Macclesfield Maternity & Neonatal Unit

23/12/2025

✨👀 All Is Calm on SCBU… 👀✨

The Special Care Baby Unit is calm, focused, and full of dedicated care… our team is busy working hard behind the scenes for our tiniest patients 👶💛

🎄 BUT WAIT…

Fifi the Elf has spotted an elf imposter sneaking onto the unit! 🧝‍♀️✨
Dressed for Christmas, spreading festive cheer, and blending in almost perfectly…

🎅🧝‍♂️ Can you guess who it is?
Drop your guesses below 👇⬇️

Even on the busiest of days, there’s always room for a little Christmas magic and mischief on SCBU ✨🎄

From our very own Elf’s we wish you a Merry Christmas!


Macclesfield Maternity Voices PartnershipNorth West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network

23/12/2025

🎄🌙 Fifi the Elf’s Christmas Safe Sleep Special 👶✨

With Christmas cuddles, visits, and celebrations in full swing, Fifi the Elf wants to share some very important tips to help keep our babies safe while they sleep this festive season. 💛

🎅 During busy Christmas days (and cosy nights!), remember:

🛏️ Always place baby on their back to sleep
👣 Feet to the bottom of the cot
🧸 Keep the cot clear no loose blankets, toys, pillows, or tinsel
🛌 Use a firm, flat mattress
🧥 Avoid overdressing babies don’t need extra layers just because it’s winter
🚭 Keep baby’s sleep space smoke-free

Fifi knows visitors love cuddles, but she also reminds everyone:
🖐️ Clean hands before cuddles
😴 If you’re feeling tired, place baby back in their cot
💛 Never sleep on sofas or armchairs with baby

Fifi says: “The safest gift you can give your baby this Christmas is a safe sleep space wrapped up in nothing but love.” 🎁✨


East Cheshire NHS Trust
North West Neonatal Operational Delivery NetworkMacclesfield Maternity Voices Partnership

22/12/2025

🎄🤍 Fifi the Elf Shares an ICON Message 👶✨

Today, Fifi the Elf wants to remind parents of something really important babies cry, and that’s okay. 💛

Fifi has been learning about ICON:
🟡 I – Infant crying is normal
🟡 C – Comforting methods can help
🟡 O – It’s OK to walk away
🟡 N – Never shake a baby

All babies cry, sometimes a lot, and it can feel overwhelming especially when you’re tired. Fifi wants parents to know that if you feel stressed or at breaking point, it is absolutely okay to:
👶 Place your baby somewhere safe (like their cot)
🚶‍♀️ Step away for a few minutes
🫁 Take a breath and reset

Crying will not harm your baby but shaking can cause serious injury. Asking for help and taking a pause is a sign of strength, not failure.

Fifi says: “You’re doing an amazing job, even on the hard days. Take a moment, breathe, and remember you’re not alone.” 💛✨
East Cheshire NHS TrustNorth West Neonatal Operational Delivery NetworkMacclesfield Maternity Voices Partnership

19/12/2025

✨ Fantastic Friday ✨

📣 We want to share with you
Our Research Midwives, Angela and Molly, recently presented at a research conference in London.

🎟️ They were invited by Prof. Simon Stanworth from NHS Blood and Transplant to speak about their experience delivering the PANDA Study here at Macclesfield.
PANDA has been an outstanding success at Macclesfield and is consistently ranked as one of the top-performing sites in the country 👏🏻

🌟 Angela and Molly shared the strategies and approaches that helped achieve this level of performance, particularly impressive given that Macclesfield is a relatively small hospital compared with many of the other participating sites.

✨ Well done to Angela and Molly for all their hard work and commitment to research ✨









East Cheshire NHS Trust
Macclesfield Maternity & Neonatal Unit

18/12/2025

☎️When to Call Your Midwife or GP During Pregnancy ☎️

Your health and your baby’s health are so important. Please call your midwife or GP straight away if you experience any of the following at 𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 of your pregnancy:

🚨 Spotting or bleeding
🚨 Sharp or ongoing abdominal pain
🚨 Vomiting all or most food
🚨 Leaking fluid from the va**na
🚨 Persistent severe headache
🚨 Swelling in face, hands, or legs
🚨 Cramps in your lower back or pelvic area
🚨 Itching (especially on hands and feet)
🚨 Painful urination
🚨 Blurred vision or seeing spots
🚨 Baby’s movements slowing down or changing
🚨 High temperature (above 37.5°C)
🚨 Or simply if something doesn’t feel right

💗 Trust your instincts, if you are worried, please reach out. We are here to support you and your baby every step of the way.

Maternity Triage ☎️ 01625 661857

’s

17/12/2025

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CARE

2026 NHS Maternity Survey

🔹We will shortly be conducting a survey about the care you received during pregnancy and after your birth. This survey is part of a national programme to improve experiences of maternity care.

🔹The survey is being carried out by researchers from this NHS Trust (or independent contractor staff that they employ), the Care Quality Commission and the Survey Coordination Centre at Picker.
The results will be presented in a form that does not allow any individual’s answers to be identified.

🔹Your views are important to us
It is very important for us to find out what people across England think of the maternity care they have received, so the NHS can make improvements.
If you fill out the questionnaire, your answers will be put together with the answers of others to provide results for your trust. This will be kept confidential by the researchers. Nobody will be able to identify you in any results that are published, and the trust will not know who has taken part.

🔹Taking part in the survey is voluntary and all answers are confidential.

16/12/2025

🎄⚖️ Fifi the Elf Celebrates Every Gram in SCBU! 👶✨

Today on our Special Care Baby Unit, Fifi has been watching the scales and she wants everyone to know why weight gain is such a big deal for our tiny babies. 💛

In SCBU, we love weight gain because it tells us that babies are:
🌱 Growing stronger
🧠 Supporting healthy brain development
💪 Building energy reserves
🔒 Locking in all the nutrition they need

That’s why our team keeps a close eye on baby’s weight, growth patterns, and feeding plans. Every gram gained is a sign of progress and helps guide how we support feeding, care, and development.

Fifi knows that for parents, watching the numbers can feel emotional, but she wants to reassure you that steady growth matters more than big jumps, and every baby grows at their own pace.

Fifi says: “Those tiny gains add up to BIG milestones and I’m here cheering for every single gram!” 🌟



East Cheshire NHS Trust
North West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network
Macclesfield Maternity Voices Partnership

14/12/2025

🎄💊 Fifi the Elf Learns About Medicines in SCBU 👶✨

Today on our Special Care Baby Unit, Fifi has been busy learning all about some of the common medications our babies may need and, just as importantly, how we support parents to feel confident giving them. 💛

Some babies in SCBU need medications to help with things like:
👶 Breathing and reflux support
🦠 Preventing or treating infection
🧠 Supporting growth and development
💗 Helping their bodies adjust after an early or unwell start

Fifi has seen that parents are never expected to do this alone. Our team:
🤝 Teaches and supports parents step by step
🔒 Shows how to safely measure and give medicines
❓ Encourages questions and builds confidence before discharge

📘 SCBU also uses the Paddington Medicine Booklet, which parents get to take home. Fifi LOVES this part because it helps families:
✔️ Keep track of what medicines are needed
✔️ Know when and how to give them
✔️ Feel organised and reassured at home

Fifi says: “Learning about medicines is another big milestone and we’re here to support parents every step of the way.” ✨



East Cheshire NHS Trust
North West Neonatal Operational Delivery NetworkMacclesfield Maternity Voices Partnership

13/12/2025

🎄💧 Fifi the Elf Explains IV Fluids in SCBU 👶✨

Today on our Special Care Baby Unit, Fifi has been busy looking after another poorly little elf and wants to help parents understand why some babies need IV (intravenous) fluids when they need a little extra support. 💛

Some babies, especially those born prematurely, may need IV fluids because:
👶 They are too small or unwell to take enough milk at first
💧 They need help staying hydrated and to balance essential salts
⚖️ Their bodies are working hard to grow and adjust to life outside the womb

The IV fluids we use are varied dependent on the babies needs. They are given through a tiny cannula. This helps to:
💛 Keep babies well hydrated
⚡ Helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels
🧂Helps maintains essential salts in the body
🧠 Supports rest until they are ready to get feeding established

Fifi has seen that IV fluids are:
✨ Carefully monitored
✨ Used only when needed
✨ Reduced and stopped as soon as babies are able to take enough milk

Fifi says: “ IV fluids are just one of the ways we gently support our tiniest patients until they’re strong enough to feed and grow on their own.” 🌟



East Cheshire NHS TrustNorth West Neonatal Operational Delivery NetworkMacclesfield Maternity Voices Partnership

12/12/2025

☕🎄 Fifi & Chief Elf Joy Join the SCBU Coffee Morning! 👶💛

Today, Fifi the Elf teamed up with our very own Chief Elf Joy for a special visit to the Special Care Baby Unit coffee morning and what a magical morning it was! ✨

These coffee mornings bring together families who have spent time in Special Care, giving them a safe, friendly space to:
💬 Share their experiences
🤝 Connect with others who truly understand
💛 Receive peer support from those who’ve walked a similar journey

Fifi loved watching parents chat, laugh, reflect, and support one another, creating a warm community filled with strength, hope, and (of course) a touch of festive elf cheer.

A huge thank you to the wonderful Cheshire East Family Hubs North for helping bring this elf magic to life and supporting our families every step of the way. 🎅✨

Fifi says: “Coffee, connection, and a sprinkle of Christmas spirit, the perfect recipe for support!” ☕💫



North West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network
East Cheshire NHS Trust

12/12/2025

✨🌟Feedback Friday 🌟✨

“This was my second induction at macclesfield hospital both experiences were so smooth

Every midwife, doctor, HCA on the ward always go above and beyond to make you feel like you the only person on the ward! Nothing is ever to much trouble

Special thank you this time round to britt who delivered my boy and really made me believe i could do it when i was at the peak of my pain really couldn't of done done it with our her

Also student midwife Amelia and ward coordinator Cheryl, both cheering me on when i felt like giving up and just the general support from being admitted, to thr induction process to after birth

Another amazing experience “

Welcome to the world baby Joe💙

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East Cheshire NHS Trust
Macclesfield Maternity Voices Partnership

11/12/2025