A trial that allows fathers to spend the night on maternity wards to help out overstretched midwives has proven so successful, there are calls for it to be rolled out across the country. Under the scheme, new dads are able to sleep at their partner's bedside to help feed and bathe the baby, giving midwives more time to deal with other patients and allowing new mums to rest.
Popular approach
Professionals say adopting the scheme nationwide would help boost standards and improve maternity services that are struggling to cope with a rising birth rate. There is a shortage of almost 3,000 midwives, according to the Royal College of Midwives. And figures reported to the Nursing Midwifery Council show that more than 60 per cent of maternity units had to close their doors to women in labour last year because they were full.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
