Diane Klomp

Midwifery, Waikato Polytechnic, New Zealand, 5 February 1997

Years of practice: over 16 years.

Philosophy of care: woman centred care, continuity of care and birthing as a normal event are the cornerstone of my midwifery philosophy.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that 85% of woman can birth without assistance.

I believe well women with an uncomplicated pregnancy should be kept out of hospitals, therefore I book women to birth in our local primary birthing unit, Botany Downs Birthing Unit, or if their option is to birth at home, then a home birth.

Back up midwife: Susan Howard.

Birth facilities attended: home birthing, Botany Downs Birthing Unit and Middlemore Hospital.

General bio: I came into midwifery in 1997, following 5 years' Plunket experience in the Rotorua district. After my training I choose to work in the community as an LMC midwife because I had an excellent mentor and midwifery group to support me, R.I.M.U (Rotorua Independent Midwifery United).

I had a very positive and rewarding midwifery career over the next 6 years.

My husband and I decided in our 40s to have our OE as our two adult children were now independent (well mostly!). Our 2 year trip to Europe ended up being nearly 5 years!

My work experience in England included, once I gained my UK Midwifery Registration, working at The Rosie in Cambridge, working in a community midwifery team, providing antenatal and postnatal care as well as labour and birth for home birthing woman. Then, to accommodate 5,000 km travel in a classic wooden boat from England, France, the Mediterranean, Belgium and Netherlands, I worked as a maternity nurse in a variety of English homes.

We returned to NZ for our son's wedding, and to settle back to NZ in late 2008. I returned to midwifery practice early 2009 at Botany Downs Birthing Unit, firstly as core staff then, due to missing continuity with women, I joined the CMDHB Midwifery Team where I worked for 3 years before becoming a member of our new midwifery group, Birthroots, in May 2013.

My aim now is to balance my life with my midwifery career and my family commitments, while enjoying time in the garden!