MY Maternity & Neonatal

28/07/2025

With so much to prepare for, it’s never too early to consider how you might like to feed your baby.

If you choose to breastfeed, here are some of the benefits you can expect 👇

Find out more in UNICEF's ‘Off to the best start’ leaflet at bit.ly/UNICEFguidebreastfeeding

24/07/2025

This , Katie says: "I would like to send the biggest, heartfelt thank you to everyone that was involved in the birth of our little boy on 4th April 2025.

"After a difficult few years trying to conceive and an eventual IVF journey, I was very anxious for the birth, with the feeling that something would go wrong. Our midwives Brooke, Charlize, Emma and Amelia were amazing throughout every moment, explaining everything every step of the way and keeping us calm, even when difficulties arose.

"Our little boy became distressed towards the end, meaning a trip to theatre and a forceps delivery which is where I became upset and panicked but the consultants Lucy and Katie kept me as calm as possible, talking me through every step and preparing me for any changes. An extra shout out to the anaesthetist Davide for repeatedly telling me I didn't need a C-Section and keeping the pain relief going, even through my panic.

"And a final thank you to Brooke and Charlize again for being so supportive during theatre and helping so so much with our little boy in the first few hours of his life as we were both totally exhausted after 4 days on the induction bay and a 19 hour labour - they definitely went above and beyond for us!

"Each and every one of the staff were amazing and worked like a well-oiled machine, even in the difficult moments. Twelve weeks on, I still feel emotional writing this as I am so thankful for the care we received."

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22/07/2025

Our Perinatal Mental Health Midwife has teamed up with Point Talking Therapies to deliver two free welling workshops for pregnancy🤰

These informal workshops, which will be delivered on MS Teams, have been designed to provide you with useful techniques and coping strategies to help improve your mental health and wellbeing during the perinatal period.

🗓️ Mindful Pregnancy – Managing Stress and Positive Birth
Thursday 11 September | 12pm – 1.30pm

🗓️ Mindful Pregnancy – Managing Anxiety and Connecting with Baby
Thursday 25 September | 12pm – 1.30pm

To book your place or find out more:
🌐 Visit: talking.turning-point.co.uk/workshops
📞 Call: 01924 234860
📧 Email: wakefield.talking@turning-point.co.uk

21/07/2025

Please note, the pregnancy vaccination clinic at Dewsbury and District Hospital this Friday (25 July) is cancelled.

🏥 Our pregnancy vaccination clinics usually run as follows.

Located in our antenatal outpatient departments, these clinics offer both drop-in and bookable sessions for Pertussis and RSV vaccinations. To arrange a booked appointment, please speak to your community midwife.

• Pinderfields: Monday, 9.30am to 4.30pm
• Pontefract: Wednesday, 9.30am to 4.30pm
• Dewsbury: Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Thank you for your understanding.

20/07/2025

Have you used our MY Choices for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond personalised care booklet during your pregnancy journey? If so, we'd love to hear from you 💬

We’re always looking to improve the information and support we provide, and your feedback really helps us to do that.

What did you find helpful? Is there anything you’d like to see added or changed?

Please drop us a message in our inbox with your thoughts - we’d love to hear from you!

17/07/2025

This , Megan kindly shares her birth experience 💙

"Our baby girl was born on 20 June via C-section due to being breech. Being a member of staff on the other side of the operating table was quite an experience!

"We received the most incredible care from the moment we walked into PACU that morning and met everyone - from the midwives and anaesthetist to the surgeons. In theatre, we had Dr Cross, whose spinal worked incredibly well! Lynsey, the ODP pictured here with our girl, made us feel calm and reassured me when I needed it, especially as our baby needed a little help with her breathing when she was born.

"We will never forget the kindness and compassion everyone showed us that day. The whole theatre team is a credit to the maternity ward."

💙 If you’d like to be featured in our next , just drop us a message in our inbox 📩

15/07/2025

Our monthly Bronte Birth Centre tour is taking place this Sunday at 6pm 🩵

Drop by for a chance to see this calm, homely, midwife-led setting for yourself - no booking required. If you can't make it, just call 01924 319152 to arrange a time to suit you.

🎥 In the meantime, you can watch our virtual tour from the comfort of your own home.

Welcome to the Bronte Birth Centre virtual tour.Located within the grounds of Dewsbury and District Hospital, our freestanding, midwife-led birth centre is i...

14/07/2025

📆 It's important to book an appointment with a midwife as early as possible to get the care, information, and support you need to have a healthy pregnancy.

For more information on how to book an appointment visit speakwithamidwife.co.uk

You can self-refer to our maternity service through the Badger Notes website as soon as you find out you're pregnant. Just visit: bit.ly/self-refertoMY 💙

At Mid Yorkshire, we’re proud to offer four birth place options to suit your needs and preferences:

🏠 Homebirth, supported by our community midwives
🩺 Labour ward and elective caesarean section unit at Pinderfields Hospital
👶 Pinderfields Birth Centre, an alongside birth centre at Pinderfields Hospital
🌼 Bronte Birth Centre, a standalone birth centre at Dewsbury and District Hospital

Speak to your midwife about your options so you can plan the birth that’s right for you.

11/07/2025

Please note, the pregnancy vaccination clinic at Dewsbury and District Hospital on Friday 25 July is cancelled.

🏥 Our pregnancy vaccination clinics usually run as follows.

Located in our antenatal outpatient departments, these clinics offer both drop-in and bookable sessions for Pertussis and RSV vaccinations. To arrange a booked appointment, please speak to your community midwife.

• Pinderfields: Monday, 9.30am to 4.30pm
• Pontefract: Wednesday, 9.30am to 4.30pm
• Dewsbury: Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Thank you for your understanding.

10/07/2025

This , Daisy kindly shares her birth experience.

"On Sunday 15 June at 11.56am, I gave birth to my third beautiful baby girl, Eden Pamela, on labour ward at Pinderfields Hospital. She weighed 8lbs 4oz and had a full head of hair!

"The care I received during and after the birth was absolutely wonderful, and had it not been for such kind and caring midwives and staff, I feel my birth experience would have been very different. Each and every member of staff who cared for me during my stay in hospital - at such a vulnerable and scary time - from triage, to labour ward and the postnatal ward, treated me with a kindness and respect I will never forget.

"After a traumatic experience with a retained placenta and snapped umbilical cord after I gave birth to my second daughter (which resulted in a manual removal of placenta in the delivery room without pain relief), I was very apprehensive and scared that I would have a similar experience this time. One midwife in particular - Keeley, who delivered baby Eden - was so supportive and kind to me and went above and beyond to make me feel safe and in control throughout my labour and beyond. Without her I don’t think I would have kept it together. I was so tired after a long labour and in so much pain but she helped me find it in myself to keep going and I can’t thank her enough for helping me bring Eden into the world, and for the experience I had.

"After the birth, my placenta did get stuck again, but the whole team on labour ward was absolutely fantastic and were so patient and understanding with me and calmed me down and gave me the strength to get through the removal in theatre.

"I want to say a huge thank you to everyone on labour ward, the theatre team and everyone on Gate 18 for taking such good care of me and Eden. I really felt safe. It is clear that maternity care is more than just a job to you, I truly felt cared for by all of you and I appreciate you all. The way you are treated throughout labour makes a huge difference to the start of your postnatal journey, and because of the team at Pinderfields, it’s been a beautiful experience for me. Thank you all."

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09/07/2025

Babies and young children are especially vulnerable in hot weather. With temperatures rising, here are some simple tips to help keep your little one safe, cool, and happy:

👶 Babies under 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight.
🧢 Older babies and toddlers should also be kept in the shade where possible – especially between 11am and 3pm when the sun is strongest.
🧴 Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on your baby’s skin. Look for brands specially designed for babies and children.
🔁 Reapply sunscreen regularly, especially if your child is in and out of water.
👒 Pop on a sunhat with a wide brim or long flap to protect their head and neck.
💧 Make sure babies and children drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated.
🚫 Never leave babies or young children in small, enclosed spaces like a parked car, as they can become dangerously hot very quickly.

For more sun safety advice, visit the NHS 'Keeping your baby safe in the sun' web page: https://bit.ly/3P7xadS

09/07/2025

🍼 Donor breastmilk and milk kinship – guidance for Muslim families

Did you know donor breastmilk can be lifesaving for premature or poorly newborns?

Many Muslim families have questions about donor milk, whether it’s halal, and how it might affect milk kinship.

✨ A new leaflet from the British Islamic Medical Association, the Centre for Islam and Medicine, and Imperial College London offers clear guidance on:

✅ Islamic views on donor milk and milk kinship
✅ How donor milk is safely sourced and tracked
✅ Your rights and choices as parents
✅ How to trace milk donors if needed in the future

➡️ Remember, using donor milk is your choice, and we're there to support you every step of the way.

Read the full leaflet here: humanmilkfoundation.org/hearts-milk-bank/milk-kinship