“It was a tough decision,” she says.
It is a decision hundreds of parents with hospitalised sick children have to make over the festive season.
“It felt so unnatural to leave her there alone, but we still had a few more weeks in hospital to go.”
Kimberley’s daughter Emily arrived eight weeks early in December 2021.
The Temuka-based mum had to travel to Christchurch for the birth and her first weeks of motherhood.
While in NICU she received support from award-winning Christchurch charity, One Mother to Another, which supports more than 6000 parents and families with hospitalised newborns and children across the South Island, including on Christmas morning.
"We arrived early Christmas morning to see Emily before we left and were greeted with the most amazing care package," Kimberley said.
"It made our first family Christmas that more special knowing people were looking out for us and our time in hospital less isolated."
Dozens of volunteers will make up 1310 care packages to be given to parents and whānau in 16 South Island hospital wards, the majority in Canterbury, during December and January.
Among the packages are some special ones for children and families on Christmas Day.
The care packages provide both practical and emotional support, including items needed in the hospital environment as well as treats and handwritten notes of support.
The charity is also preparing 900 small gifts for nurses in the wards to thank them for their hard work throughout the year.
One Mother to Another has also launched a crowdfunding campaign to help fund the Christmas drive.
"It’s hard enough being in hospital with a sick child during the year but to be there over Christmas and during the holiday period is that much harder yet it is the reality for hundreds of parents and whānau who will be separated from family and riddled with stress and fear,” said One Mother to Another co-founder and chief executive Joy Reid.
"We don’t want them to feel unseen or invisible.
"We want them to know they are not alone."
Kimberley says the care packages can have an incredible impact on mental and emotional health.
“It made the foreign world we had been thrown in less lonely and made us realise we had other support while we were away from home,” Kimberley said.
Maternal mental health is a significant challenge in New Zealand, particularly around the time of childbirth and for mothers with hospitalised children.
Research indicates women are at a heightened risk of mental illness during this period, with emotional struggles linked to their infant illnesses and disrupted bonding.
The challenges often lead to increased rates of postnatal depression and anxiety, which can persist beyond hospitalisation, negatively impacting family dynamics and child well-being.
One Mother to Another aims to address these issues by fostering connection, validating the experiences of whānau, and promoting empowerment.
- For more information, including how to donate, click here or contact Joy Reid on 027 256 9569 or joy@onemothertoanother.org.nz.
-Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
