More than 2,600 babies have been born in north Cumbria during the coronavirus pandemic and hospital bosses want parents to help them celebrate their maternity staff.
International Day of the Midwife, on May 5, is held to celebrate the profession.
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and Whitehaven’s West Cumberland Hospital, said: “Over the past year, midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives have gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure they have continued to provide safe and high quality care to women and their families.”
Rachel Fulton, matron of midwifery services at the trust, said: “In a world of uncertainty, upset and change, there is one thing that is certain, babies will keep on coming.
“Our team strive every day to try to keep our women’s birth experiences as positive and ‘normal’ as possible, in an otherwise ‘abnormal’ world.”
“Between March 16 last year to the same date this year, maternity services at the Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital have delivered 2,689 babies – 1,347 boys and 1,341 girls.
There have also been 39 sets of twins born.
The trust wants to hear from people to share their stories and help celebrate International Day of the Midwife.
People can email [email protected] with the following information:
- You and your partner’s name and your baby’s name
- Where and when you gave birth
- Your thank you message to your midwifery team
Please also attach a photo if you are happy for it to be shared by the trust.
Rachel added: “The additional demands of PPE and COVID restrictions has added to the already challenging expectations of the role of being a midwife.
“The overriding positive is the amazing feedback that we have received from our women regarding the fact that while they were fearful of having a baby within a pandemic, they have felt safe, reassured and supported.”
