Midwifery Society hosts successful IDM 2024 conference

The Midwifery Society at City, University of London held its annual International Day of the Midwife (IDM) conference in May, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of midwives, students, researchers, and service users.

This year's event, hosted at City, was particularly notable for its hybrid format, which allowed broader participation and accessibility. The conference featured a range of speakers who addressed key issues in midwifery, maternity care, and the diverse needs of the populations served by midwives.

Third-year midwifery student Gabriella Gardiner, the current president of the Midwifery Society, expressed her gratitude and excitement about the event's success. "IDM 2024 was a huge success – we are so thankful to all the speakers for giving us their time and speaking on such thought-provoking and relevant topics. Hearing from midwives, students, researchers, and service users was a great way to reflect on the importance of how we provide care and how every small interaction can affect those individuals. Especially across such a diverse population, who all might have differing needs and take away something completely different from that interaction."

The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Dr Grace Lucas, Associate Dean for Education Quality and Student Experience in the School of Health & Psychological Sciences. Dr Lucas highlighted the importance of midwifery education and the personal significance of maternity care.

The event's agenda was packed with sessions that covered a wide array of topics. One of the highlights was a series of talks focused on individuals’ experiences with a diagnosis of Down syndrome, both before and shortly after birth. These sessions were described as both informative and emotional, offering attendees a valuable perspective from service users on the importance of sensitivity and compassion in the delivery of maternity care.

Reflecting on the day's events, another member of the Midwifery Society remarked, "The IDM this year at City was so inspiring! It is always affirming to attend talks with like-minded people in your field to remind you why you love a subject. The talks from service users and maternity mates were so informative about how we can provide better, more personalised care for the women we care for!"

One particularly impactful talk focused on the role of Maternity Mates, a programme run by Sister Circle, a women’s health charity, that provides crucial support to expectant and new mothers. This session expanded the attendees' understanding of the scope and importance of Maternity Mates, particularly in supporting women with diverse needs and backgrounds. Other excellent talks covered issues such as supporting women with Female Genital Mutilation (also run by the team at Sister Circle), equity and inclusion in maternity care, autism spectrum disorder in service users and midwives, and intersectionality and midwifery care.

The Midwifery Society has a long-standing tradition of organising events that foster learning, networking, and professional development among midwifery students and professionals. Gabriella highlighted the Society's mission during her address, emphasising the importance of community and support within the midwifery field. "The aim of the Midwifery Society is to bring together students across all years and organise events that are informative, supportive, and fun. Some highlights include social events, such as a screening of the Birth Time documentary, or suturing workshops to help build confidence in the skills essential to our practice when we quality."

As the conference drew to a close, Gabriella extended an invitation to prospective students and new members to join the Midwifery Society, highlighting the invaluable opportunities for growth and connection that the Society offers. "We are currently coming up to our final weeks at university and are looking for students to take over! Being part of the Midwifery Society is a great opportunity to get involved, organise amazing events, and contribute to the supportive community we’ve built."