awesome and listened well…

My experience with the ‘wellness’ nurse was horrible. Her visits left me feeling insignificant, judged and unsupported. I cancelled any future appointments after the 3rd one and didn’t engage with…

I wish I had told my plunket nurse what a positive difference she made to me as a new young mum. As with most new babies and first time mums,…

Plunket is designed for ticking boxes. I have had 7 plunket nurses for 2 babies. I have had to lie to all of them. None picked up my first sons…

I had a baby this year. Finally! It took us 4 years, 2 miscarriages, a round of IVF, and 2 embryo transfers. My midwife and her associates were amazing and…

The only reason I kept up all the Plunket visits with my first child was to have a record of his growth and because I thought that I was obliged…

I didn't feel good at first visit with first child at 4.5 months. She weighed just below average line of weight but healthy. All our kids were just below average,…

My daughters plunket nurse was extremely judgemental and I was always left feeling like a failure as a parent after one of her visits. My house was not warm enough.…

When I had my first son, the first Plunket nurse we had seemed quite old skool, like she had a set method or procedure on how to do things. As…

Kia ora, In our whanau our kids have had great health and we're lucky to have all the resources we need to provide for them. We lived for 5 years…

For my first child I used to hide what I was actually doing. I was to scared to be honest because she was such a dragon. I slept my child…

My most challenging experience was as a young first time Mum of 25 with a colicky cranky new born. Things were very challenging and I felt a failure as a…

My son was born 8 weeks early, weighing 1.678kgs. Released from hospital 4 weeks later, I was required to up my milk supply, by expressing, so I had enough milk…

I wish I could have talked about attachment parenting- about not wanting to leave my baby to cry it out to teach him no one was coming when he called…

I wish my nurse was supportive of extended breastfeeding and I didn’t feel the judgement for breastfeeding past 1 year old. I wish my nurse would have discussed mental health…

Different professionals in maternity did what they could with the time and resources they had. However the biggest disappointment for me was when I had a 6 week scan which…

I was very lucky to get a great plunket nurse. I was a FTM with twins and my plunket nurse had twins herself so she was really understanding of the…

I’m not sure where to start, but I still have a lot of guilt about the early years with my son. I had a traumatic birth with my firstborn and…

I wish my plunket nurse with my 3rd didn’t muck me around. I would wait to see her and she would either not turn up or be an hour late.…

With lockdown in 2020, I barely saw my plunket nurse. The two at home appointments, I tried to tell her that my child would not sleep on her back, would…

I wish I could have felt confident enough to tell her about my postnatal mental health struggles. I had that kind of relationship with my midwife but not with my…

With my first child it was about meeting the growth milestones, she just never quite made it and I was left to feel like I wasnt providing enough milk. It…

I have had 2 children. My second child is 3 months and the Plunket nurse I have is nice and approachable. However I always feel like im going to the…

My baby was slow to gain wait while breastfeeding. She suggested mixing formula with baby cereals at 5 months. I wish she had got me about breastfeeding peer support groups…

I wish I didn’t feel I had to lie about co-sleeping and helping my baby get to sleep by rocking or feeding. I wish instead of making a point that…

I have had 4 children and have been failed by the plunket system. My first I had at 21 and felt judged as a young mother, I felt useless and…

Let's rewind back to 2015 when I was fresh mum of 22. With a traumatic birth and postpartum complications and infection already on the list, add in an unsettled non…

I was a single mum with my first baby and had a different Plunket nurse each visit for some reason. Most of them would show up hours later than agreed…

I wish I could have told her how horrible my time with my midwife was & how much I valued her now being our support.

I loved my plunket nurse, she was kind, compassionate and non judgemental. I often think back to our conversations and how much of a help she was for my mental…

I had my first baby at 19, she never lost any birth weight and was a "good" feeder. They told me ot was painful because it was a new experience,…

Just how much I appreciated her. She was such a lovely lady, so friendly and chatty - we discussed all sorts of non-baby related things. It was the highlight of…

With our first born we ended up seeing a different temp nurse each time for the first 4-5 visits due to them looking for a new permanent in our area.…

I was a single mum at the time I had my son. My first visit with plunket was at 8.30am in the morning without any notice she was coming. I…

I was 21 with my first and found breastfeeding really hard. My well child nurses kept changing so I didnt get to establish a relationship with anyone. I remember feeling…

I wish my Plunket nurse had asked if I was ok. I was not coping at all, having terrible anxiety attacks, crying all the time, very highly strung. But both…

Depression! There was never time to talk about the deep feelings. I tried to breastfeed but it never worked. I carried that guilt for years. I was depressed, isolated, exhausted…

I wish I could have talked openly about safe co-sleeping and baby-led weaning with my plunket nurse without feeling automatically judged or made to feel like I was wrong or…

My first Plunket nurse never identified that I was struggling and in pain each time I breastfed. I didn't know how it was meant to feel as it was my…

I don't recall being told there were alternative wellchild providers apart from Plunket. With my second child it might have been mentioned once but no further details were given to…

I wish i could have shared with my Well Child nurse just how much of a difference she was making, and how incredible her support was!

I already didn't want plunket involved in our lives when I had my 3rd child but I didn't know I could decline being referred. When he was 3 months old…

I wish I could have asked for advice around safe co-sleeping. This was the only way I coped with both of my daughters and did it safely with my own…

I wish I could have talked openly about bedsharing (safely). I wish I could have not had my breastfeeding length (over 8 months) made to sound like a surprise. The…

I found breastfeeding such a challenge at the start and had so much damage. I eventually found nipple shields and they were a game changer for me. When I first…

I used Plunket with my first child (because I didn't realise there were options), and the care was functional but I would say far from supportive. I was scared to…

I fit squarely into the demography that Plunket are designed to support - middle class, European, educated, employed, mother of 2 in my 30s, and I find no benefit in…

My wellchild provider has been nothing but supportive and amazing throughout my journey in motherhood. She has always encouraged me and supported my journey through postnatal depression and anxiety. She…

I had my first child in Australia. Had a terrible experience with their well child provider so was hoping for better with Plunket when I had number 2. Unfortunately I…

"Oh he isn't putting on enough weight, you will need to consider formula - your breastmilk is not enough for him. He is just too hungry." (He was three months…

The problem with plunket is that they talk too much and don't listen, if the advice they give you dosnt work for you or your baby then you are wrong…

I have had two children through Plunket, am pregnant with my third and will not be using them again. They use fear tactics and basically tell you your doing things…

Tickboxes, graphs, rush, rush. I text my well child nurse one day to say my 8 week old was sick, full of snot...she cancelled our appointment and didn't offer any…

I've seen a nurse only once maybe twice and that was because I had to call and see if anyone was coming to visit us and obviously check on babies…

I am currently engaged with my well child provider with baby #3. I have had 3 different Plunket nurses over this period, only one of whom I felt was totally…

My local Plunket got in touch by saying "Hi, I would like to see you before baby is 6 weeks". When I replied that I would get back to her…

Thankfully my experience with Plunket has gotten progressively better and better. My children are on our 5th nurse since my oldest was born 4 years old. My first Plunket Nurse…

I had a very small 2nd child (1.8kg) in 2015 and spent 4 weeks in an incredible SCBU unit in hospital. I also was lucky to have a immensely wonderful…

I wish my well child nurse would have asked about what I was worried about, what my concerns were or things I wanted help with. I wish she was able…

My first experience with Plunket was great, it was a student nurse who was so kind and warm. As a first time Mum, I felt heard and it was a…

I had a positive experience with son's plunket nurse in 2017. I felt listened to and I was given helpful and relevant advice. However my latest experience (2021) has been…

Why they think that what they know/share should be taken as gospel. I feel really sad and anxious for new mums - especially younger mums who may feel bullied by…

Plunket never actually taught me or provided me with anything. Every visit was just a tick box session of misinformation about sleep or feeding. With my first I just withheld…

When my son was rolling at 5 weeks, the home visiting wellchild nurse saw it and was in disbelief- this was fine. In clinic, the nurse said to me “No,…

I told my Plunket nurse we were struggling with sleep. She referred me on to their “sleep expert” who advocated for stopping overnight feeding and sleep training. When I said…