Croydon nurse Kelly Sawyer has been honoured as Emma’s Diary Mums’ London Region’s Midwife of the Year.
Prize-winner: Croydon midwife Kelly Sawyer
It is one of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) annual midwifery awards, recognising the incredible work done by exceptional midwives across the country. Emma’s Diary is an online resource for mums-to-be and new parents, offering advice and support on pregnancy and post-natal information, via responsible and reliable content that is verified by a healthcare team (made up of GPs and Midwives) and supported by the RCM.
Sawyer was nominated for the award by Croydon mother Kasia DiMaria.
DiMaria had planned to have her first baby at home, but needed to be transferred to hospital by ambulance after her labour stopped progressing and it was deemed too risky to continue. For her second baby, DiMaria desperately wanted her dream home birth.
Sawyer was assigned to look after DiMaria, providing care throughout her pregnancy, labour and postnatal period. “Kelly’s reassuring presence and compassion reinforced my hopes, confidence and trust in my ability to birth my baby,” DiMaria said.
“Kelly expertly helped the whole family’s bonding experience – explaining, encouraging and supporting everyone’s hopes and confidence in bringing baby Martino into the world. It was so special and beautiful for our daughter to be involved in ante natal appointments in preparation for meeting her sibling and my husband also felt considered and looked after by Kelly.
Kelly Sawyer on one of her ante-natal visits to Kasia DiMaria
“Kelly has a natural gift, is full of warmth, enthusiasm and genuine compassion which manifests in everything she does.”
Sawyer works in the Croydon NHS’s Crocus Home Birth team.
She said, “It’s a real honour and a privilege to have received this award. There are so many pressures on midwifery today, particularly in providing continuity of care, but women like Kasia make my job an absolute dream.”
Emma’s Diary received a record 953 nominations from mums across the UK. All entries were put through a meticulous judging process by a panel of representatives from both Emma’s Diary and the RCM, culminating in seven regional winners.
The RCM’s Annual Awards, now in its 17th year, will be presented on March 5, where Sawyer and six other regional winners will receive their trophies and find out who is the coveted national winner.
Gill Walton, the RCM’s chief exec, said, “This is such a wonderful story of how a caring, skilled and knowledgeable midwife can have a profound and positive effect on a woman’s pregnancy journey. Kasia obviously valued the continuity of care provided by Kelly throughout her pregnancy, labour and postnatal period, highlighting why continuity is so important for women and the wider family.
“I thank Kasia for nominating Kelly and congratulate her on the birth of Martino. This is well deserved recognition for Kelly and I am delighted for her.”
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She really deserves all the awards she got.Congratulations from Wilkinsons Trophy family!