We are delighted to welcome you to our very first blog post, on our brand spanking new website! We are launching our site today, on the International Day of the Midwife, to show our firm commitment to midwifery, to partnership and collaboration, and to spreading kindness and compassion for respectful, safe maternity care throughout the world.

Every year on the 5th May, midwives around the world celebrate, and are celebrated. In the UK, we are fortunate to have one of the best professional midwifery systems in the world.  Though it’s far from perfect, we know there are countries where there are no midwives, or where midwives are constrained in their practice and unable to provide evidence based, sensitive midwifery care. The Lancet Midwifery Series, and the State of the World’s Midwifery Report provide the detail for us to see that the vast majority of maternal and newborn mortalities and morbidities in middle and low-income countries could have been prevented with proper antenatal care and the presence of a skilled midwife during birth.

Sheena with newborn Anna, grateful for the midwives who cared for them!