Sheffield Breech Birth Service shortlisted in RCM Annual Midwifery Awards

The Citywide 1-1 Team from Sheffield’s Jessop Wing has been shortlisted in the prestigious RCM Annual Midwifery Awards.

Sarah Haynes and her daughter Emily with members of the Sheffield Breech Birth Service.

The Sheffield Breech Birth Service, part of the Citywide 1-1 Team, has been shortlisted in the Excellence in Maternity Care Award category.

The service aims to give women greater choice to have the opportunity to give birth naturally when their baby is breech.

Women referred to the service are seen by the team, midwives Nicola Dawes, Sarah Martin and Helen Dresner Barnes and assessed by Consultant Obstetrician Dr Julia Bodle. The team discuss maternal wishes with the mother and also provide access to a range of materials including filmed births which have been donated for teaching and counselling by previous mothers who have used the service.

A key part of the service is that mothers are given time and flexibility with their decision of how they would like their baby to be born and the team provide 24/7 on call cover to ensure continuity from an experienced carer for those who have chosen to birth their baby naturally.

Helen Dresner Barnes, Citywide 1-1 Team Lead at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals said:

It is important that we give mothers the time they need to make an informed decision which is right for them. Our service aims to give equality of care, so that every mother is given the same up to date information about having a breech baby, but that is also personalised to them and their individual pregnancy. By showcasing what we do here in Sheffield we are promoting safe evidence based practice and are aiming to share skills to promote a standardised approach to caring for mothers expecting breech babies across the UK. Up until recently this would have been birth by caesarean section, but there is good evidence to support choice in how the baby is born is many cases.

Sarah Haynes, 29 from Sheffield, is one mother who earlier this year gave birth naturally to her breech baby Emily. Sarah said:

Having access to the service has been a brilliant experience for me and my partner. I really wanted to deliver my baby naturally and the team were fully supportive of my wishes. Without this, my experience would have been completely different and not how I wanted it to be. I hope this type of service becomes much more wide spread across the country so more parents can deliver their breech babies naturally.

The team are keen to share their practices and experiences with others and have been actively involved in international conferences and research. A dedicated breech clinic is also in the process of being introduced in Sheffield and is anticipated for in early 2016.

Winners of the RCM awards will be announced at the annual awards ceremony held in London on 8 March 2016.