Reducing the chances of stillbirth and miscarriage is the focus of specialist midwife Vanessa Neimke.
As the Saving Babies’ Lives Lead Midwife at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, she will provide vital information to parents-to-be – this will include the effects of smoking and the importance of feeling the baby kick during pregnancy.
Vanessa, from Stourbridge, explained: “It’s really important that expectant parents are aware of the risks of smoking in pregnancy, what their baby’s fetal movements mean and how to manage pre-existing diabetes.By stopping smoking, women will reduce the risk of stillbirth or miscarriage and have a healthier pregnancy. Whilst it’s vital that you monitor your baby’s movements from around 16 weeks onwards.
“It is also important to manage babies that are smaller and lighter than they should be for that stage of pregnancy, monitor babies effectively during labour, and reduce the chance of babies being born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed.
“I work closely with different teams to implement and monitor these six elements, known as the Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle – which is a document for reducing stillbirth that was launched in 2016.”
Vanessa added: “I have worked at the Trust for almost 13 years, starting as a newly qualified midwife in 2012. I worked on the labour ward for a while but settled in the community for the next seven years. I enjoyed working with people throughout their pregnancy journeys, meeting and supporting their growing families in the time after having a baby. I felt like part of the community.”
In 2019, Vanessa took an opportunity to become the newborn screening lead at the Trust. She explained: “I set up the service, managed a small team and implemented new IT systems, improvements, procedures, and adapted the service to new national guidance.
“I then moved to the risk and governance side of maternity and eventually became the Saving Babies’ Lives Midwife. I feel like I thrive best when finding ways to improve services.
“I decided to go into my field of work as I wanted to help reduce the number of stillbirths and deaths under seven days of age within the Trust. I am dedicated to the people we serve and passionate about training and educating staff to deliver the best possible level of care. I am proud to be involved with improving outcomes for our diverse population.”
Not only this, but Vanessa’s contribution to the Trust extends beyond her role in delivering the Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle. She added: “I also educate staff on monthly mandatory training days, update progress on quality improvement, am involved with stakeholders.
“Recently I have even made some educational TikToks with the help of the Communications Team, to help target a wider audience. One video about the dangers of smoking during pregnancy, received 18,700 views.” Vanessa is the embodiment of the compassion and commitment needed for this specialist role that continues to help the Trust achieve healthy birth outcomes.