
Deli is a qualified child birth educator and assessor for the New Zealand Breast Feeding Authority.
In her role she works alongside midwives and supports pregnant women and dads, and if required the whole whanau, around practical solutions to pregnancy and parenting challenges, breastfeeding, access to local pregnancy and parenting services, one-on-one support, advocacy: linkage and connection to other service and ongoing support.
Deli Diack has incorporated stop smoking support into her work to address smoking in pregnancy.
She says the kaupapa, like in all of her work, is focused on looking at parenting through the lens of the baby.
“I’m passionate about this work because smoking doesn’t just affect Mum - It affects baby, especially the placenta which is the baby’s life line in terms of their growth and development.”
Deli is hosting free stop smoking support clinics in Dunedin and Invercargill (see clinic dates, times and places below).
Southern District Health Board Maternity Quality and Safety Programme Coordinator Heather LaDell:
Heather LaDell helped to set up Deli’s clinic at Dunedin Hospital “because I think we need to make it easy for women and families to get the support they need to stop smoking. Life is hard enough when you are adding a new baby to the family, and we need to extend our services to where women and families are.”
“We know that a smoke free pregnancy and smoke free home for babies is critically important for the health of mums and babies and we want to do everything possible to ensure that every mum and baby has what they need to make this a reality,” Heather says.
“We also want to support staff and LMC midwives to have the knowledge and resources they need to feel confident in offering support to women and whanau to stop smoking. Deli’s enthusiasm and experience are catching,” she says.
How to refer? Individuals, health providers, and community organisations can refer by phoning 0800 925 242 or by visiting Level 2, 92 Spey Street, Invercargill.
You can also refer at Queen Mary Reception, Level 2, Dunedin Hospital.
Deli’s Main Message to You Is:
Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in pregnancy is a safe and effective way to address your smoking. Remember when you’re smoke free in pregnancy your baby is getting full oxygen and full nutrients.
Deli’s free Stop Smoking Support clinics:
Queen Mary Maternity at Dunedin Hospital, 201 Great King Street (2nd floor – Clinical Services Block), Dunedin, 10am-12pm, Monday’s
Southern Stop Smoking Service Building, 137 Frederick Street, Dunedin, 1pm-3pm, Monday’s
Baillie and Lewis Pharmacy, 3 Martin Street, Invercargill, 10am-12pm, Tuesday’s
The Facts:
15% of pregnant women across the country continue to smoke during pregnancy, which is the leading cause of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) and accounts for 86% of SUDI cases between 2006 and 2010.
17% of the country’s population (down from 20% in 2006/09) smoke – with higher smoking rates among men (18%) than women (15%).
Of those, 15% of pregnant women smoke. Women under 20 and Maori are more likely to smoke, according to the statistics.
“Traditionally, Maori did not smoke. However, when tobacco was introduced to New Zealand in the 18th century that changed quickly. Smoking has been particularly damaging for Maori, who have higher smoking rates and higher rates of death and tobacco-related illness than non-Maori.”
Source: Health Promotion Agency Smoke free statistics (2017)
Southern District Health Board statistics for 2017 show 12% of women who birthed at Queen Mary (Dunedin Hospital), and 16% of women who birthed at Southland Hospital were smoking when they gave birth. (85% of the regions’ birthing population birth in either Dunedin or Southland Hospital).
Source: Southern District Health Board Maternity Quality and Safety Programme Coordinator Heather LaDell
The Effects:
“A child needs a smoke free place to grow and develop during pregnancy to have the best chance of being healthy, developing normally and to survive.”
“Smoking deprives the placenta of an adequate blood supply.
“It can cause: restricted growth, more likely to be born too premature to survive, more vulnerable due to altered autonomic controls, more likely to die in the first year, longer and more difficulty adjusting to an independent life.”
“NRT can be used in pregnancy. Nicotine breaks down more quickly in pregnancy so higher NRT doses may be needed to achieve smoke free success.”
Source: 2006-2008 Education For Change (www.efc.co.nz)