Specialist midwife to offer the best start for babies

Val Finigan MBE

A Consultant Midwife for Infant Feeding, believed to be the only such position in the UK, has been appointed to support new mums at Fairfield General Hospital.

This new role for Val Finigan MBE, 52 from Middleton, means that pregnant women and parents using the hospital can look forward to dedicated help and advice when it comes to feeding their new babies.

Bringing over 35 years of NHS experience, Ms Finigan has been appointed by The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to help support women and families in making appropriate feeding choices for them and their babies. Having previously worked as an Infant Feeding Coordinator, her new role involves managing and developing the Trust’s Infant Feeding Team by further improving the quality of care by implementing the most current, research-based practices.

Ms Finigan has already started working with colleagues throughout the organisation, including Infant Feeding Advisors, Midwives and Healthcare and Breastfeeding Support Workers to implement and sustain UNICEF Baby Friendly standards designed to improve the uptake of breastfeeding.

“In taking up this role my ambition is that we support women to be successful in their choices about feeding and that we continue to provide the right care for the right person at the right time. Ultimately our overarching aim is to empower women to breastfeed their babies and to provide them with the support that they need, because evidence demonstrates breastfeeding has health benefits for both mum and baby,” she said.

Ms Finigan, added: “I will do my very best to make sure that all mothers receive the best standards of care, providing them with the knowledge and skill to empower them to make the right choice for them, based on scientific and unbiased information. As well as making sure that women feel supported, both my colleagues and I can play a significant role in reducing the need to admit babies to hospital due to problems related to poor feeding and also promote safe bottle feeding.”

Under changes planned as part of the Greater Manchester-wide Making it Better programme, the option to give birth at Fairfield General Hospital will no longer be available from Spring next year, although all routine antenatal care, including scans, and postnatal care will remain at the hospital, at home and in the community.