Limerick maternity staff celebrate International Day of the Midwife
UNIVERSITY Maternity Hospital Limerick will join the global community in celebrating International Day of the Midwife today.
The day is a celebration on the theme of ‘100 Years Of Progress’, and also encourages all members of the global community of midwives to advocate for investment in quality midwifery care around the world, improving sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in the process.
To mark the occasion in the MidWest, commemorative birth certificates will be given to the mums of all babies born in UMHL today.
Midwives from UMHL will also be participating in the National Midwifery Conference, Coming Together to Showcase and Celebrate, which is hosted by the National Women & Infant Health Programme and Office of Nurse & Midwifery Service Directorate.
In the run-up to International Day of the Midwife, staff at UMHL reflected on their profession.
Staff Midwife Abby Dempsey, said: "Being a midwife means being entrusted with caring for women during the most vulnerable time of their lives.
"There is no greater, or more noble, occupation than choosing to be with a woman at this most important time; to give of yourself entirely as you support and watch over them with open eyes and an open heart. Being a midwife means being with women, now and always."
Director of Midwifery at UL Hospitals Group, Eileen Ronan, said: "A midwife is central to preparing women and their families for the delivery of their new baby, and is a vital presence during all stages of pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period.
"As a career, midwifery is diverse and progressive, with options available in clinical, management, education and research roles.
"Throughout their training, midwives can gain experience and skills across different specialist areas, such as neonatal, theatre, Perinatal Mental health, community Midwifery Integrated services and home births."