How to be post natal-cool in Kildare
There has been an eight per cent increase in bookings to the Domino service
IF any indication of how important a community midwifery programme is, the had a 25 minute chat with one of its grateful participants this week, and this woman was neither frazzled nor tired.
Carol Lysaght is a school teacher who lives in Naas, and she chatted away for almost half an hour with two-month old Liam asleep in her arms, and a two-year old toddler napping unconcernedly upstairs, with not a tweet!
Flies in the face of everything I have heard, I tell you! Mothers of two under two are not supposed to be this cool!
The Coombe Midwifery Programme runs the Domino scheme in 19 community clinics throughout the south Dublin-Kildare region, including the one on Station Road in Newbridge, and the one in the Vista Centre in Naas.
A 2023 report by The Coombe found that there has been an eight per cent increase in bookings, as well as a 12 per cent rise in appointments for community midwife services.
Nearly 2,000 women booked into community-based midwife-led antenatal clinics, and a further 1,996 women availed of the Early Transfer Home scheme.
“I heard about the Domino scheme through another local woman, and I’ve had my two through community midwifery,” said Carol.
“I went to the GP and asked about it, and they put me in touch with Community Midwifery,” she explained.
“What they were offering was (attending) the Newbridge clinic, so basically all my ante-natal care was based here, and I didn’t have to travel up to Crumlin all the time.
“It’s mostly Amanda (midwife, we'll hear from her later) and one other, so it’s great continuity of care, it wasn’t a different midwife every time.
“I did give birth in the Coombe, but was part of the early transfer home scheme, and part of the community midwifery is coming to visit at home.
"They do the heel prick test, and the like – but basically mam and baby are treated at home for each of the first five days home after discharge.
“It’s a fantastic service.
"It’s not rushed, everything is relaxed in the comfort of your own home.
“There’s no stress of having to drive up, find parking, organise the baby.
“I had my son through C-Section, so I couldn’t drive anyway, so having this service at home was fantastic,” said Carol.
“To set up, you register with The Coombe yourself (through your GP) and register your interest to be part of the Domino scheme.
“It’s all part of the public system so it’s free,” she said.
The Amanda she spoke about earlier is Amanda Connor from Kilcullen, a mother of four herself.
Amanda is one of the two community midwives based in the Newbridge Clinic.
“Obviously, the community clinic was originally in Naas Hospital, but then came Covid and the hospital didn’t want pregnant women there, so about three years ago we began seeing low-risk women in the community clinics,” she explained.
“Obviously, if you had pre-eclampsia or a high BMI you’d be sent to see the consultant now in Naas Dr Zahrah El-Safty,” she said.
“She’s actually the locum consultant, covering for a colleague who’s actually away on maternity leave!” smiled Amanda.
At her clinic on Wednesdays, Amanda and her colleague would usually see between 25 to 35 mams-to-be.
At the consultant’s clinic on Thursdays, Dr El-Safty could see up to 50 women.
For the home visits Amanda sees mams in Sallins, Naas, Newbridge, Kill, and Johnstown.
“Unfortunately, we can’t expand the service at the moment, because we don’t have the midwives,” she said.
Presently, there are just 16 midwives in the Coombe catchment.
But she wouldn’t have a word said.
“It’s a great service, community service is brilliant,” she said.
“I had to stay in the Coombe myself when I had my youngest (now 13), and couldn’t go home to avail of community service like this.
“Women receive better care at home where they’re more comfortable breast-feeding.
“That’s not to say hospitals are bad, just more stressed.
“Domino midwives will look after our own woman in labour, and then we care for them at home, so it’s a full circle!
“The relief for women when they know you are a familiar face when they are so vulnerable.
“You do create a good bond with those families.
"I find with Newbridge you do meet these people in Dunnes Stores or Aldi, or on the street, which is nice,” she said.
“Overall, there are 19 clinics out of the Coombe, and we dealt with over 30 per cent of Coombe bookings in 2023, and then more than 6,000 follow-up appointments in ante-natal care, as almost 2,000 (1,972) availed of early transfer home,” concluded Amanda proudly.
Next gen is in jolly good hands, methinks.
The Coombe Domino Service is available to healthy pregnant women who live in Dublin 8, 10, 12, 20, 22, 24, Lucan, Saggart, Rathcoole, Kill, Sallins, Johnstown, as well as in the Naas and Newbridge areas.
Their midwives are part of the wider team working to ensure all women have a safe and positive birth experience.
You can choose to leave the hospital if you and your baby are well, and have ongoing postnatal care in your own home.
In just two years the Coombe will be celebrating an astonishing 200 years of maternity care in Dublin.
For more information, check out www.coombe.ie/community-midwifery.
