The Maternity & Midwifery Hour

Series 20 - Episode 1: The Midwifery Student Jobs Crisis

How has it come about that there are so few jobs for student midwives? The NHS has known they were in the pipeline, on student placement, in maternity units.

The NHS has a shortage of midwives; maternity units are marked "need improvement" or "inadequate" by CQC for staff shortages.

Earlier this year student midwives, including one of our contributors, presented a petition to No10. The Government has promised money for 1000 recruits, but 2800 are coming out of university this summer.

Do they need to present it again to No 10 North in Manchester?

Hear what is happening and what you can do about it.

Take part, ask questions, tell your story and experiences, take action!

Hosted by:

Neil Stewart, Editorial Director, Maternity & Midwifery Forum

Contributions from:

Alix Morrison, Student Midwife campaigner

Nicole Stuart, founder of Early Careers Midwives Network and qualified midwife.

For as long as we can remember, student midwives have learned about the female pelvis, and the fetal skull, its dimensions and fit together, and the mechanism of labour. But do we always understand the complexities of that mechanism, and the influence of factors like exercise, and movement may have on the process, even before the beginning of labour? Molly O’Brien joins us to discuss how we can develop our knowledge and skills, using research and evidence focussing on biomechanics, and how we can encourage women to move that little bit more, and try different movements to make their labour and birth work better.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdoanld

Contributions from:

Molly O’Brien, Educator & Specialist, Biomechanics for Birth

One of the key outcomes that we as midwives within the maternity care team need to address is that of pre-term labour and birth – when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, working towards improving perinatal outcomes.

We are joined this week by Dede Thorpe, Preterm Specialist Midwife at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, who will be talking about the experience of women and families who have given birth early, and highlight the key risk factors, highlighting how to signpost women and families to good pre-terms services. Dede will also discuss how the midwife can best identify the common risk factors and ensure that care is tailored to the needs of that woman and her baby, and also deal with and bridge gaps in care for this cohort of women.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdoanld

Contributions from:

Dede Thorpe Preterm Birth Specialist Midwife East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

Series 19 - Episode 9: Where next for Midwifery? Ockenden & Amos round up

Maternity & Midwifery are the subject two significant reports which have huge implications for the choices for women and the shape of the profession.

Students can’t get jobs, experienced midwives are retiring and leaving, education is trapped in university financial crisis and now the basic roles and education of the profession are being questioned, with calls to end direct entry to graduate courses.

In less than a decade the objective of Better Births and Continuity of Care seem further away than ever, the statistics for maternal deaths are getting worse, not better, and the objective of halving stillbirths remains far away. We now have revelations of huge failing in maternity services, disrespect and insensitive treatment of women in labour, unprofessional behaviour among colleagues and accusations of bullying of women and junior staff.

Is this a complete picture of what is happening and will the proposed solutions make the difference expected?

Hosted by:

Neil Stewart

Contributions from:

Neil Stewart, Editorial Director, MATFLIX/ Maternity & Midwifery Forum

Nicky Clark, Freelance Midwifery Educationalist; former LME, University of Hull

Live from the Bradford Maternity & Midwifery Festival 2026

Keynote address: The maternity care crisis and lessons learned 

Professor Andrew Weeks, Professor of International Maternal Healthcare, University of Liverpool  

From strategy to practice: what the women’s health strategy means for midwives 

Dr Rosie Dawson, Consultant Midwife, MNVP Professional Lead, South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust; Honorary Lecturer, Teesside University, Scientific Board of Advisors - Active Pregnancy Foundation; Board  Member - North East Obesity Forum

Series 19 - Episode 8: " No pregnant woman sent home" is this a demand to build trust with women that they will be listened to or does it go too far?

The "No Pregnant Woman Sent Home" campaign has sparked significant debate across maternity services, professional communities, and among women and families themselves.

At its heart is a simple but challenging question: when a pregnant woman seeks care, should maternity services always provide face-to-face assessment rather than advising her to remain at home?

Supporters argue that every contact represents an opportunity to identify concerns, build trust, and potentially prevent avoidable harm. Critics raise questions about clinical judgement, resource pressures, over-medicalisation, and whether a blanket approach is always in women's best interests.

This live webinar brings together leading voices from maternity care to explore the evidence, experiences, and practical implications behind the campaign. The discussion will examine how services can balance safety, choice, personalised care, and professional decision-making while responding to increasing demand and workforce pressures.

Join us for a thoughtful and balanced conversation on one of the most important debates currently facing maternity services.

Hear about the online poll for maternity opinion on a new slogan to rebuild trust with women and cast your vote live.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Neil Stewart, Editorial Director, MATFLIX/ Maternity & Midwifery Forum

Series 19 - Episode 7: Midwifery research: priorities, pathways and midwifery involvement

At the heart of this week’s hour is the importance of research that informs midwifery practice and the care of women, babies and families, together with the role of midwives in conducting and advancing that research.

We are joined by Judith Field, who will be discussing the RCM’s groundbreaking work in identifying midwifery research priorities and future directions for this work.

Claire Singh will be discussing her PhD project - INCLUSIVE: Improving knowledge, skills, attitudes & behaviours for LGBTQ+ maternity care - which aims to improve the maternity care experience of LGBTQ+ birthing people by helping midwives develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours they need to offer safe and inclusive care. The INCLUSIVE project is driven by both a personal and professional commitment to improve equity, inclusion and care experiences within maternity services and Claire will talk about the INCLUSIVE project and work being undertaken as part of the project, as well as how you may be able to get involved.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Judith Field, Research Advisor, Royal College of Midwives

Claire Singh, NIHR Senior Doctoral Fellow, King’s College London

Series 19 - Episode 6: Postpartum Psychosis: identification, support and care

In this hour we explore Postpartum Psychosis also known as Puerperal Psychosis, an important condition which can impact on women and their families after the birth of a baby. Sally Wilson and Jenny Stevenson will share what is known about Postpartum psychosis, and its recognition, and how families can be supported through this, and we will explore women and families experiences and some of issues faced by those who experience postpartum psychosis

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Dr Sally Wilson, National Training Coordinator, Action on Postpartum Psychosis

Jenny Stevenson - National Peer Support Coordinator (online services)

Recently there has been a lot of media focus on trauma and difficulties experienced by women after birth, and in a busy service women may also feel anxious and reluctant to ask questions about their labour and birth experiences.

Marie Watkyns, former Head of Midwifery and founder of Little Light Support, introduces the L.I.G.H.T. approach to trauma-informed birth debriefing. This session will offer practical insight into supporting emotionally complex postnatal conversations with clarity, compassion and confidence.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Marie Watkyns, Founder, Little Light Support

Biography

Marie Watkyns

After 5 years in the Royal Air Force, Marie trained as a midwife — graduating with a First-Class degree and receiving a Clinical Excellence Award.

She went on to build a senior career specialising in clinical governance and patient safety, including roles as a former Head of Midwifery.

Over the years, she has led and contributed to serious incident investigations, perinatal mortality reviews, and national audits of maternity care.

This work gave her a clear view of what happens behind the scenes when care doesn’t go to plan — and, importantly, how often families are left without clear, honest explanations afterwards.

Through independent birth debriefs and maternity care reviews, Marie offers something that is rarely available within the system:

Clear, evidence-based explanations of what happened

Honest answers without defensiveness or dismissal

An independent perspective

Series 19 - Episode 4: Improving care for women and infants

Presentations:

Parental stress in the Neonatal Unit - findings from the Neo-SILT Study

Colm Darby, Vice Chair, Neonatal Nurses Association; Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Craigavon Area Hospital; Doctoral Fellow; Queen’s University Belfast

Reset & renew - building sustainable healthy habits in high-stress roles

Amanda Whitehead, Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach

Black and mixed Black heritage women in the UK experience pregnancy and infant loss at higher rates than their white counterparts. In response to these disparities, midwife Alicia Burnett launched Black Baby Loss Awareness Week in 2023 - an awareness event which aims to improve Black communities' awareness of support services for women, birthing people and families affected by pregnancy and baby loss.

Now in its fourth year, the awareness week now features an annual webinar, national community walks and in-person events. Join us when Alicia shares what’s in store for Black Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Alicia Burnett, Director, Black Baby Loss Awareness C.I.C.

Series 19 - Episode 2: Fear of Childbirth or Fear of Systems?

The rising caesarean section rate and the pressures on the maternity services might contribute to women feeling afraid of childbirth. Fear of childbirth or birth trauma may be shaped by the way care is organised and delivered, by midwives and the multidisciplinary team, and experienced by women, their babies and families.

In this session, Dr Maeve O’Connell, Lecturer in Midwifery at University College Cork, draws on the Quality Maternal and Newborn Care Framework and links this to practice and education.

Maternity care and thus midwifery has become more complex for women and also for midwives and maternity care teams. How can we get it right, and improve care for women, their babies and families, reduce unnecessary interventions and, most importantly, improve maternal and perinatal outcomes?

In this week’s hour, we welcome Anna Melamed, Senior Midwifery Lecturer at University of the West of England, who will be sharing the Antenatal Risk Assessment and Classification (ARAC) Study and considering how this impacts on practice.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Anna Melamed, Senior midwifery lecturer, University of the West of England

Language truly matters when it comes to pregnancy loss. The language used in healthcare settings can have a huge impact on people who experience loss during pregnancy, and on their subsequent mental recovery and wellbeing.

In this session, we will explore what can be learned from the experiences of nearly one thousand participants who took part in research projects to investigate the way language is currently used and perceived in pregnancy loss care in the UK. This work gathered responses from people who have experienced loss at different stages of pregnancy, as well as from midwives and other professionals involved in delivering care in this difficult context.

We will reflect on the different language needs of individuals and identify communicative strategies that can best support them. We will also draw on statistical analysis of large scale survey data to identify the terminology that is felt to be most distressing or ‘unacceptable’ to a majority, and that which is more ‘acceptable’.

In this way, the session will provide some evidence-based recommendations for communication in practice and opportunities for reflection.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Dr Beth Malory, Lecturer in English Linguistics and a health communicationspecialist, University College Londo

Dr Louise Nuttall, Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University College London

Series 18 - Episode 10: You were held…

This session we are looking at how women, who may at risk of separation from their babies at or soon after birth, especially through complex child protection issues, can be uniquely supported through a compassionate, private photography session.

The ‘You were held’ project supports mothers in managing the grief of being separated from their babies due to legal reasons and to reinforce that they are, and always will be, mothers. By preserving precious memories of an emotional connection, the project, led by a safeguarding and midwife photographer, helps reduce the trauma of loss and distress for mothers whose babies are taken into care and validates that they are a mother, giving a forever memory for both mother and baby. We are joined by Midwife Gaynor Morrison, Senior Midwife Lecturer at Kingston University, who has led this project.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Gaynor Morrison, Senior midwife lecturer, Kingston University

The rising caesarean section rate across the UK and globally is reshaping maternity care, with significant implications for midwifery practice, education and workforce development.

This session will explore how increasing surgical birth rates impact student learning opportunities, skill acquisition, confidence in physiological birth, and the future role of the midwife. We will consider the balance between supporting safe operative birth and maintaining expertise in normal birth, as well as the broader system pressures influencing these trends.

Designed for midwives, student midwives, educators, maternity leaders and policymakers, this event offers space for critical reflection, shared learning and constructive discussion about how midwifery education can adapt while protecting the core philosophy of the profession.

Join us for an important conversation about safeguarding midwifery skills in a changing maternity landscape.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Nicky Clark, Freelance Midwifery Educationalist; former LME, University of Hull

Midwifery Hour

The Midwifery Forum’s weekly live stream, brought to you by MATFLIX – every Wednesday, 7-8pm, UK

Series 18 - Episode 7: Safer delivery: working hours and conditions - impact on midwives’ wellbeing

Media attention on maternity care has rightly focussed on women, babies and families’ experiences of the maternity services and has highlighted issues around poor communication, difficulties with team work and, sometimes, uncaring practitioners. But is this the full story?

In this edition we are exploring midwives’ experiences of being asked to work over their hours, to cover for staff shortages and forcing them to work in ways that they feel prevents them from doing their job in the way they would wish.

We are joined by midwife and author, Leah Hazard, who has been investigating midwives’ experiences and will share her findings towards improving midwives’ working lives.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Leah Hazard, Midwife, Author and Activist

Biography

Leah Hazard

Leah Hazard is a practising NHS Midwife, bestselling author, activist and mother. As a proud member of the midwifery profession, she’s passionate about bringing midwifery and reproductive health into the public eye. As a firm believer that midwives lay the foundation for lifelong wellness, she’s committed to providing evidence-based information in a way that’s accessible, nuanced, relatable and relevant to our times.

The importance of consent, and specifically informed consent, is crucial in ensuring that women, babies and their families receive maternity care, personalised and tailored to their particular needs. This week we are joined by Dr Jacqui Williams, Senior Midwifery Advisor (Education) at the NMC and Geraldine Lucas Head of Midwifery at the University of Worcester, who join us to present some of the challenges that student midwives and midwives face in every day practice, and discuss how best to achieve true informed choice.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Dr Jacqui Williams, Senior Midwifery Advisor (Education), NMC

Geraldine Lucas Head of Midwifery, University of Worcester

2 presentations from the London Maternity & Midwifery Festival 2026:

Student midwives' exposure to physiological birth: An analysis of 3055 births

Dr Claire Feeley, Senior Lecturer and Midwifery/Maternal Health Researcher, Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, Kings College London

Teaching Waterbirth for the 21st century. Love, skills and knowledge

Dianne Garland, Founder, MidwifeExpert; Author

Series 18 - Episode 4: An update on the work of NHS Resolution’s Early Notification scheme

The Early Notification (EN) Scheme is a key initiative towards achieving the delivery of safer maternity care, providing a more rapid, caring response to families in cases of severe harm and supporting a learning culture.

This session will explore the NHS Resolution’s Early Notification (EN) scheme and share learning and resources that are useful for clinical practice.

The scheme proactively investigates specific brain injuries at birth for the purposes of determining if negligence has caused the harm. We then aim to investigate the claim sooner to provide earlier resolution for families. The EN team have published two key learning reports and you will have an opportunity to hear more about the reports and the work of the scheme during the presentation.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Annette Anderson – Head of Early Notification Clinical Team

Lynn Tilley – Early Notification Regional Lead (London)

Kelly Inglis – National Midwifery Clinical Fellow

Elizabeth Pells – Midwife and Early Notification Family Liaison and Mediation Lead

Series 18 - Episode 2: Anti-racist Midwifery: Practice Improving care

Keelie Grindley, EDI Lead, UHNM

The impact of systematic racism, unconscious bias and the disparities in maternal and perinatal outcomes for Black and Brown women and birthing people in comparison to their white counterparts must encourage us all to look critically at ourselves, and the care that we provide to women, birthing people and families.

In this session Sue is joined by Keelie Grindley, EDI Lead at the University Hospitals of North Midlands, who will share some of her work providing education to the maternity workforce and student midwives on anti-racist midwifery practice and racial inequalities.

Series 18 - Episode 2: What matters: Maternity services for neurodivergent women during pregnancy

Being neurodiverse can present significant challenges to women entering maternity services and meeting the needs of women who have been identified as neurodiverse, or are yet to be, is important in ensuring appropriate and compassionate care during their pregnancy and childbirth journey.

In this session we look at work being carried out by Lisa Allan, specialist midwife in Glasgow and Greater Clyde and Maureen McDowall, part of the What Matters to You (WMTY) support team who have co-developed a tool to support and develop maternity services for neurodivergent women during pregnancy.

The work focuses on understanding women from a WMTY perspective using a caring and kind approach guided by the 3 main principles of the WMTY: asking, listening, and doing what matters. This allows a space for a What Matters to You discussion to help understand what is important to the person who is using maternity services and how staff can work together with the women to deliver the service that’s right for them in their birthing journey.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Lisa Allan, Specialist Midwife in Perinatal Mental Health, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

Maureen MacDowall, Project Officer, Healthcare Improvement Scotland

What can we learn from the stories of newly qualified midwives

In this session, we discuss research undertaken by Suzanne which explored the experience of newly qualified midwives and its implications for supporting and developing new midwives. The identity of being a midwife is through relationships and this needs some rebalancing as practitioners start to negotiate the ‘doing’ (where the focus is on the proficiencies) with the ‘being’.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Dr Suzanne Crozier, Midwifery Consultant

Issues around labour and birth and the development of maternal infant attachment and bonding has been an area of interest to parents and also to midwives in supporting parents in their journey to parenthood.

In this session, we are joined by author and midwife, Laura Godfrey-Isaacs, who will be discussing her graphic guide for parents, which midwives may also find helpful in expanding parents’ feeling of preparation and access to information.

We then move the focus to mothers' individual birth experiences and the early development of mother-infant bonding which have long been of interest to parents and to midwives. We are joined by psychologist, researcher and educator, Dr Carmen Power, who will be talking about the impacts of physiological and psychological aspects of labour and birth on the mother's mental health, her baby's early behaviour and early communications between baby and mother, providing some key areas that the midwife can develop to support the process of bonding.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Dr Carmen Power, Psychologist writer, researcher, educator and consultant

Laura Godfrey-Isaacs, Artist, Midwife, Writer & Creative Producer

The UN intends for women and girls to not only survive, but thrive, and, in the process, transform their life chances and those of their communities. However, the focus in maternity care in the uk is more specific, on safety and survival without trauma. While this is important, it does not capture the ‘personalisation’ - thriving and transforming- part of the picture. One way of building potential to add this other critical dimension to the service we provide is to research in this space. The presentation will look at what kinds of questions midwives could ask; what kind of evidence is currently being generated in this area; how to build research capacity to answer future questions - and, briefly, what steps could be taken to put the research we have into practice.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald

Contributions from:

Soo Downe, BA(Hons), RM, MSc, PhD, OBE, University of Lancashire

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This episode will be focusing on the lived midwifery experience of implementing this genetic testing within the existing Gestational Diabetes care pathway to ensure consistency and equity of access.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Nicola Young, RN RM. Project Lead (Monogenic Diabetes), North East and Yorkshire Genomic Medicine Service

Becky Lambert-Pitts, Project Lead, North East and Yorkshire Genomic Medicine Service. Currently working as a Lead Specialist Midwife

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 17 - Episode 9: Educating Future Midwives

This week’s episode will feature two key presentations from the Midwifery Education Conference that took place earlier in the day at De Montfort University.

Nicky, former LME at the University of Hull and now a freelance Educationalist, will set out the challenges ahead and Angela will give an insight into the role of new technology in teaching.

Chair:

Trouble Ahead – Midwifery Education Overview

Improving Patient Safety in Maternity Through Immersive Simulation Technology

Nicky Clark

Nicky Clark is the Chair of the NMC Lead Midwife for Education Strategic reference group, which is an active stakeholder group for midwifery education across the UK.
She qualified as a registered general nurse in 1982 and as a midwife in 1986 and has been in midwifery education since 1990 working in several institutions. Nicky has been the Lead Midwife for Education at the University of Hull since 2008. She has undertaken many national and international external collaborations, working in the UK and across Europe and Asia providing expert advice on programme approvals in midwifery, and also undertaking institutional quality assurance reviews across the UK and Croatia. She is a NMC quality assurance visitor and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Nicky has been, and continues to be, actively involved at a strategic level in national developments within midwifery.
Nicky is extremely passionate about midwifery and is totally committed to ensuring quality and excellence in the education of all those who experience it.

Angela Ayuk

Angela is a strong professional with a demonstrated history of working in maternity care, clinical research and the charity retail industry. Skilled in Midwifery, project management, and research delivery.. Graduated from Oxford Brookes University.

This week we are exploring a project (The PANDA project) aimed at preventing maternal anaemia to avoid preterm labour and birth in order to reduce adverse outcomes for women and their babies. The PANDA project is a phase III, multi-centre, randomised placebo-controlled trial of oral iron supplementation for the prevention of maternal anaemia, and it is planned to recruit over 11,000 participants across more than 40 NHS hospitals in England and Wales, making it one of the largest maternity trials of its kind.

We are joined by Professor David Churchill who will be discussing maternal anaemia, why it matters and how it is being currently managed, and then moving into a presentation of the PANDA study, and how practitioners can learn more and get involved.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contributions from:

Professor David Churchill, Consultant Obstetrician (Maternal & Fetal Medicine), Royal Wolverhampton, Professor of Obstetrics, University of Wolverhampton

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Contribution from: Dr Jacqui Williams, Senior Midwifery Advisor (Education), Professional Practice Directorate, Nursing & Midwifery Council

The NMC has worked with key stakeholders to develop these principles to respond to queries that midwives have raised with us in regard to choices women are making.

The session will cover principles from the perspective of the woman, the midwife, the employer and the NMC.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contributions from:

Dr Jacqui Williams, Senior Midwifery Advisor (Education), Professional Practice Directorate, Nursing & Midwifery Council

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this week’s hour we are exploring the experiences and perspectives of doulas working within the UK maternity services and privately employed. We are joined by Dr Amanda Hutcherson who is presenting her research into how training as a birth supporter impacts on women’s lives and identities. We welcome Trudi Dawson from DoulaUK who highlights the different pathways into becoming a doula and the updating requirements.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contributions from:

Amanda Hutcherson, Midwifery Educationalist

Trudi Dawson, Doula, Doula UK

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 17 - Episode 5: The empty crib: loss and bereavement in pregnancy and childbirth

Featuring Lauren Petrie, Specialist Bereavement Midwife, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital

This week, as we come to the end of baby loss week, our focus is on mothers and families who lose a baby at whatever stage of their pregnancy and, importantly, what midwives can do to support them through this time and beyond.

Our guests will discuss how midwives can support mothers and families through the loss of their baby, through to looking ahead to consider future hopes and plans.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contributions from:

Lauren Petrie, Specialist Bereavement Midwife, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital

Series 17 - Episode 4: Collaboration in Action – towards Better Births together

This session will be a chance to discuss the collaborative efforts of Make Birth Better to address the challenges facing maternity and perinatal care by building on the strength of grass root, charitable and shared-commitment organisations to work towards ensuring quality, safe and rights-based care for all who choose to access maternity and perinatal care services.

MaM Birth Collective Meets Make Birth Better

Come and join Dr Anna Byrom, CEO of All4Maternity as she hosts our upcoming Maternity and Midwifery Hour where she will be joined by Make Birth Better CEO, Laura-Rose Thorogood. Together they will share insights into the collaborative work they are engaged in working towards better births for all who access midwifery, maternity and perinatal care. This is your chance to learn more about the work of Make Birth Better and the Midwifery and Maternity Birth Collective and consider ways we can all move towards better births together, through collaboration.

Contributions from:

Dr Anna Byrom, CEO, All4Maternity

Laura-Rose Thorogood, CEO, Make Birth Better

Series 17 - Episode 3: Postnatal care – Getting it right

Dr Lesley Turner, Head of Practice Education (Nursing & Midwifery) Senior Teaching Fellow in Midwifery Care, University of Southampton

Judith Cutter, Consultant Midwife for Public Health and Vulnerable Families, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Postnatal care has often been likened to the Cinderella of the Maternity Services. However, the postnatal period, the time when the new mother is coping with and getting to know her new baby, or babies, dealing with tiredness and physical changes as her body should be returning to it's pre pregnancy condition, as well as the newborn baby requiring care and assessment, is a critical time for women, their babies and families. The midwife has a unique role in providing support and care during this transition, to confirm normality, develop the mothers and family’s confidence in caring for the baby and to act as a link to other services should these be required.

In this episode, Dr Lesley Turner will share her findings from the 3rd and 4th published studies in her PhD, which looked at large datasets of shift-level staffing in 3 NHS trusts over 4 years. Understaffing was identified and care consequences were also mapped and Lesley will present findings related to postnatal readmissions and reports of harmful events alongside the implications for staff planning and the direction of future research. We will also hear from Judith Cutter, Consultant Midwife for Public Health and Vulnerable Families, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contributions from:

Dr Lesley Turner, Head of Practice Education (Nursing & Midwifery) Senior Teaching Fellow in Midwifery Care, University of Southampton

Judith Cutter, Consultant Midwife for Public Health and Vulnerable Families, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Series 17 - Episode 2: Sharing the News that a Baby has Down’s Syndrome – Supporting Families

Down’s syndrome is a genetic condition caused by the presence of a full or partial third copy of chromosome 21 in the body’s cells. It is sometimes shortened to “Ds” and in some countries called Down syndrome. Approximately one in every 1,000 babies is born with Down’s syndrome. In Scotland, around 70 babies are born each year, with an estimated 4,500 people currently living with the condition.

Screening for Down’s syndrome is offered in pregnancy, and families may make different choices: some may opt not to screen, some may choose to screen and continue with the pregnancy, while others may decide differently. Whatever the decision, midwives play a vital role in ensuring families receive clear, up-to-date, and compassionate information.

This session, led by Varshali Swadi, Professional Engagement and Development Lead at Down’s Syndrome Scotland, will explore how midwives can best support families when sharing news that a baby has Down’s syndrome. The session will also include a video from a parent speaker, offering insight into lived experience.

You will:

Gain up-to-date knowledge about Down’s syndrome, associated health issues, and learning profiles.

Understand how to provide sensitive support through screening, diagnosis, and the neonatal period.

Hear lived experience from a parent of a child with Down’s syndrome.

Learn about sources of support available for families and professionals.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Varshali Swadi, Professional Engagement and Development Lead, Down’s Syndrome Scotland

Bev Insch, Parent Volunteer, Down's Syndrome Scotland

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

For those of us who are midwives and those on the pathway to becoming midwives, we know that this vocation is never dull, often a challenge and part of this is coping with changing knowledge and practice - ensuring that we keep up with those changes, absorb the new evidence and add to our existing skills and knowledge set.

In this, the first episode of the 17th series of Maternity and Midwifery Hour, we are joined by two midwives who will be highlighting two key areas with us.

Stephanie Michaelides, midwifery & neonatal education consultant will be discussing the first examination of the newborn after birth, which traditionally takes place in the birthing room. What do we as midwives need to concentrate on.. and how has this assessment changed over the years?

And Dr Anna Madeley, Senior midwifery Lecturer, explores how we, as midwives, can improve issues around consent for women by changing the way we position language in maternity care.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Stephanie Michaelides, Midwifery & Neonatal Education Consultant

Dr Anna Madeley, Senior Midwifery Lecturer, University of Northampton

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 12: What’s love got to do with midwifery?

The need for effective, compassionate and high quality care for women, babies and families is crucial. This week we are joined by Dr Diane Menage and Dr Jenny Patterson, to look at the next step in the story of the role of love and compassion in practice and with our colleagues. This builds on research and evidence in supporting midwives and student midwives to get in touch with how connection and love can impact on their practice, the workplace and the ability to recapture their passion and joy in midwifery practice.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Diane Menage, Lecturer, De Monfort University

Dr Jenny Patterson, Midwifery lecturer, Edinburgh Napier University

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 11: The Maternity Safety Agenda

Hear two maternity leaders on practical steps to improve the safety of maternity care and ensure women the best childbirth experience they can have.

At the start of a 6-month government inquiry into Maternity Safety, do you need to understand the issues and challenges?

How has the shape and practice of maternity services lost the confidence of government and many women?

What do maternity services and midwifery have to do differently in the future?

Insights into all these challenges will be explored ahead of the important Royal College of Midwives maternity Safety Summit on 16 July.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Kathryn Gutteridge, Independent Consultant Midwife, Honorary Associate Professor Midwifery and PsychotherapistPast President, Royal College of Midwives

Professor Mary Renfrew OBE, UK Professors in Midwifery and Maternal and Newborn HealthRead Bio

This week we are looking at research and some of the exciting midwifery focused research projects in progress.

This includes the NIHR-funded Research for Equitable Antenatal Care and Health (REACH) Pregnancy Circles Randomised Controlled Trial, which is seeking to improve access to antenatal care and enhance women’s experiences and value of care in areas of high deprivation and high ethnic diversity.

The PROMISE study is a project addressing the major disparities in outcomes for black and brown women, by increasing their involvement in health and maternity based research.

We are joined by Dr Georgia Clancy, Lead Researcher on the Promise Study, and Professor Christine McCourt, Lead on the REACH Study.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Georgia Clancy, Research Fellow, the PROMISE Study, University of Nottingham

Prof Christine McCourt, Professor of Maternal and Child Health, City St George’s, University of London; REACH Study Lead

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 9: The Midwife's role in Facilitating Early Connections

As we enter Baby Communication Week, with the theme of 'Born to Connect' highlighted by the Brazelton Centre, this evening we will focus on the complex processes of communication between the baby and those around them.

We are joined by Inge Nickell, Director of the Brazelton Centre UK and Stephanie Kinder, Specialist Midwife at North Bristol NHS Trust and Brazelton Champion who will be discussing how midwives can feel confident and knowledgeable in supporting the parents and care givers in understanding how the baby communicates through their behaviour, in order to support the growing parent-infant relationship.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Inge Krogh Nickell, Director of the Brazelton Centre UK

Stephanie Kinder, Specialist Midwife at North Bristol NHS Trust and Brazelton Champion

Maternal Nutrition - Breaking Barriers and Building Confidence for Midwives with Anna Byrom (All4Maternity) and Marie Louise (The Modern Midwife).

Stillbirth is a deeply challenging outcome of pregnancy, and families often look to their midwives for answers and support. In this session, we’ll explore where genomic testing is becoming a valuable tool in understanding the causes of stillbirth—and where its limitations lie. Through an illustrative case study and discussion of real-world pathways, we’ll highlight how midwives can play a key role in communicating genomic information, supporting informed decisions, and guiding families with empathy and clarity.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Tina Prendeville , Lead Midwife, North Thames Genomic Medicine Service Alliance and Senior Research Midwife, Imperial College London

Denise Barnes , Lead Midwife for Genomics, North East & Yorkshire Genomic Medicine Service Alliance

Emma Tomlinson, Specialist Rainbow Clinic Midwife, Tommy’s

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 7: How babies sleep – from birth towards the first year

A critical part of the midwife’s role is caring for the newborn baby and helping the mother and parents understand more about their baby’s behaviour and care.

An important part of the baby’s life is sleep and their sleep pattern, alongside balancing parents’ own needs.

In this session we are joined by midwife and neonatal nurse, Stephanie Michaelides, who will discuss the first 48 hours of neonatal life and Professor Helen L Ball, anthropologist and infant sleep researcher, who will bring together the research, anthropological understanding and practice advice that will help practitioners, and most importantly parents, to understand their babies better and navigate the first year of their baby’s life.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Professor Helen Ball, Professor of Anthropology, University of Durham and Director, Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre

Stephanie Michaelides, Midwife, Neonatal Nurse, and Education Consultant

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 6: Listening to and engaging with our communities

Have you thought about working in a different way? Setting up an antenatal class locally or undertaking aromatherapy or complementary therapy work? Or would you like to plan this for the future… or just get better at skills in networking?

We are joined by Dr Denise Tiran and Dianne Garland who will share some of their personal experiences, strategies and top tips to help student midwives and midwives gain useful skills and greater confidence for future practice.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Denise Tiran, CEO and Education Director, Expectancy

Dianne Garland, SRN RM ADM PGCEA MSc, Midwifery Consultant and Author

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Dalvir and Barbara discuss the importance of engaging with diverse communities to improve clinical outcomes, patient experiences and research quality. They share effective strategies for community engagement, highlight success stories and offer practical guidance on how you can apply these approaches in your own clinical practice and research initiatives.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dalvir Kandola, Consultant Midwife - Lead for Inclusivity, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Barbara Czyznikowska, Community Engagement and Inclusion Manager, Centre for Ethnic Health Research, University of Leicester

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Doulas provide practical, emotional and nurturing support to women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and the early parenthood period. They may be employed privately by the woman, or may be provided for disadvantaged groups of women, whether due to financial, language issues and/or refugee status, providing support and advocacy.

In this session, Sallyann Beresford will talk about her role as a Doula, and Trudi Dawson, Director of Doula UK will discuss the UK’s number one source of information for and about doulas. Doula UK offers training, mentoring and ongoing support within the doula community to ensure positive experiences for women and families. Their offering includes the unique Doula Access Fund which can enable women who are vulnerable or disadvantaged, to receive Doula support, and improve the experience of women, babies and families.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Sallyann Beresford, Doula, Author and Antenatal Educator

Trudi Dawson Director of Engagement, Doula UK

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 3: Pregnancy and motherhood in criminal justice settings

What impact does prison have on pregnant and childbearing women and how does this affect society in its wider context?

Recent media reports have provided a picture of the experience women will have and deeper research and policy work by our speaker this evening, Dr Laura Abbott, Associate Professor of Research at the University of Hertfordshire, hghlights the short and long term effects of prison on women and families. Further, Laura’s work focusses on what needs to be done to improve maternity and neonatal care for women and babies and how prison staff and others can work together to improve the experience and reduce morbidity and poor outcomes.

We will also hear about The Lost Mother’s Project, the Pregnancy in Prison Partnership International (PIPPI) and the UK-wide Prison Midwives Action Group (PMAG) and recent creative work in dissemination of research through art and theatre.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Laura Abbott, Associate Professor in Research, The University of Hertfordshire

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 2: Consultant Midwives are critical in every crisis: A great Midwifery career - choices, directions and routes.

Being a midwife is an exciting, challenging role, where no one day is exactly the same as another. It is crucial that midwives are able to use their commitment and skills in the role that feels positive and professionally rewarding. As a profession we face the impact of difficulties with recruitment and retention, and some practitioners might feel that their current role is not fulfilling, or that they are unable to develop further.

This evening we will be looking at careers within midwifery, and how you can choose what route you take within midwifery, what planning might help you reach your goal, and options that are available to help you develop as a midwife. Patience Gyampeh, Consultant midwife and academic joins us to describe her own career pathway, and what she has learned, plus suggesting some key tips to guide you in your choices.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Patience Gyampeh, Associate Professor of Midwifery, University of Suffolk; Consultant Midwife, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 16 - Episode 1: Early detection, early action: Exploring Awareness of Genomic Testing at the Initial Midwifery Appointment

Genomics is fundamental to midwifery practice and is incorporated into the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Standards of Proficiency for Midwives.

It is important that all midwives can talk about genomics with confidence. For many midwives there is a need to upskill, but it can be difficult to know where to start.

Find out more about genomics and the midwife’s role at this week’s Maternity and Midwifery Hour.

Hosted by:

Neil Stewart, Editorial Director, Maternity & Midwifery Forum

Contribution from:

Jo Hargrave, Lead Midwife, East GMSA

Marianne Quinn, Lead Midwife, South East GMSA

Karen Creed, Lead Midwife, Central and South GMSA

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 15 - Episode 12: Midwives' and Nurse-Midwives' professional identities – representing midwifery in the public realm

This episode focusses on Midwives' and Nurse-Midwives' professional identities – representing midwifery in the public realm

In this hour, we are joined by Dr Sally Pezaro, and Dr Gila Zarbiv who will share the methodology and some of the findings from one of the first studies to investigate the professional identity of midwives and nurse-midwives. This will include some consideration of how best to represent midwifery in the public realm, to society and to childbearing people and their families.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Sally Pezaro, Programme Directorof the structured PhD, Coventry University

Dr Gila Zarbiv, PhD Candidate, Ben Gurion University of the Negev

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This episode focusses on stress, burnout and ensuring your well-being.

Being a student midwife and a midwife is a wonderful privilege, but also a demanding role, with the hurdles of stress and being able to balance work and life in your well-being. The impact of COVID-19, five years on, is also a good time to think about our well-being.

This week, we are joined by Dr Denise Tiran and Dr Gina Finnerty who will be exploring strategies for looking after yourself and the complementary therapy that is clinical hypnosis. We are also exploring recognition and strategies for reducing stress and burnout.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Gina Finnerty, Visiting Fellow, University of Greenwich

Dr Denise Tiran, CEO, Expectancy

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This episode focusses on advanced midwifery practice – challenges and possibilities…

There has been debate and discussion for many years about advanced midwifery practice – what it is, how to aspire to it and how it may influence the quality of maternity services and experiences of women, babies and families. As midwives in the UK have increasingly developed their proficiencies, skills and scope of practice, there is an increasing need to clarify both for practitioners and women and families what ‘advanced practice means’. In this hour, we are joined by Romie Luxton and Sinead O’Kane, who will share progress on the NMC Advanced Midwifery project, and what it means for future midwives.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Romie Luxton, Advanced Practice Advisor, NMC

Sinead O’Kane, Advanced Practice Advisor for Northern Ireland, NMC

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) protects the public through regulating nurses and midwives in the UK. Ion the midwifery context this means ensuring that at the point of registration and onwards, midwives meet their requirements, and continue to do so through the process of revalidation, and addressing cases where there is a concern about fitness to practice. The NMC commissioned the review – The Future Midwife led by Professor Mary Renfrew, resulting in the Standards of proficiency for midwives (2019), which guide midwifery education and practice.

In this session, we are joined by Tracey MacCormack Assistant Director for Midwifery and Dr Jacqui Williams, Senior Midwifery Advisor (Education). Tracey is going to talk to us about her role at the NMC and work of the midwifery team. Jacqui will give an overview of the NMC’s current Practice Learning Review and what this means for midwifery education. We will be raising and discussing some key themes that midwifery needs to consider and what this might mean for the profession in the future.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Jacqui Williams FRCM, Senior Midwifery Advisor (Education) Professional Practice, NMC

Tracey McCormack, Assistant Director for Midwifery, Professional Practice Directorate, NMC

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This episode focusses on Research in midwifery – a different view. Research methodologies are argued to be Eurocentric and do not cater for non-Western cultures. There should be respect for all knowledge regardless of the source and all knowledge should be valued. Due to the diversity of women and people giving birth in the UK, their views matter but the chosen research methodology may restrict their participation in studies. Consideration of non-Eurocentric research methods are therefore important, as individuals may be uncomfortable expressing their experiences through Western approaches. An exploration of alternative research methods that can capture the experiences of mothers are important ensuring their needs are reflected in maternity guidelines and policies. These alternative methods may therefore include a more holistic, reflective and creative approach in line with a midwifery paradigm.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Sarah Esegbona-Adeigbe, Associate Professor Midwifery, London South Bank University

Dr Jenny Hall, Editor, Maternity and Midwifery Forum

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This episode focusses on being Positive about Down syndrome: Highlighting DSUK’s work in Maternity Care.

When Nicola’s son Tom was born, she struggled enormously with his diagnosis of Down syndrome, aware that had she discovered whilst pregnant, she would certainly have considered termination. After emotionally rejecting Tom, she has since gone on to realise how ignorant she was and how negatively influenced by medical language and assumptions. Nicola always speaks with honesty and integrity and will discuss the importance of medical practitioners considering their attitudes towards and knowledge of those with a disability.

She will discuss how PADS works with healthcare professionals to improve maternity care by providing training and resources for midwives, sonographers, and other healthcare staff. A key focus will be on the importance of language, sensitivity, and best practices when delivering a Down syndrome diagnosis. Through powerful stories and practical examples, Nicola will highlight the impact of compassionate support, shedding light on how accurate and balanced information can transform the experiences of parents at a vulnerable time. Her session aims to enhance understanding of Down syndrome, challenge misconceptions, and foster a more inclusive approach to maternity care, empowering healthcare professionals to engage with families in a supportive and informed way.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Nicola Enoch, founder of Down Syndrome UK (DSUK)

Simone Prins, Parent

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This episode focusses on the needs of neuro divergent pregnant and childbearing women and student and qualified midwives.

We are joined by Nicolette Porter who will discuss supporting autistic women and birthing people in the perinatal period highlighting the unique challenges they face and the need for more inclusive, informed support. Nicolette will also discuss a current research project, recruiting midwives to explore their knowledge, confidence and attitudes in caring for autistic individuals, with the ultimate goal of improving maternity care experiences for this group.

Emilie Edwards, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at Middlesex University, will then explore neurodivergence in midwifery and creating inclusive education and workspaces.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Nicolette Porter, Midwife and Postgraduate Student at UCL

Emilie Edwards, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, Middlesex University

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Midwifery students bring a special spark, an energy and enthusiasm that fuels their journey and enriches the profession. The Positive Midwifery Project brings together students, practice supervisors, educators, and regulators to explore how best to keep that passion alive, especially through practice learning and into preceptorship. Juliet Rayment and Mira Waligora will introduce the project, share key insights from students and their supporters, and outline future plans.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Mira Waligora, Student Midwife, the University of The West of Scotland

Dr Juliet Rayment, Humanising Care Fellow, The Point of Care Foundation

Supported by MATFLIX:⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival:⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream:⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this episode of Maternity & Midwifery Hour Dr Myrto Chronaki, an Independent Researcher, will present her doctoral work exploring the perinatal experiences of women with disabilities in Greece, regarding birth care and the spaces of birth in the hospital and at home. This includes an investigation into the possible benefits of the birth centre environment and the midwifery model of care and emotional support by doulas offered there. She will be joined by Angelina Ankomah, who will share her work supporting women and families with learning disabilities in the UK.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Myrto Chronaki, Architect, PhD. post-doc, Independent Researcher, Breastfeeding Counsellor

Angelina Ankomah, Diabetes Lead Midwife, West Herts NHS Trust

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This session will focus on the impact of homelessness in pregnancy and the early years. Two clinical researchers will present their recent research into pregnancy and homelessness, and families with under 5's in temporary accommodation. Two keyworkers from key third sector organisations supporting homeless families in the UK will also share their practical experiences of supporting pregnant women and famlies experiencing homelessness.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Pregnancy and homelessness focus: health impacts, barriers to care and key needs from midwifery care

Sara Cumming, Midwife Researcher, University of Dundee

Health impacts for under 5's and key needs/challenges

Monica Lakhanpaul, Professor of Integrated Community Child Health Honorary Consultant Paediatrician, Whittington NHS Trust

Practical support for families experiencing homelessness, lived experience stories, how SHF supporting

Angie Ouattara, Maternal Health Lead, Shared Health Foundation

How Newham Nurture, a community partnership perinatal programme co-produced with experts by experience, is supporting migrant and marginalised women during the transition to parenthood with its innovative and inclusive approach

Belinda Ngugi, Perinatal Programme Manager, NCT Charity

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 15 - Episode 2: Enabling safe quality midwifery services and care in Northern Ireland

The Independent Report on Enabling Safe, Quality Midwifery Services and Care in Northern Ireland Report included a careful examination of midwifery and maternity care following concerns about safety of care. It is the first report to take a whole-system perspective and to draw on evidence to inform the recommendations. The report identified key conditions for safe, quality midwifery care, and included recommendations for transforming maternal and newborn care and services. The recommendations have been accepted by the NI government and implementation work is getting under way.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Professor Mary Renfrew OBE, Professor Emerita, University of Dundee; Author, Independent Report on Enabling Safe, Quality Midwifery Services and Care in Northern Ireland

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In the first episode of series 15 of Maternity & Midwifery Hour we are joined by Ann Remmers and Laura Lewinson who will share how Black Maternity Matters, an anti-racist scheme for perinatal teams and senior leaders, is addressing the racist perceptions and behaviours that adversely impact on health outcomes. Inspired by Black Mothers Matter’s vision that one day Black mothers will no longer be disproportionately in danger during pregnancy and the first year after birth.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Ann Remmers, Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Lead midwife, Innovation West of England

Laura Lewinson, Diversity and Inclusion Lead midwife, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW)

Biographies

Ann Remmers

Ann is the Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Lead midwife for Health Innovation West of England, specifically focussing on the delivery of the regional and national Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MatNeoSIP). Ann is a midwife and previously worked for a number of years in NHS Trusts in Bristol as a Clinical Director and Director of Midwifery, and as Clinical Director for the South West Maternity Clinical Network. Recently Ann has been the midwifery lead for PERIPrem (Perinatal Excellence to Reduce Injury in Premature Birth) and is currently the midwifery lead for Black Maternity Matters, a collaboration supporting perinatal health care staff to reduce the inequitable maternity outcomes faced by Black mothers.

Laura Lewinson

Laura is a hospital based Diversity and Inclusion Lead midwife with over 10 years’ experience caring for women, birthing people and families.

Laura joined the Black Maternity Matters team as a maternity champion for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) cohort 1 in 2022; excited at the opportunity to enact measurable changes to improve outcomes and experiences for Black women. The programme has been transformational. Having the opportunity to sit amongst peers and reflect on the ways in which each as an individual, and as part of a system perpetuate harmful practices which disproportionately impact Black women, birthing people and their babies has been a unique privilege to be part of.

Since completing the BMM programme, Laura has become the Diversity and Inclusion lead midwife for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW). This involves collaborating with the multi-disciplinary team and external stakeholders to deliver training and Quality Improvement projects for maternity staff with a focus on improving outcomes and experiences for racially minoritised people accessing maternity care. Laura’s main passion is health equity, ensuring that every family has the opportunity to plan for a successful future during their pregnancy journey.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This week we are focusing on aspects of midwifery education and lecturers engaged in innovation and research.

We are joined by Susan Hughes who is sharing work on the views of midwifery lecturers on homebirth.

Emily Bee joins Susan, to talk about holistic and dynamic teaching and learning space, which has been developed at Bradford University to provide midwifery education driven by a simulation pedagogy.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Susan Hughes, Consultant Midwife, Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust/ Worcester University

Emily Bee, Assistant Professor of Midwifery, University of Bradford

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This session led by Professor Sebnem Susam-Saraeva and ' Dr Jenny Patterson follows an interactive workshop at the Scotland Maternity and Midwifery Festival this November.

Sebnem and Jenny will present a brief summary of a 2022 project on 'Translating Informed Consent in Scottish Maternity Services' , and will then explore some of the themes and discussions that have arisen from the series of workshops over the last 2-3 years.

The hour will finish with a discussion of an ongoing project 'The beginnings: Factoring in interpreting at antenatal care and midwifery education'.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Professor Şebnem Susam-Saraeva, Personal Chair of Translation Studies, University of Edinburgh

Dr Jenny Patterson, Lecturer in Midwifery, Edinburgh Napier University

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Following on from the recent Midwifery Education Conference, attended by over 250 midwifery educators, this hour will map out the current management and education challenges and highlight future developments in Midwifery Education for midwifery educators and policy makers in universities and NHS trusts.

Leading midwives Grace Thomas and Nicky Clarke will examine and discuss the rising issues in regulation, education, practice and innovation, midwifery schools’ staffing and management and research careers.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Grace Thomas, Head of Health Professions; Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Midwifery Development, Cardiff University

Nicky Clark, Lead Midwife for Education; Senior Lecturer; Chair of the NMCLME Strategic Reference Group, University of Hull

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

As part of Epilepsy Awareness month, we are using this hour to focus on the challenges faced by women with epilepsy during their pregnancy and childbirth and how midwives can provide support, advice and care to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Kim Morley, midwife specialist will provide an update on care needed by women during pregnancy and childbirth. We are also joined by Catherine Owen, from the charity Epilepsy Action, who will be sharing the work she does in supporting families and improving outcomes.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Kim Morley, Epilepsy Specialist Midwife Practitioner, Epilepsy Action

Catherine Owens, Midwifery and Epilepsy Coordinator, Epilepsy Action

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Anita Banerjee, Obstetric Physician and Diabetes and Endocrinology Consultant

Dr Melanie Nana, Obstetric Medicine Fellow, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This week we are exploring an issue at home – the increase in Student tuition fees in England, and its impact on Student Midwives, plus a highlight on the work that the Royal College of Midwives has been doing to support student finance in the UK. And we are finding out, with a midwife's eye, what is happening in Ukraine.

We are joined by RCM Director for Professional Midwifery and Associate Lecturer at Robert Gordon University, Fiona Gibb, and Humanitarian Aid Worker, Wendy Warrington.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Fiona Gibb, Director, Professional Midwifery, Royal College of Midwives; Associate Lecturer, Robert Gordon University

Wendy Warrington (Wanda), Midwife, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust; Humanitarian Aid Worker, Poland and Ukraine

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Bullying and undermining exists within many sectors and midwifery and maternity services are one area where this has been a longstanding problem - often impacting on students, on midwives and women and their care.

In this hour we are joined by experienced midwives Amanda Burleigh and Deb Hughes who will share their perspectives on bullying within midwifery, the impact on individuals and on care, how we can address it to improve the environment and experience of staff and women and families. The #Saynotobullyinhinmidwifery book, published in 2023, provides vivid and disturbing experiences of affected staff and points to the need for integrated and multi-disciplinary strategies to address bullying in a consistent and long lasting way.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Amanda Burleigh, Senior Clinical Advisor, Independent Midwifery Consultant. Registered Midwife, Registered General Nurse

Deborah Hughes, Retired Midwife

Biographies

Amanda Burleigh

Amanda worked as a clinical midwife across a range of midwifery clinical settings (including New Zealand) for 29 years, before she left clinical midwifery in 2017 due to the effects of chronic bullying.

Although Amanda is no longer employed as an NHS Midwife she remains a passionate and currently registered midwife who continues to campaign globally for safe, evidence based umbilical cord management. Amanda is the founder of the global #waitforwhite campaign and now also campaigns against workplace bullying due to her own experiences.

Amanda Burleigh is a qualified Midwife and Registered Nurse with over 30 years as a clinical Midwife. She started campaigning for optimal cord clamping in 2005. More recently, Amanda co-authored the #Saynotobullyinginmidwifery anti bullying book.

Deborah Hughes

Deborah Hughes is a retired midwife with an illustrious career behind her, most recently as Research Midwife at the University of Cambridge. She is a breastfeeding peer supporter and coordinates both the UK Afghan Midwives Support Group and The Midwives’ Haven (ARM).

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

With Sheena Byrom OBE and Marie Louise ('The Modern Midwife'). Sponsored by Active Iron.

Series 14 - Episode 6: Midwifery response to domestic abuse

As we come to the end of Domestic Violence awareness month, in this hour we explore the difficult and traumatic subject of domestic abuse, which is often triggered or increased during pregnancy and childbearing. We know that midwives are instrumental and supportive to women affected by DA, sometimes assisting them to seek help.

We are joined by Anne-Marie Tierney and Fi MacLauchlan, from leading UK charity SafeLives, who will take us through an overview of domestic abuse, what to look for as a health care practitioner, and a current project that examines the implementation of the health-based IDVA (independent domestic violence advisor) provision within NHS settings.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Ann-Marie Tierney, Lead Trainer and Assessor, SafeLives

Fi MacLauchlan, Practice Consultant, SafeLives

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Do we really understand the needs of women who may commence their pregnancy who are living with weight issues, and how can we as practitioners support, inform and care for women in a non judgemental and constructive way?

In this hour, Julie Abayomi, Reader in Dietetics, will present recent research into the experiences of pregnant women living with obesity, and their access to antenatal care through the women and midwives. Julie will then use this research to highlight the nutrition curriculum and feedback from student midwives.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Julie Abayomi, Associate Head of Medicine and nutrition, Edge Hill University

Biography

Dr Julie Abayomi

Dr Julie Abayomi is a Reader in Dietetics & Associate Head of Medicine & Nutrition at Edge Hill University. She graduated in nutrition and dietetics from Cardiff in 1993 and worked as an NHS dietitian for over 20 years, specialising in women’s health and nutrition for 12 years. In 2010 Julie was awarded a PhD based on research conducted at Liverpool Women’s hospital.

Julie is currently the chair of The British Dietetic Association (BDA) England Board and an active member of the BDA Maternal & Fertility Nutrition Specialists group.

Julie has presented at National/International conferences including Diabetes UK; The Nutrition Society; The British Dietetic Association and Mega Evento Nutricao, 2019 in Sao Paolo Brazil; The International congress of Dietetics (2021) and The European Federation of Dietetic Associations (2021). She has published papers in Nutrients; The Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics; The Journal of Diabetes Nursing; British Journal of Midwifery; Maternal and Child Nutrition and International Journal of quality in healthcare.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

In this topical session, taking place during Baby Loss Awareness Week, Marc and Lisa will talk about the importance of high quality bereavement care to families after the death of a baby, highlight the role of the National Bereavement Care Pathway and share how Sands can support healthcare professionals in so doing.

Hosted by:

Hannah Tizard, Midwife, Midwifery Educator, Professional Midwifery Advocate

Contribution from:

Marc Harder, Head of Bereavement Care & Hospital Liaison, Sands

Lisa Rich, Healthcare Education Lead, Sands

Biographies

Lisa Rich

Lisa is an experienced Registered Midwife with a passion for reducing the risk of perinatal death and improving bereavement care for families experiencing pregnancy and baby loss. Lisa progressed her career into the field of maternity bereavement, working as a Specialist Bereavement Midwife for 5 years. Whilst leading a hospital maternity bereavement service, Lisa implemented the National Bereavement Care Pathway, gained working knowledge of the MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Review Tool, and created and delivered training and educational resources for healthcare professionals and students. Lisa is responsible for the delivery of education programmes in hospitals, universities, and other related organisations across the UK, supporting professional development, enabling continued improvements in practice and helping save babies’ lives.

Marc Harder

Marc is the Head of Bereavement Care and Hospital Liaison and has been the UK Lead for the National Bereavement Care Pathway at Sands since March 2017. The NBCP covers five experiences of pregnancy and baby loss: miscarriage, TOPFA, stillbirth, neonatal death and SUDI and has now

been adopted by every NHS Hospital trust in England and NHS Boards in Scotland. Projects in Northern Ireland and Wales are about to be launched and will help to realise the vision of high quality bereavement care across the whole of the UK. Marc’s team are also responsible for the Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care which promotes excellence in practice and the Hospital Liaison Volunteer programme which links over 100 Sands volunteers with local hospitals.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

There has been a long interest in water as a pain relief strategy, and as a place to give birth. The publication of the recent ‘POOL’ Study, led by colleagues in Cardiff alongside 26 NHS sites, investigated the safety of waterbirth for mothers and babies, and adds to the research supporting its use. In this hour, we are delighted to be joined by renowned international waterbirth midwife expert Dianne Garland, who will explore further the implications of the POOL study for midwives and student midwives in the UK, and also examine the wider use of water in the rest of the world, highlighting information and skills we need when supporting a woman who chooses a waterbirth, and suggesting further research in the whole area.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dianne Garland, Midwifery Consultant and Author of 'Waterbirth - an attitude to care'

Biography

Dianne Garland SRN RM ADM PGCEA MSc

Qualified as a midwife in 1983,her waterbirth teaching/research has taken her all over the world, from Australia, China, United States and India. Her book “Revisiting waterbirth – an attitude to care” was published 2017.

Dianne works as an expert witness, University lecturer and maintains her clinical skills on a midwife led / consultant unit in Kent. Dianne has various roles including professional advisor in Chinese and Indian birth centres. After launching her company in 2005 www.midwifeexpert.com. her roles have expanded in the UK and abroad.

In 2018 Dianne joined the Maternity and Midwifery Forum advisory panel.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 14 - Episode 2: Nurturing Connections: Leading Infant Feeding Services, Reviewing Baby-Friendly Evidence, and Fostering Relationships

This week's hour will focus on Research leadership of MAINN and impact/opportunities, creating coherence through connected leadership the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, the speakers will share insights into the role of education in supporting and sustaining breastfeeding for staff and students as well as maternal and infant nutrition and nurture unit research connections and opportunities.

We look forward to welcoming you to this jam-packed hour long session with our three fantastic speakers, Sarah, Gill and host - Anna.

Hosted by:

Dr Anna Byrom, CEO & Director, All4Maternity

Contribution from:

Creating Coherence through Connected Leadership the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative

Dr Anna Byrom, CEO & Director, All4Maternity

Insights into the role of education in supporting and sustaining breastfeeding for staff and students

Sarah Johnson, Senior Lecturer and Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Lead, University of Central Lancashire; Board member, Unicef UK BFI Qualification Board

Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit research connections and opportunities

Professor Gill Thomson, Maternal, parental and Infant Nutrition and Nurture (MAINN) unit, University of Central Lancashire

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This last in the series Maternity and Midwifery hour offers something a little different.

As the summer has arrived in the UK and many of us are getting into the mood for the holiday season, alongside getting our swimming costumes out, sun block at the ready and our attention turns to books. At last we will have some time to read that book we’ve had on the shelf for a while, or maybe you have always wanted to write a novel and wonder how to start.

To help us all, we are honoured to have two wonderful speakers - Alys Einion, midwife, academic, author and editor and Dianne Garland, midwife consultant and water birth expert, author and editor. Alys will be talking about the importance of breaks and sharing her journey from midwife to author and editor, and Dianne will be sharing her experience as a reviewer, highlighting some books that she has been reading, plus some that you might like to read yourself!

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dianne Garland, Midwifery Consultant and Author of 'Waterbirth - an attitude to care'

Alys Einion, Senior Lecturer, Novelist, Editor-in-Chief, Practising Midwife Journal

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

The annual #GenomicsConversation campaign returns 24-28th June 2024, our genomic lead midwives would like to strike up that genomics conversation with midwives, nurses, and other allied health professionals, to ensure that they ‘think genomics’ when they are caring for a patient.

This session will provide an overview of what genetics, genomics and epigenetics mean, whilst providing you with a taster of what is already happening in maternity, and what is yet to come.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Setting the scene-Genetics and Genomics in Maternity Services

Donna Kirwan, Lead Midwife, Genomics Unit, North West Genomic Medicine Service Alliance

Genetics, Genomics and Epigenetics-what is it all about?

Waheeda Abbas, Genomics Midwifery Lead, North West Genomic Medicine Service Alliance

What do midwives need to know? / How to get involved and/or learn more

Jo Hargrave, Lead Midwife, East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance

Pathway examples R445 & Generation Study

Karen Creed, Lead Midwife, Central and South Genomic Medicine Service Alliance

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 13 - Episode 10: Supporting mother and baby when a problem with an upper limb is identified

Examining the newborn requires extensive skills and knowledge of anatomy and physiology, of communicating findings to the mother and family of when all appears normal, and what to say and do when a deviation from the normal is noticed.

In this session we focus on the examination of the upper limbs, with senior midwifery lecturer Natasha Carr, and Ruth Lester highlights the importance of support and ongoing information to the mother and the family in caring for a child with an upper limb issue, and ensuring that they achieve their full potential.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Ruth Lester OBE, Retired Childrens Hand Surgeon; Trustee, Reach Charity

Natasha Carr, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, Birmingham City University

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 13 - Episode 9: The Virtual Midwifery Caseload: Bringing women's voices into the classroom

The need to prepare students for real life practice, encompassing continuity of care, caseload holding and contemporary maternity care as well as the ability to effectively listen, and plan care in partnership with women and families is essential.

This week we will be looking at an exciting innovative way of achieving this, and are joined by Associate Professor of Midwifery and Lead Midwife for Education Teresa Shalofsky and Assistant Professor of Midwifery, Claire Nutt, and join us to discuss their work at University of Birmingham – both within classroom and research settings.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Claire Nutt, Assistant Professor in Midwifery, University of Birmingham

Teresa Shalofsky, Associate Professor in Midwifery, Lead Midwife for Education, University of Birmingham

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Series 13 - Episode 8: Empathy - improving care for women, babies and families

Today's maternity services are busy and potentially stressful areas for women to navigate and for midwives and student midwives to provide individualised and appropriate antenatal, labour and postnatal care.

Developing an empathic approach to care can really impact on the experience of the women and family, their access to information and their choices.

Our speakers are both engaged in innovative work to assist busy practitioners, as well as those in training, to develop their empathy, in real world practice.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Sarah Milnes, Midwifery educator, Researcher, University of Leicester

Jemimah Skilling, third-year student midwife, University of Leicester

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠⁠⁠

Series 13 - Episode 7: Record keeping and frameworks

Notes and record keeping. We are all aware of the importance of record keeping, as a tool for continuity of care, and as a legal requirement, and as one of the key competencies. So how do we cope with effective record keeping, without getting swamped, without losing time with the woman and baby or worse forgetting to record some aspect of our care.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Lyn Jones, Midwife, North West Anglia Foundation Trust; Senior Lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University

Biography

Lyn Jones

Midwife, North West Anglia Foundation Trust & Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn; Associate Lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University Msc Midwifery & Women's Health

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠⁠

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) affects connective tissue throughout the body and has profound impacts during pregnancy, birth and beyond. In this session, Dr Sally Pezaro will first illuminate the ways in which she led a multidisciplinary and international team in co-creating the first evidence based clinical guidelines for the management of childbearing with hypermobile EDS (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD). Secondly, as there have been hypotheses put forward suggesting that symptomologies and other factors related to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Mast Cell Activation, and Dysautonomia are interrelated, Dr Brock will highlight the ways in which a systematic literature review may offer us further insights into these phenomena. Dr Pezaro and Dr Brock are collaborators on both of these projects, working within a large international consortium which includes the patient voice throughout. They are keen to invite questions and thought provoking conversations about this work. They are also keen to disseminate the guidelines in particular for use in clinical practice. Join us in the discovery of how people birthing with hEDS/HSD may be better supported for optimal outcomes.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Sally Pezaro, Research Enriched Learning Lead for the Research Centre for Healthcare and Communities, Coventry University

Isabelle Brock, MD, QoLify Chief Scientific Officer, NovaCombian Research Institute

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

In this hour we explore Postpartum Psychosis also known as Postnatal Psychosis, an important condition which can impact on women and their families after the birth of a baby. Dr Sally Wilson will share what is known about Postpartum Psychosis, and its recognition, and how families can be supported through this. Shaheda Akhtar will talk about their experience and issues faced by families who experience PP.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Sally Wilson, National Training Coordinator, Action on Postpartum psychosis (APP)

Shaheda Akhtar, Peer Support Facilitator, Action on Postpartum psychosis (APP)

Biographies

Dr Sally Wilson

Sally joined APP in 2019 and coordinates APP’s Workforce training and Expert by Experience talks for health professionals across the UK. She was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis in 2015 after the birth of her daughter Ella and spent time in a general psychiatric ward.

Sally has a background in research and lecturing in Health and Exercise Sciences at Bangor University. Her research interests include; approaches to improving quality of life in people with chronic illnesses and trialling novel ways to increase research in healthcare settings. In her spare time, Sally enjoys playing hockey, cycling, climbing and spending time with family and friends.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

This week we celebrated International Day of the Midwife on the 5th May, a Day when the whole world midwife family celebrates their role with mothers, babies and families, and their impact on the world. This year the theme of the IDM is Midwives: A Vital Climate Solution. We are delighted to welcome Dr Kathryn Gutteridge to talk midwifery on this IDM week.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Kathryn Gutteridge, Honorary Associate Professor, Psychotherapist and Luminary Midwife

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

The importance of environment and the support of the clinical team is well known for assisting students, and qualified staff to develop a learning culture, thus improving the information, support and care to women, babies and families in their journey through pregnancy through to motherhood and early parenting.

In this hour, we will explore the ICM Global Midwifery education standards, and share knowledge and experience of how the clinical environment can be influenced and improved towards this aim.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Maeve O Connell, Assistant Professor Midwifery, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Laura Moya Falcon, Clinical Midwife Specialist, Hamad Medical Corporation

Biography

Dr Maeve O'Connell

Assistant Professor Midwifery, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Maeve O’Connell is Registered Midwife and Nurse with a PhD on fear of childbirth. Maeve has a wide range of clinical experience from London and Ireland. Her interests are care of high risk women and intrapartum care. She is a Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing in Midwifery at RCSI which was awarded in recognition of her exceptional commitment, dedication and contribution in Midwifery.

Laura Moya Falcon

Clinical Midwife Specialist, Hamad Medical Corporation

Laura has 23 years of experience as a midwife. She studied in Middlesex university and worked in London for 6 years. From the begging of her career she was passionate about Birth Centers, waterbirth community Midwifery and breastfeeding. Back in Spain, she was the founder and director of Blossom Maternal Centre, a pioneer of its kind in providing holistic care, including homebirth. She has also worked as an Associate Midwifery Lecturer and the Breastfeeding Master Program at the University of Las Palmas. At the same time, Laura was a co-organizer and speaker at multiple national and internationals conferences and workshops for health professional, midwives and families. Throughout her career, she had been actively involved in TV, radio, newspapers and health magazines to promote midwifery model of care, physiological birth and empowering women.

She is currently working as a clinical midwife specialist in Qatar creating and supporting Midwifery Led Services and most recently leading the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Project. She collaborates with the Perinatal Mental Health Team, educational team, programs and policies development and quality improvement initiatives. Laura has also created an innovative simulation-based teaching program for Breastfeeding skills competencies.

With her recent finalized research COVID 19 Mothers infant feeding practices, mother baby bonding and postnatal care experiences in Qatar the brings the attention to the importance of the perinatal period for maternal and baby mental health.

Achieving a work-life balance as a midwife is a personal and a service challenge.

How to approach your own work life choices in your career, addressing stress, accessing support and insight into personal strategies from experts.

The demands of a service with staff shortages, a changing demographic of mothers with more complex conditions, the pressures and fear of errors.

Looking after yourself so you can look after others. Don't ignore the pressure, tackle the issue, learn from the best.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dianne Garland, Midwifery Consultant and Childbirth Author

Professor Holly Blake, Professor of Behavioural Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham; co-editor ‘Health and wellbeing at work for Nurses and Midwives’

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

Is being a midwife, and staying in midwifery centred on emotional intelligence and compassion or all about money?

In the first of series 13, we explore two midwifery issues which have an impact on how we as midwives function, and in terms of midwives short and long term well-being in the health service.

We know how stressful the maternity services landscape can be, and this is often because staffing levels impact on ability to be ‘with women’. A recent study into utilizing an educational programme on Emotional Intelligence (EI) has produced some interesting findings, with benefits for women, and midwives. In addition, recent pay disputes within the NHS alongside the increases in cost of living do impact on midwives. So what effect does pay and reward have on midwives, and importantly on whether they stay in midwifery?

We are joined by Dr Mo Tabib who will share her recent work into Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Stella Nwogo who will share her work into pay, reward and it effect on midwifery staff retention.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Mo Tabib, Midwifery Lecturer, Robert Gordon University

Stella Nwogu, Matron, Newham University Hospital – Barts Health NHS Trust

Biography

Dr Mo Tabib

Mo Tabib is a midwifery lecturer at Robert Gordon University in Scotland. She has worked in a range of roles as a hospital, community, independent and research midwife, prior to embarking an academic role. Mo’s current research interests and publications are focused on the influence of the educational interventions on the wellbeing of expectant parents, future and current midwives.

Stella Nwogu

Stella is a registered nurse and midwife with a passion for the well-being, professional development of healthcare workforce and positive outcomes for our service users.

She has gained experience and expertise in pre and post midwifery education and practice development. As a recruitment and retention lead, she utilised her impeccable communication skills to ensure the provision of the right staff with the right skills in the right clinical settings.

She also has acquired knowledge and skills in project management, worked with relevant stakeholders in the redesigning of antenatal and postnatal care pathways in order to reduce maternity health inequalities and to improve experience for women and birthing people in her local community.

She has completed a Masters degree programme with Distinction in Human resource management.

She is privileged to have published an article titled "Review of the effectiveness of pay & reward and its impact on midwifery staff retention". This article has highlighted the need for improvement in the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of staff, career development and environmental factors.

She is currently the Maternity Matron for Inpatients, Helpline, ANC, Screening, Infant feeding and Immunisation teams.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live⁠

Series 12 - Episode 10: Anti-oppressive practice in midwifery and maternity services

As we come to the end of Season 12, we have an opportunity to reflect on oppression in midwifery practice and maternity services and how we all, as individuals, can reflect on our own attitudes and behaviours in order to counter bias and address social injustice, exclusion and discrimination.

We are delighted to welcome Alys Einion who will guide us through the complexities towards improving our practice and our relationships with women, families, and the whole healthcare team

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Alys Einion, Associate Professor, Author; Editor-in-Chief, The Practising Midwife Journal

Biography

Dr Alys Einion

I am a midwife and midwife academic, teacher and researcher. I am a novelist and prolific writer. The founder of Centred Birth Hypnobirthing, I am a hypnotherapist, complementary therapist and activist for Gender Equality. I am currently engaged in research on inclusive midwifery practice and education, and decolonisation of midwifery.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

An important part of a student’s journey to become a midwife lies in learning theoretical and clinical skills. In this session experienced midwifery lecturers, Lindsey Rose and Rosy Jordan alongside student midwife Amy Solt share how the assessment process works, how to prepare for assessment, what supervisors are looking for and getting used to completing the paperwork.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Rosy Jordan, Senior Lecturer Practitioner, Anglia Ruskin University

Lindsey Rose, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, Anglia Ruskin University

Amy Solt, Student Representative

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this session focusing on pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, our two speakers, Anja Johansen-Bibby, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Lead for Maternal Medicine at Milton Keyes University Hospital and Layla Lavallee Registered Midwife and NIHR Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford, discuss care during labour and birth, sharing the latest evidence and research for ensuring high quality maternity and newborn care. This will include exploring ongoing and follow up care for women after birth and the postnatal period.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Layla Lavallee, Registered Midwife and NIHR Doctoral Fellow, University of Oxford

Anja Johansen-Bibby, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Lead for Maternal Medicine, Milton Keynes University Hospital

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Pregnant women with substance dependency are more likely to lead multi-layered, psychologically and socially complex lives and can be distrustful of mainstream services. Dr Elaine Moore, a retired midwife from Ayrshire, Scotland, joins us to talk about continuity of care and its value to the building and maintenance of relationships between safeguarding midwives and pregnant women with substance dependency. The study also explored the impact of these relationships on midwives and how this affected their interactions with the wider multidisciplinary, multiagency team.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Elaine Moore, Retired Midwife, Ayrshire, Scotland

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this session, Midwife Maria Rowntree and Professor Calvin Moorley explore the value and learning through initiatives such as the Dame Elizabeth Anionwu Inclusivity fellowship. Maria will then discuss the complexity of understanding privilege, inclusion and the impact of power, and what we should be doing to support women and their families for whom English is not their first language. Hosted by: Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery Contributions from: Dr Calvin Moorley, Professor of Diversity and Social Justice, London South Bank University Maria Rowntree, Community Midwife and Dame Elizabeth Anionwu Inclusivity Fellow

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This week we are exploring some alternatives in managing pain in labour. We have two leading practitioners presenting two strategies:

1.The use of combs during labour

2. Introduction to Reflexology in Pregnancy and Birth that may be useful for some women, and highlighting what midwives need to know too.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

The use of combs during labour

Amanda Redford, Midwife, Acupuncturist, Maternity and Fertility Complementary Therapy Specialist

Introduction to Reflexology in Pregnancy and Birth

Dr Denise Tiran, CEO / Education Director, Expectancy; Visiting Professor, Qingdao Huikang School of Midwifery, Shanghai, China

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this hour, Florence Wilcock, obstetrician and mum, and midwives Deepa Santosh and Helen Green explore how we can improve the experience of women, their babies and families as they pass through the maternity services.

How does our perspective impact on our view, and the way we provide care, and how can we truly make the service kinder, more individualised and safer for all involved?

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Simple things count; The lithotomy challenge & other ideas to improve maternity experience

Florence Wilcock, Consultant Obstetrician, Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Podcast Host, The Obs Pod

Deepa Santhosh, The Desi Midwife

Helen Green, Preceptorship Clinical Support Midwife, Kingston Hospital NHS

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia continue to be major causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity and can adversely impact on the experience of women and their families. The charity, Action of Pre-eclampsia (APEC), provides support to women, families, and to professionals. In this session our two speakers, Hsu Chong and Erum Khan, will be exploring the most recent research and evidence around pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

Dr Erum Khan will present an ABC of Eclampsia sharing research and evidence around eclampsia and how the condition can be recognised; why it is important to do this early and the role of a multi-professional approach to care.

Dr Hsu Chong will then explore Pre-eclampsia: signs and symptoms, discuss the role of clinicians in ensuring women have clear knowledge of the signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia and when to escalate care.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Dr Erum Khan, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, National Senior Maternity Advisor to NHSR; Specialist Maternity Advisor to CQC; RCOG patient Safety Committee member

Hsu Chong, Consultant in Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Birmingham Women’s Hospital

Marcus Green, Chief Executive Officer, Action on Pre-eclampsia

Biographies

Dr Erum Khan

Erum Khan. Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at MKUH with an interest in high-risk pregnancy and intrapartum care. Also interested in clinical governance and the importance of non-technical skills in provision of good quality clinical care. Currently National Senior Maternity Clinical Advisor at NHSR and RCOG Patient Safety Committe member.

Marcus Green

Marcus is his eighth year as CEO of Action on Pre-eclampsia where he initially focussed on modernising the charity. Latterly he has worked on the continued international development of the charity, the focus on research where we’ve been involved in the publication of around 40 academic papers and on the external affairs and influencing role of APEC.

His career has been varied, starting off working for a political party ending up running the office of a former Health Secretary. He regularly worked alongside senior Ministers and the then Prime Minister. He also developed an interest in the politics of Albania where he was an election observer.

After this he moved into the mainstream of health charities eventually becoming director of a charity for the visually impaired, then CEO of a hospice in the south west of England, which under his leadership grew significantly and built a new multimillion pound hospice.

He then set up a business focussing on supporting charity leaders which is where the personal and professional came together as his wife had pre-eclampsia, it therefore became one of the best decisions of his life to work with APEC.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this session we expand our horizons to look at maternity services and midwifery in the world, with the help of our two special presenters : Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwife at the International Confederation of Midwives, and Joy Kemp, RCM Fellow.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE, Chief Midwife, International Confederation of Midwives

Joy Kemp, RCM Fellow

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

This week we are looking at two important reports: the new MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Confidential Enquiry, and the Sands Listening Project. Both reports focus on the experiences of Black and Asian women and their parents of loss after a stillbirth or neonatal death.

Benash Nazmeen, Assistant Professor in Midwifery, Bradford University, and member of the Enquiry stakeholder group, will explore the MBRRACE report and its implication for midwifery practice. The report compares care reviews for Black and Asian women who have experienced a still birth or neonatal death in comparison to their white counterparts (Draper et al 2023).

Dr Julia Clark, Research Officer from Sands, will share findings from The Sands Listening project, which focusses on the experiences of Black and Asian bereaved parents. This key report, released at the same time as the MBRRACE confidential enquiry, has crucial messages for midwives and the multidisciplinary team. It identifies care that works well, as well as highlighting barriers, biases, and poor care, which might be contributing to ethnicity-related inequalities in baby deaths in the UK.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

’Black and Asian women’s experience of stillbirth or neonatal death: The MBRRACE-UK Perinatal confidential Enquiry’

Benash Nazmeen, Assistant Professor in Midwifery, University of Bradford and Co-Director, ASAMidwives

The Sands listening project

Julia Clark, Research Officer, Sands - baby loss charity

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

As 2023 draws to a close, the final Maternity & Midwifery Hour of 2024 will review the wide range of topics and maternity leaders who have shared their knowledge and passion with us all over the past year, reflect on the challenges facing maternity and midwifery and look forward to 2024 to spotlight just a snapshot of some of the fantastic innovations that are taking place in the service and the dedication of our wonderful practising and student midwives everywhere.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live

In this session we are exploring contemporary midwifery care during labour. This includes a presentation on the use of sterile water injections during labour, and labour aromatherapy.

We will explore the impact of the NICE guidelines, the forthcoming RCM guidelines and the recent CQC and Ockenden reviews, and consider how best to inform and support women and their families.

Sterile Water Injections during labour

Aromatherapy in Labour: an update

Wendy Randall

Wendy is dual registered as a nurse and midwife with a Master’s degree in Public Health and Leadership. In her capacity as a midwife, she has worked in the different remits of a midwife both in primary and secondary care. Prior to her role as Head of Midwifery, Wendy was a consultant midwife for 10 years including a secondment as the consultant midwife lead for the RCM in the Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth programme. Wendy has been recognised nationally for Intelligent Intermittent Auscultation and its contribution to midwifery education and safety. She is passionate about the value of multi-professional team working and education to improve the safety and experience of women and their families through their journey to parenthood.

Dr Denise Tiran

Dr Denise Tiranis an internationally renowned authority on midwifery complementary therapies, having pioneered the subject as a midwifery specialism since the early 1980s. Denise previously worked at the University of Greenwich where, having trained in several therapies, she was given the opportunity to develop the UK’s first practice-based BSc Honours degree in Complementary Therapies. In 2004 she established her own company, Expectancy, which provides a unique range of complementary therapy courses for midwives in the NHS and overseas, as well as a licensing system for midwives wanting to offer therapies in private practice. She has written numerous textbooks, her latest being Complementary Therapies for Postdates Pregnancy (2023) and has revised the last six editions of the Bailliere’s Midwives’ Dictionary. Denise was awarded an honorary Doctorate by the University of Greenwich in 2020 and a prestigious Fellowship from the RCM in 2018 in recognition of her work. She has written four RCM Position Statements on complementary therapies and earlier this year was commissioned by the RCM to write new Guidelines for Midwives using Complementary Therapies, due to be published imminently.

Supported by MATFLIX: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://matflix.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Register to watch the next episode LIVE or attend a Maternity & Midwifery Festival: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mmf.eventbrite.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the live stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://facebook.com/midwiferyforum/live