Caitlin Woods

I was born in Scotland and moved to Aotearoa when I was six. Although I started life on the other side of the world, Aotearoa is home. It’s where I’ve grown up, built strong connections, and found my passion for supporting wāhine and whānau through midwifery.

I love to play football, crochet, and spend time with friends and family. These bring me joy and help keep me grounded outside of my academic work.

Greece is next on my travel bucket list. I’m drawn to its rich history, stunning islands, and incredible food. I’d love to explore the places where Mamma Mia was filmed, soak up the sun by the sea, and immerse myself in the culture. 

I’m passionate about caring for wāhine and whānau through some of life’s most pivotal moments – pregnancy, birth, and the early weeks with a newborn. Supporting people during this special time is deeply meaningful and rewarding to me.

Recruitment and Retention of Midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Experiencing burnout as a midwife before even entering the profession made me want to explore how we can better recruit and retain midwives. I was also employed as one of the first “Maternity Care Assistants” during COVID in my last year of study, and this sparked my interest in exploring whether paid student employment models can contribute to addressing midwifery workforce challenges. 

I hope my research leads to real change in how we recruit and retain midwives in Aotearoa. By highlighting the challenges and opportunities within our current system, I aim to inform practical strategies that not only strengthen the midwifery workforce but also ensure it reflects the diverse communities it serves. Māori, Pacific and Asian midwives are currently underrepresented, despite these groups having the poorest pregnancy outcomes.

Ultimately, I want to support the development of a more sustainable, inclusive, and culturally responsive maternity care system.

After completing my doctorate, I hope to take on a specialist midwifery role and eventually return to academia. I’m passionate about teaching and would love to support and inspire the next generation of midwives like so many of my mentors have done for me. 

Emma Watson: for her role in Harry Potter and her inspiring advocacy for women.

Taika Waititi: for his humour and creativity.

My grandad, who recently passed away: to share more time and memories with him.

And someone from within midwifery history like Helen Clark: to acknowledge and discuss her involvement in the pivotal 1990 Nurses Amendment Act which granted midwifery as an autonomous profession.