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Caption: Our first #MatExp #WhoseShoes workshop in Ireland was in Galway in May 2018. It had been very well received. We had been looking forward to returning and felt excited as we left Birmingham for Limerick. ๐ฎ๐ช
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Caption: ๐ It was Halloween ๐
Or Samfain as it is known in Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
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Caption: We were looking forward to meeting lots of โMummyโs little pumpkinsโ at our #IrishMatExp event.
๐๐ถ๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐ผ ๐
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Caption: It is always good to have a bit of time to look around and learn about the local scene. We loved Limerick and found everyone very friendly.
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Caption: Terry Wogan! ๐๐ฎ๐ช
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Caption: Whose Shoes ! ๐ ๐
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Caption: Our event was being held at the University Maternity hospital. We went there to visit: to have a look around, answer any last minute questions and help them set up the room ready for the workshop the next day.
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Caption: Director of Midwifery, Margaret Quigley showed us around. I was pleased to see that the flooring was in true Whose Shoes colours! ๐
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Caption: Margaret had come to the Whose Shoes workshop in Galway and had pledged to bring the approach to Limerick, kindly supported by Angela Dunne and the HSE.
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Caption: In Galway, Director of Midwifery Helen Murphy has introduced bright โWhose Shoesโ coloured chairs. Perhaps the idea will catch on in Limerick too?
๐๐ก๐
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Caption: Touring the maternity unit, we met St.Gerard. Patron Saint of pregnant women.
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Caption: We saw โthe radiant babyโ โ pride of place at the end of the corridor!
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Caption: We looked round the maternity unit, admiring some of the new features.
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Caption: It was a privilege too to visit the neonatal unit. Two babies, whoโd spent many weeks on the unit having been born very prematurely, came to our workshop the next day & it was lovely to see them and their parents thriving!
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Caption: My favourite image! ๐
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Caption: The day of the workshop dawned!
Dramatic! ๐
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Caption: As always, we wanted to hear what everyone has to say. Good and bad. Women and families and healthcare professionals talking openly together.
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Caption: And what a lovely tweet! ๐
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Caption: Everyone seemed happy to be there. The lovely clinical director was very taken with our โlittle green menโ and told us a lot about hurling. Well done Limerick! And Dublin football ( blue!)
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Caption: Sport is very important in Ireland! ๐ฎ๐ช
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Caption: Meanwhile Anna has been busy writing a beautiful โLimerickโ heading ... ready to capture all the important messages that people would be sending her via an avalanche of post-its! ๐
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Caption: Briefing the table facilitators โ
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Caption: A photo shoot ๐ณ
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Caption: Extraordinary cakes ! ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
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Caption: And attention to detail โฆ
and we were off! ๐
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Caption: We showed our โin their shoesโ film.
It was lovely that we had seen - and congratulated - a new Limerick mum being similarly wheeled through to the postnatal ward during our brief visit.
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Caption: Chief Executive Colette Cowan gave a powerful and very supportive introduction. It was good to hear that #hellomynameis and #EndPJParalysis are also being embraced in Limerick.
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Caption: We have one rule in #MatExp #WhoseShoes: only the babies are โallowedโ to fall asleep! ๐
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Caption: Always lovely to see so many babies in the room
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Caption: SO many lovely babies
โ including twins! ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ถ๐ผ๐
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Caption: The time flew. ๐ฆ
Soon it was time to cut the cake. ๐ฐ
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Caption: Everyone enjoyed it!
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Caption: Never too young to put a post-it on the board. Lovely to see this little one helping Daddy.
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Caption: Good, clear communication is a key theme of #MatExp #WhoseShoes.
And how it is tied in with patient safety.
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Caption: Anna had to switch quickly between โgraphic recordingโ mode and โreporting back to the roomโ mode. โHave I missed anything ? Have I got anything wrong?โ, she asked.
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Caption: Some key messagesโฆ
What do you say, and how you say it
MATTERS!
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Caption: This reminded me of โthe Mum testโ, introduced by Andrea Sutcliffe, then CEO of the Care Quality Commission and now new CEO of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in England. Are the services you provide good enough for your own loved ones?
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Caption: As always, letโs celebrate the things that are going well, including having the courage to invite people using services to come and have their say! And to work together to make things better! Lovely to see the radiant baby, symbol of hope, on Annaโs artwork.
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Caption: There were some incredibly powerful pledges โฆ and so many!
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Caption: Itโs always good to get a chance to chat to people, particularly people who have travelled to the event. Paula, Director of Midwifery in Kilkenny says they are keen to be the โnext stopโ of our #IrishMatExp tour! ๐ฎ๐ช
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Caption: A massive thank you to Annette, A very lovely and modest star behind the scene, keeping us all on track! ๐
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Caption: And the biggest and most important thank you. Thank you to all the fab parents and babies, including any who missed the final photo! Thank you for coming & for contributing so honestly and constructively. The team will be in touch with ways in which those who would like to can stay involved, celebrate what you are doing well and and bring about further improvements.
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Caption: It was time to relax with friends โ and see a bit more of Limerick!
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Caption: Until next time.
We ๐ Limerick! ๐งก
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