Nau mai haere mai ki tēnei wāhi haumaru o Kia Kaha Māmā.
Nau mai, haere mai e hoa,
You have found your way here for a reason.
Perhaps you are a māmā seeking support, a wāhine ready to reconnect with your wellbeing, a midwife looking for mentoring or practice guidance, or an organisation searching for kaupapa Māori maternal and neonatal advisory expertise.
However you arrived, nau mai. You are welcome here.
I'm Kaniwa - a registered midwife, kaupapa Māori maternal and neonatal wellbeing consultant, coach, mentor, researcher, writer, author and facilitator.
Kia Kaha Māmā was born at the end of 2019, grounded in more than 15 years of experience across midwifery, maternity care, whānau wellbeing, kaupapa Māori service design, advocacy, research, and education. It is a space where clinical knowledge, mātauranga Māori, lived experience, wairuatanga, and practical support are woven together — strengthening wāhine, māmā, pēpi, whānau, practitioners, and the systems that serve them.
Kia Kaha Māmā is grounded in four pou: MANA Midwifery Consultancy, Wāhine Wellbeing Coaching & Mentoring, Business Operational & Project Management Support, and Public Education through Wānanga.
Together, these pou weave clinical midwifery knowledge, kaupapa Māori practice, lived experience, advocacy, analysis, and wairuatanga into practical support for wāhine, māmā, pēpi, whānau, practitioners, services, and organisations.
Whether through Maternal and Neonatal Advocacy, personal and professional development, business and project support, or wānanga-based education, Kia Kaha Māmā exists to strengthen wellbeing, support kaupapa-led practice, and contribute to meaningful change across maternity, health, and community spaces.
Services I provide
Titiro wāhine me whānau mā;
keep up to date with me on my socials!
Kōrero corner...
Welcome to Kōrero Corner — a space for everyday empowerment, grounded reflection, and conversations that matter.
Here you’ll find kōrero on maternal wellbeing, reproductive justice, wāhine rights, whānau support, holistic living, advocacy, māra kai, self-sustainability, maramataka, relationships, raising tamariki, and navigating life with intention.
From practical tips and personal insights to kaupapa Māori reflections and public education, Kōrero Corner brings together the everyday and the visionary — supporting wāhine, whānau, practitioners, and communities to feel informed, inspired, and connected.
Testimonials
Kaniwa gently showed me after the birth of my son that I was in a relationship that did not value me, as a partner or as the mother of our new baby. She went above and beyond, cooking me food to eat, after I had given birth and had returned home. I had no family support and my (ex) partner worked on the farm. I learnt that I'm the architect of my own and my baby's future. I command my own value. Kaniwa sparked strength into me and she taught me how to exit safely a relationship riddled with domestic abuse, she kept in touch until I was safe with my family. I will never forget what you have done for me= and my baby.
CJ, Australia
Kaniwa is the “Kaha” in Kia Kaha Mama. She reminds me every day to step into my Kaha, my Mana and embrace all there is to being Wahine Māori. Sometimes we forget about the strength that we have, but Kaniwa will make sure you never forget you have it! Kia Kaha Mama embraces living life purposefully!
Cheanne, Gisborne
After having a traumatic birth as a 16 year old Mama to a prem baby, I didn't know that birth could be so EMPOWERING. She helped me to navigate through my pregnancy, I genuinely felt cared for and so did my friends and clients I knew who had been cared for by her too. Kaniwa helped me to see the power within me and change the way I had looked at birth. My journey with her, provided me with a healing birth experience, which directly impacted upon me as a Mama and allowed me to deeply bond with my daughter.
Tiare, Auckland
Kia Kaha Mama is a registered company in Aotearoa New Zealand.
You can search us in the NZBN Register here.
© 2026 Kia Kaha Mama.
All rights reserved. Content may not be copied, reproduced, or distributed without permission. Respect indigenous knowledge. Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui.
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Email: kiakahamama@hotmail.com
Phone: +64 21 028 91937
