Weight management: a gentle approach
Alex Clark, registered nutritionist from Slimming World, understands the importance of compassionate conversations for weight management Discussing weight is a challenge for all health professionals, and having this conversation with a pregnant woman requires an additional layer of sensitivity and empathy. In England alone, 29% of women have a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight category (>25kg/m2) at 15 weeks’ […]
Research in action
What do we think of when we hear the word ‘research’? Perhaps it’s labs and academic study, but the reality of research going hand in hand with midwifery practice may be surprising Donna Jones Donna is an early- career midwife at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board. She was awarded funding in the student […]
Homeless mothers: lost in the echo
Midwives Sara Cumming, Dr Andrew Symon (Mother and Infant Research Unit, University of Dundee) and Angie Ouattara (Shared Health Foundation) and programme manager Belinda Ngugi (Newham Nurture NCT) discuss supporting pregnant women experiencing homelessness In the UK, homelessness is on the rise, and caring for pregnant women experiencing this is a clinical concern for midwives. The […]
Refresher: newborn examination
This top to toe assessment of the baby for any obvious signs of abnormality or distress must have the parents present and should be explained clearly (with a translator if needed) Check general appearance Check overall symmetry, count fingers and toes, and check for webbing. Ensure that the neck is fully mobile. Measure the […]
Refresher: Re:Birth
How we communicate can determine the quality of the care given and received. In 2021, the RCM carried out a collaborative and exploratory project called Re:Birth to understand what language works best. It found that women and service users wanted descriptive and non-judgemental terms; professionals needed terms that are descriptive and unambiguous about differences in […]
By your side
The countdown is on to the SMiLe 25 conference, and we have made more places available due to high demand. This year has really seen the coming together of the SMiLe (Scottish Midwifery Leadership) group and all its networks to build a conference that reflects what is important to midwives, maternity support workers (MSWs) and maternity […]
Speaking up
Melissa Griffin achieved a first for her research into the assumptions made about Black people, the ways healthcare professionals practice unconscious bias and the effects on care received. Melissa is an RCM activist, a Freedom to Speak up champion, a cultural humility and civility trainer, a maternity safeguarding supervisor and a specialist perinatal mental health […]
Forging a new path
In a historic move, the RCM has announced that it is withdrawing from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) process for 2026-27. The decision, the trade union says, “hasn’t been taken lightly” but is one it feels is “absolutely necessary” given the lack of progress on NHS pay reform for more than a decade, which has […]
Life-saving care
As trauma and grief took their toll on Rachel Burn, a bereavement midwife made all the difference in the world. I had my first baby during the pandemic, so my pregnancy appointments and hospital stay were marked by visitor restrictions and isolation. After birth, I had a retained placenta and both my baby and I […]
Learning to thrive
What do learning representatives do and why are they needed? Kate Shinkwin, RCM learning rep for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, explains. The midwifery profession involves lifelong learning and professional development. A learning representative supports this by identifying learning or training needs and helping members to access these, as well as negotiating with employers […]