This week the Trust has been focusing on the role that our staff play in supporting mums and parents in the lead up to Mother’s Day and how they will be spending their time this weekend.
The areas that we focused on included the Maternity Unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and the Maternity Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Peterborough City Hospital, as well as the support that our Matrons and Head of Nursing and Midwifery provide.
Infant Feeding Specialist Midwife, Debbie Abbott, explained how her role at Hinchingbrooke Hospital supports new parents. She said: “My role is to support new mums with breastfeeding, mixed and formula feeding until their baby is 28 days old. I really enjoy supporting mums through their journeys to help empower them. They have so much willpower and determination during what can be an exhausting and difficult time. It is a real privilege to be a midwife and I love the challenge.”
Staff on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Peterborough City Hospital explained what they love about their job and how they help to enable parents to hold their baby for the first time.
Chevvy Bryan, Staff Nurse on NICU said: “The nicest thing about the job is arranging for parents to have their first cuddles or first feed. I work on special care, which is when we are working towards discharging the babies and my role is to prepare parents to take over the care. It can be a very emotional time, but it is so rewarding giving parents that opportunity and seeing their faces light up.”
Helen Graham is a Midwife at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and the Birth Afterthoughts Specialist. Helen helps parents who have been through a traumatic birth experience and gives them the opportunity to come back afterwards and have a debrief.
Helen said: “Sometimes parents are confused and traumatised when their birth hasn’t gone as planned and the meeting is a chance for them to express their feelings. It can be emotionally draining at times, but the best part of my job is seeing the results that my support can provide. From the parents coming into the meeting feeling very emotional about the birth, to making parents feel empowered and giving them a greater understanding of the events that occurred.”
Fran Stephens is Divisional Head of Nursing and Midwifery: “My role involves strategic planning for the delivery of maternity services and this includes engaging with mums and dads and ensuring that their needs and wishes are taken into account when planning services.
“I love the interaction with staff and families and having the opportunity to make a difference to an individual’s experience and helping them plan so that women have a positive start to motherhood.
“For Mother’s Day I will be spending the day with my children and step children. For my Mother’s Day present though, I have everything that I need so I have asked the children to donate to Unicef for the ‘Pack for Birth’ which has all the midwifery equipment necessary for the safe delivery of one baby in a third world country.”
Notes to editors:
For more information on each of these case studies please follow the below links:
Fran Stephens – Divisional Head of Nursing and Midwifery
https://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/about-us/trust-news/mothers-day-celebrating-our-staff-fran-stephens/
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – Peterborough City Hospital
https://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/about-us/trust-news/mothers-day-celebrating-our-staff-nicu/
Debbie Abbott – Infant Feeding Specialist Midwife – Hinchingbrooke Hospital
https://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/about-us/trust-news/mothers-day-celebrating-our-staff-debbie-abbott/
Helen Graham – Midwife and Birth Afterthoughts Specialist – Hinchingbrooke Hospital
https://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/about-us/trust-news/copyof-mothers-day-celebrating-our-staff-helengraham/
Theresa McCarthy – Matron for FISS
https://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/about-us/trust-news/mothers-day-celebrating-our-staff-theresa-mccarthy/
