Just two midwives caring for 32 women and babies due to staff shortages, conference hears

Lynda Moore, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) executive council member and midwife at Cork University Maternity Hospital, said shortages were identified nationally in an INMO survey.

“Most of the time that we are working we are not on anything like a full staff,” she said.

This is leading to greater use of telephone appointments, even for a first appointment, known as a booking visit. This can mean things are missed or not discussed, she told the Irish Examiner during the conference.

“Maybe perinatal mental health teams are not being referred to, maybe she is not getting a physio referral so perhaps she is not getting the further things which need to be done, because we are not getting the full picture,” she said.

Some 80% of midwives said they spend less time with women than they prefer, the survey showed.

“The midwifery clinics are so busy, you are taking more and more women,” Ms Moore said.

We are supposed to get a 20-minute window with each woman, but if there is a very busy clinic and 10 women waiting outside, you are very conscious of that so you are pushing, pushing the time.” 

She also reassured women, saying: “The birthing suite is the one time I think is ring-fenced in their time. They do get that one-to-one, we’re very lucky in Ireland that we do have one-to-one midwifery care.” 

However, she urged women not to be reluctant to ask questions, saying: "I don’t think women ask enough questions still." 

“If it is suggested that a woman go for a Caesarean birth or an induction, she doesn’t ask ‘Well, why should I, what are the risks of me doing this?'," she said. "They don’t ask what are the risks of me going for Caesarean or an induction, and therefore they are not given that information.” 

Post-natal wards

The shortages are most obvious on post-natal wards, she said.

“On night duty you have two midwives instead of three on duty, that means that a ward of 32 or 28 women is divided between two instead of three,” she said.

Women who have had Caesarean sections need more help at this time, due to the effects of surgery.

“And probably at the end of this year we will certainly be at more than 40% C-section rate, I’m very worried about that,” she said.

Choices were also raised by INMO president Karen McGowan, who opened the conference.

“Choice for women in relation to their experience of childbirth is a human right,” she said. 

“And one in which the Republic of Ireland is lagging seriously behind on. We have a shameful lack of choice and active impediment of choice for women in relation to where and how they experience childbirth.” 

She added: “In particular I want to call out the poor coverage in the Republic for the choice of homebirth and in relation to water births.”