Brilliant news! Alison’s work at IHV has been hugely significant, bringing attention to the pressures on HVs and the challenges they face in providing much-needed & valuable services to families.

Institute of Health Visiting@ihealthvisiting.bsky.social · 8mo ago

iHV is delighted that its CEO, Alison Morton, has been awarded an OBE in the King’s #NewYearHonours List. This prestigious award recognises Alison’s exceptional contribution to #HealthVisiting and her leadership in supporting families across the UK. ihv.org.uk/news-and-vie...

Good news that this very basic data is now available; bad news is for how long it hasn’t been examined & action taken. Look forward also to attention paid to mothers not in hospital but seriously ill elsewhere: struggling HVs & GPs will not find them all.

Thousands of new mothers in England readmitted to hospital after birth, figures show

Exclusive: More than 14,600 women readmitted within 30 days of birth in last year, raising alarm over early discharges

theguardian.com

www.gov.uk/government/p... Quite a few sensible & positive aspects here. But have I missed something about one of the government’s key aims for improving NHS, i.e. shift hospital to community? This could be highly pertinent to care on the maternity journey.

National maternity and neonatal investigation: terms of reference

gov.uk

A valuable summary of the situation restricting midwifery practice in many countries, consequently also limiting quality & quantity of appropriately skilled care that women crucially need in pregnancy, birth & postnatal. Parents/families should demand the legislation to enable the care they want.

International Confederation of Midwives@internationalmidwives.org · last yr.

New legal research shows outdated laws are blocking midwives from delivering quality care. Midwifery must be recognized and empowered—because rights-based, respectful maternal care starts with midwives. 🔗 Read more: zurl.co/M7XvT

Two days, two herons; am I being storked? Lol.

#midwives look here to what @roylilley1.bsky.social says the NHS plan should do about maternity services... myemail.constantcontact.com/Research.htm... Lets hope those in the Dept of Health and @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social take notice

Research

Email from nhsManagers.net The easy way View as Webpage Share This Email Share This Email Share This Email Latest Health News Weather IHSCM Academy of Fab' Stuff nhsManagers.net 18th June 2025 Subscri

myemail.constantcontact.com

revolution.postnatalsupportnetwork.com/postpartum-c... Regarding the planned NHS maternity inquiry, may I respectfully draw attention to this international call for better postnatal care? Please read, any who are involved @rcm.org.uk @nctcharity.bsky.social @birthcompanions.bsky.social

Yes, postnatal care and the 12 months after birth are repeatedly overlooked.

@elizabethduff2.bsky.social · last yr.

Agree 100%. It’s a bitter irony that numerical disparities in maternal mortality have recently reduced, only since more white women with higher incomes now die. Once again: look at the postnatal deaths. Authorities pass the buck on this from NHS to HVs to GPs: the Inquiry must solve this problem.

Agree 100%. It’s a bitter irony that numerical disparities in maternal mortality have recently reduced, only since more white women with higher incomes now die. Once again: look at the postnatal deaths. Authorities pass the buck on this from NHS to HVs to GPs: the Inquiry must solve this problem.

Birth Companions@birthcompanions.bsky.social · last yr.

We welcome yesterday's announcement of a national maternity investigation. We're encouraged to see explicit focus on the devastating inequalities experienced by Black and Asian women, and those living in the most deprived areas. Our full reflections here: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/articles/bir...

Some in the NHS say midwifery postnatal care for 10 days after birth is all that’s needed: not true. ‘Better Births’ policy pledged care for 6 weeks minimum. But a crucial move will be to co-ordinate care from NHS, health visitors & GPs so no sick & desperate mother falls through the lethal gaps.

National inquiry into maternity care announced by Wes Streeting

It will target the worst-performing trusts in England - and report back by the end of the year.

bbc.com

Very pleased to see a copy of my friend Chris Rose’s co-authored book Perceptual Engineering, published this year. He highlights use of all the senses, sometimes in unexpected ways - eg dogs who can detect cancer through smell - and urges wider thinking about how we can improve our own perceptions.

Might be a good idea to extend Covid vaccines to those of childbearing age.

Ruth Ann Crystal@drruth.bsky.social · last yr.

Children exposed to COVID in utero had developmental delays at age 24 months: 🧠36% cognitive delays 🗣️64% communication delays 🏃57% had motor delays 🧪 Specific developmental delays were related to specific inflammation cytokines found in their cord blood at birth. buff.ly/AQSfBm9 #Medsky #Pedsky 🛟😷

🌍🎈 Today is the International Day of Play, a reminder that play is a right. 🎒In a world of targets & tests, #PlayMatters more than ever. It nurtures creativity, confidence & connection. It is how children learn. 🔗 early-years-reviews.com/play-matters #InternationalDayOfPlay

@birthcompanions.bsky.social @rcm.org.uk @nctcharity.bsky.social

Maternity Action@maternityaction.bsky.social · last yr.

We are the Alliance for Maternity Rights & today we've launched our action plan to Government calling for better support for new mothers & parents maternityaction.org.uk/alliance-mat... @tuc.org.uk @fbunational.bsky.social @neunion.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk @unitetheunion.bsky.social

Good to see today's @commonswec.parliament.uk report on parental leave highlighting the poor level of #maternity & parental pay & calling for phased investment to improve it bit.ly/3Thd2tX

Government’s review must address ‘fundamental failings’ in UK’s parental leave system, WEC warns - Committees - UK Parliament

The existing “broken” parental leave system has “fundamental failings”, which the Government’s proposed ‘full review’ must address head on, a new report by th...

bit.ly

Investing more in maternity pay is vital to the government's missions AND affordable: our message to the Chancellor as the spending review nears: bit.ly/4kvjgT6

Investing more in maternity pay is both vital to the government’s missions, and affordable - Maternity Action

Blog by Annah Psarros, Senior Policy Officer On 11 June, Rachel Reeves will deliver her first multi-year spending review settlement as Chancellor. Her spending review will need to show how spending ca...

bit.ly

Enjoying the picturesque town of Kirkcudbright today. Lovely people there - it’s just nonsense to say the Scots are always in search of a bargain.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Microbiome: First bacteria we meet can keep us out of hospital

For the first time, scientists show how our microbiome forms affects the risk of infection.

bbc.co.uk

New results on this key issue. Nothing here tells parents what to decide about mode of birth but it does add to their knowledge base @nctcharity.bsky.social www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/ba...

Baby’s microbiome may protect against childhood viral infection

UK babies with a specific mix of gut bacteria have a lower risk of being hospitalised for viral lower respiratory tract infection in the first two years of life.

sanger.ac.uk

Pleased to see this initiative from @camdencouncil.bsky.social to help expectant parents. As said in report, the contact will also put parents in touch with other sources of support, while helping pay bills, clear debt, buy baby essentials, etc. @maternityaction.bsky.social @nctcharity.bsky.social

Important & well-grounded points made here. ALL new mothers are made poorer at a time they will clearly need to spend more on energy, equipment & other bills. Many consequently suffer worse postnatal health: no coincidence that maternal deaths in 1st year after a birth are predominantly suicides.

Maternity Action@maternityaction.bsky.social · last yr.

New blog: why aren't Westminster & the media more outraged about how becoming a mother impoverishes women? Our Head of Policy Judith Dennis has a go: bit.ly/4mqg1Oe

This animation shows how temperatures have changed over the last 100 years for each February-April period. On each map, red shading indicates warmer than average conditions, and blue shading shows the opposite. Note the trend. Data from NOAAGlobalTemp v6.0.0 (www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/lan...).

Great to have worked with @mattbrownwrites.bsky.social of @yourmoneyuk.bsky.social on this piece about our new report on #maternity pay www.yourmoney.com/household-bi... #endpregnancypoverty

Low maternity pay ‘pushes women into poverty’

Maternity pay is “critically low” and pushing women into poverty, claims one leading charity as paid leave for mothers celebrates 50 years.

yourmoney.com

Moments from an excellent tree-identification walk in Highgate Wood this morning: the elegance of hornbeams; the pleasing palmate shape of chestnut leaves; the tales told by all the interweaving cracks & lines on a fallen oak.

After enjoying a visit to the Affordable Art Fair on Hampstead Heath, an equally enjoyable walk home offered some totally affordable art from nature. Have a great weekend!

Looking forward to being at this today

Professor Laura Abbott@midwifeteacher.bsky.social · last yr.

Our team are looking forward to launching the findings of our Lost Mothers project today at The British Library @birthcompanions.bsky.social Featuring the excellent Scenes from Lost Mothers by @cleanbrk.bsky.social @herts.ac.uk #ESRC @nihrarcs.bsky.social

It’s an extraordinary & moving event, mixing research evidence, lived experience in drama form & panel discussion among expert & informed people. Clear & doable policy asks are in the report: just do it @yvettecooper-mp.bsky.social

Professor Laura Abbott@midwifeteacher.bsky.social · last yr.

Our team are looking forward to launching the findings of our Lost Mothers project today at The British Library @birthcompanions.bsky.social Featuring the excellent Scenes from Lost Mothers by @cleanbrk.bsky.social @herts.ac.uk #ESRC @nihrarcs.bsky.social

The work we do to empower pregnant mums & new mothers about their rights to work & maternity pay is vital to reducing their stress & improving well-being. That's why we're proud to support @mmhalliance.bsky.social & #maternalmentalhealthawarenessweek

🎥 Watch Anna af Ugglas, ICM Chief Executive, wish a heartfelt #IDM2025 to midwives worldwide, honouring their care in every crisis. 💜 Happy International Day of the Midwife!

We’re back TOMORROW! Join #MidwiferyHour Series 16, Ep1 as we explore how midwives can make genomic testing conversations clear & supportive. 🗓 30 April | 🕖 19:00 UK | 🎧 Spotify Register free: shorturl.at/fcts1 #GenomicTesting #MATFLIX