Latest Laois News: International Day of the Midwife celebrated at Portlaoise Hospital
Portlaoise hospital celebrates midwives to mark International Day of the Midwife
On Monday, 8th May 2023 the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise honoured and celebrated midwives crucial care contribution to women and babies to mark international day of the Midwife.
This year’s international theme is ‘Together again – from evidence to reality’ which honours the efforts of midwives towards meaningful change in the profession.
Watch Claire Fitzpatrick, Midwife and Lactation Consultant at Portlaoise Hospital as she tells us why she chose midwifey and show she has developed her career in Portlaoise https://youtu.be/f_DSzhtJHIE
Midwives and student midwives gathered to hear and share service improvements showcasing the innovative and patient centred service improvements across midwifery led care, antenatal education and patient craft, breastfeeding support and the important role and impact of a midwife.
Midwives were also treated to free coffee from the Rambling Bean Company and offered a range of free holistic therapies by local professionals, many of whom had delivered babies at Portlaoise maternity services.
Áine Hurley, Portlaoise Holistic Therapy who had two babies in Portlaoise hospital offered short massage and reflexology to the midwives at the event said, “I had my two children at Portlaoise Hospital and felt very much supported on both occasions. The midwives in Portlaoise were kind, considerate and patient as I tried to navigate becoming a first time mum and also on my second baby when I struggled with breastfeeding and was provided with the support of a lactation consultant. Today I wanted to be involved in International Day of the Midwife to say thank you.”
Siobhan Flynn, Clinical Midwife Manager 2 speaking about her reasons for becoming a midwife said, “I chose to be a midwife during my nursing training after seeing my first birth as a student which was absolutely awe inspiring. While training I saw Midwives empowering women to motherhood and parenthood, from fertility, conception, through all of their pregnancy journeys, whether they be straightforward or extremely complicated and extremely challenging. And to just be with the women through whatever her journey brought makes it all worthwhile.”
A series of presentations on the day led by the midwives showcased examples of good practice, and shared innovative ways of addressing and combatting the challenges faced by midwives – including recent developments in midwifery led care, antenatal education and parent craft, breastfeeding, developments in the Special care baby unit (scubu), ambulatory gynaecology and promoting midwifery as a career choice.
Aine Lynch, Group Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group attended the conference, and said; “International Day of the Midwife is an important day – a chance to celebrate the profession and to acknowledge the exceptional good practice, service improvements and the great leadership driving these improvements. We had a great opportunity to listen to presentations by passionate midwives who have huge pride in their work and a strong vision for midwifery led care. Thank you to all the Midwives in our service.’
Angela Dunne, National Lead Midwife in the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme said, “International Day of the Midwife is a great opportunity to say how exceptionally proud we are of how our maternity services have risen to unprecedented challenges by adapting services and adopting new technologies to ensure women and babies continue to receive high quality safe care. It is my pleasure to be here and to hear about the positive developments and commitment to delivering a maternity service with women and families firmly at the centre of service improvement.’
Ita Kinsella, Director of Midwifery at Portlaoise Hospital said,’ We are the people we are caring for and this has to underpin our commitment to building a service that truly places women at the centre of everything. This is critical to how we are delivering and developing our services for the women who are choosing Portlaoise Hospital to give birth. The presentations today demonstrate the evidence to reality showcasing the innovative and woman centred service improvements across our maternity services. I am very proud of all that has been achieved by our midwives. The future is very bright.’