30 July 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cathy O’Sullivan (pictured centre) midwife teacher at Cork University Maternity Hospital is joined by first time mums-to-be, Ciara Murphy (left) and Noelle Hogan (right), at the launch of the hospital’s new information guide on preparing for birth and beyond
Cork University Maternity Hospital is today launching a new guide for expectant parents attending preparation for birth and parenthood education classes at the hospital. This new pregnant-friendly guide includes all the information given to women and their partners while attending classes, during a two week period, prior to giving birth at the hospital. The guide includes information on pregnancy, labour, birth and parenthood as well as referencing numerous online reliable sources of information. CUMH offers an extensive birth and parenthood education programme for pregnant women and their partners with tailored classes available to first-time parents, teenagers and young adults, parents expecting multiple births and for parents with specific needs.
According to the editor Cathy O’Sullivan who is a highly experienced midwife teacher at the hospital and who provides the education for the midwives giving the classes.
“The midwives giving the preparation for birth and beyond programme felt that they needed to provide those attending the course with a comprehensive handbook to use as a reference source during and after the course and the guidebook was developed. I hope that all those attending CUMH’s programme will find the handbook a valuable source of reliable information during and after their pregnancy. We want all expectant mothers and their partners to be fully informed of the joys, tribulations and choices they will encounter during pregnancy, labour, giving birth, after the birth in hospital and looking after themselves and the baby at home. Research states that women attending ante-natal classes want to take home written information and I hope that all those using the guide will find it a helpful addition to our education programme. Expectant mothers and their partners reviewed draft copies of the booklet and their first-hand experience gave us great insight into the guide’s development.”
CUMH’s acting director of midwifery, Olive Long launched the booklet saying, “I am delighted that we have this new education resource for our expectant mothers and their partners and families. CUMH is a very busy hospital with in excess of 7,800 births in 2014 and each expectant mother and their family has their own unique experience during their time with us. The better informed women are on pregnancy and giving birth – the better their experience should be. Our midwives, medics, physiotherapists, dietiticians, social workers, administrators and all other staff are also on hand to every woman and her family seeking further information during their pregnancy and beyond.
Attending the launch are expectant mums to be Noelle Hogan and Ciara Murphy, Noelle who is due to give birth to her first baby in August said, “My husband Dan and I really enjoyed the ante-natal classes and found them very useful. The midwives giving the classes made them very enjoyable and we came away feeling informed and happy. The new Cork University Maternity Hospital Preparing for Birth and Parenthood guide will be a useful source of material for us during the coming months.”
Ciara Murphy from Ballinlough, Cork city also due her first baby in September recently attended the birth and parenthood education programme and is full of praise for the information received,
“The classes were great, really informative. While you know a lot of the stuff already it is the detail provided in the classes and the new accompanying guide that made a real difference to me. For my husband it was an eye-opener and he found them exceptionally beneficial. He is delighted that he attended and now has the Cork University Maternity Hospital Preparing for Birth and Parenthood guide as a back-up reference.”
