International Day of the Midwife is celebrated each year on 5th May. This day provides an opportunity for midwives to honour their profession and for others to recognise and acknowledge their valuable work and contribution to maternal and new-born health.

The vital role that midwives play in health promotion and research is highlighted in this year’s theme “from evidence to reality”.

Midwives provide essential care for women throughout their pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Evidence based practice is essential to ensure that Midwives are able to provide the highest quality of care based on most current researches and practices.

One area evidence based practice has had a significant impact is in breastfeeding and lactation support. Breastfeeding is essential for the health and well-being of both, mother and baby. Midwives provide a critical role in supporting women to breastfeed successfully, and counselling women to overcome challenges encountered in their journey. The GHA have announced that 2 of their midwives have successfully completed a course in lactation consultant in order to continue to provide evidence-based care on breastfeeding.

Patient satisfaction audits have proven vital to allow service users to voice their suggestions and therefore implement changes in the service. These satisfaction audits have been conducted for the past decade and the GHA has said they have made positive changes to their service and environment based on these suggestions.

GHA Midwives will be running a stall at St Bernard’s Hospital this Friday between 10:00 and 14:00. This year’s Theme will be captured in a series of poster’s and leaflets, highlighting the recent improvements to the service.

Everyone is encouraged everyone to join, especially expecting parents to discuss any questions they might have about this service.

Professor Patrick Geoghegan OBE, GHA Director General ‘I am very proud of our GHA midwives and their continued commitment to professional development and continuously working to improve the service that the GHA offers.’