Sauiluma Tiatia

Clinical Specialty Midwife – Diabetes in Pregnancy Service, Te Whatu Ora – Counties Manukau
Master of Health Practice in Midwifery student
Bachelor of Health Science

Postgraduate study appealed to her because she wants to pursue midwifery research in the future, says Sauiluma Tiatia who is studying a Master of Health Practice in Midwifery.

“One recurring theme I’m seeing as a midwife is the high rate of Pacific women not engaging in maternity care in South Auckland. I want to delve deeper and gain knowledge so I can pursue this research. Hopefully, it can help health professionals understand and change their views as to why Pacific women access maternity care later than non-Pacific women. I chose to come to AUT because of the positive experiences I had when I was an undergraduate student here. The staff were always helpful and welcoming, so it was a no brainer for me to come back for postgraduate study.”

She is thoroughly enjoying her studies so far.

“One highlight has been hearing from different Pacific researchers and their work. As a Pacific health professional, it’s important that our Pacific voices are being heard in research. That way the voices of our people are not lost when using Western methods of research. Another highlight has been hearing from my classmates how maternity systems work in different regions of Aotearoa. This insight enabled me to see the different experiences urban midwives face compared to rural or semi-rural midwives. It’s important that we continue to highlight how different our experiences are and how we continue to provide women-centred care in different clinical settings.

“The postgraduate midwifery team are so amazing and understanding, particularly Dr Anna Fielder, Teresa Krishnan and Dr Tania Fleming. They know what we’re going through, especially trying to balance a full-time job as a midwife and postgraduate study. It’s easy to email them and ask them for assistance for assignments or a bit of extra time. Having lecturers that support you and want the best for you is something I’ll always be grateful for. Dr Anna Fielder has supported me through my special topic course and is still supporting me now. Having regular meetings with her has helped me a lot during postgraduate study and I’m truly grateful for the support.”

Supporting South Auckland families
Sauiluma, who balances postgraduate study with her full-time role as a midwife, says she enjoys working with women during their pregnancy and providing the best midwifery care for them.

“I love providing care during pregnancy and up to six weeks postnatal. Seeing women and their babies change during that time is such an amazing process to be a part of! I also enjoy being able to support women during their journey with diabetes in pregnancy. There’s often a negative association with diabetes, especially during pregnancy, but I can reassure women that we’re here for them during this journey. Including the aiga/whānau in the discussion makes a big difference because at the end of the day we’re supporting them to make changes for the future of their family.”

She is inspired to use the knowledge from her postgraduate study to offer even better care for the women in her community.

“Working in South Auckland, there are major inequities and inequalities our community faces. Being able to undertake postgraduate study ensures that we can undertake future research into better ways to engage Pacific women in the diabetes in pregnancy service and improve health outcomes for pregnant women in our community.”

Advice for other students
Sauiluma has some great advice for other students who are thinking about returning to study.

“If you feel stuck in your current career and want to pursue postgraduate study, do it! I felt the exact same way, and thought that I had done all that I could in midwifery. Postgraduate study will give you more insight into further areas of midwifery you may want to pursue.”

She also has some guidance for aspiring midwives.

“Find a good balance between work and life in general. There’s so much that midwifery can give you, however you shouldn’t lose yourself in the process as well. Continue to advocate for your women to the best of your ability and continue to be amazing midwives!”