Very proud of the Midwives in Laois at Portlaoise hospital as Day of the Midwife celebrated

The Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise recently honoured and celebrated midwives and the crucial care contribution to women and babies to mark International Day of the Midwife. 

This year's international theme was 'Together again - from evidence to reality’ which honours the efforts of midwives towards meaningful change in the profession.

The hospital said midwives and student midwives gathered in Portlaoise on Monday, May 8 to hear and share service improvements showcasing the innovative and patient-centred service. In focus were improvements across midwifery-led care, antenatal education and patient craft, breastfeeding support and the important role and impact of a midwife.  

Midwives were also treated to a free coffee from the Rambling Bean Company and offered a range of free holistic therapies by local professionals, many of whom had delivered babies at Portlaoise maternity services.  

Áine Hurley, a Portlaoise Holistic Therapy, had two babies in Portlaoise hospital. She offered short massage and reflexology to the midwives at the event and spoke afterwards. 

“I had my two children at Portlaoise Hospital and felt very much supported on both occasions. The midwives in Portlaoise were kind, considerate and patient as I tried to navigate becoming a first-time mum and also on my second baby when I struggled with breastfeeding and was provided with the support of a lactation consultant. I wanted to be involved in International Day of the Midwife to say thank you,” she said. 

Siobhan Flynn, Clinical Midwife Manager 2, spoke about her reasons for becoming a midwife.

“I chose to be a midwife during my nursing training after seeing my first birth as a student which was absolutely awe-inspiring. While training I saw Midwives empowering women to motherhood and parenthood, from fertility, to conception, through all of their pregnancy journeys, whether they be straightforward or extremely complicated and extremely challenging. And to just be with the women through whatever her journey brought makes it all worthwhile,” she said.

Ita Kinsella is the Director of Midwifery at Portlaoise Hospital.

"We are the people we are caring for and this has to underpin our commitment to building a service that truly places women at the centre of everything. This is critical to how we are delivering and developing our services for the women who are choosing Portlaoise Hospital to give birth. 

"The presentations today demonstrate the evidence to reality showcasing the innovative and woman-centred service improvements across our maternity services. I am very proud of all that has been achieved by our midwives. The future is very bright," she said.

PICTURED: Angela Dunne, National Women & Infants Programme, Ita Kinsella, Director of Midwifery, Midwife Hannah Shanahan with baby Rossa,  Midwife Laura Grant with baby Freddy and Áine Lynch, Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

Aine Lynch, Group Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group attended the conference.

“International Day of the Midwife is an important day – a chance to celebrate the profession and to acknowledge the exceptional good practice, service improvements and the great leadership driving these improvements.

"We had a great opportunity to listen to presentations by passionate midwives who have huge pride in their work and a strong vision for midwifery-led care. Thank you to all the Midwives in our service," she said.

Angela Dunne, National Lead Midwife in the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme.

“International Day of the Midwife is a great opportunity to say how exceptionally proud we are of how our maternity services have risen to unprecedented challenges by adapting services and adopting new technologies to ensure women and babies continue to receive high-quality safe care.

"It is my pleasure to be here and to hear about the positive developments and commitment to delivering a maternity service with women and families firmly at the centre of service improvement," she said.

'Unwavering' nurses in Laois at Portlaoise hospital praised on International Nurses Day #IND2023

A statement added that a series of presentations on the day led by the midwives showcased examples of good practice, and shared innovative ways of addressing and combatting the challenges faced by midwives.

These included recent developments in midwifery-led care, antenatal education and parent craft, breastfeeding, developments in the Special care baby unit (scubu), ambulatory gynaecology and promoting midwifery as a career choice.

Every year since 1992 on 5 May the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) leads a day of global recognition and celebration of the work of midwives which is observed by more than 50 nations and co-ordinated by the ICM in partnership with its member organisations