Wonderful midwife Amanda Burleigh is an optimal cord clamping champion, she has, over the last decade tirelessly campaigned for the practice of immediate cord clamping to stop. She has been an advocate for women and courageous in challenging this common but non-evidenced based practice. Now with the introduction of delayed cord clamping in the UK’s NICE guidelines we hope to finally see widespread education and change. This is not only important for the women and babies in the UK but also has wider global contexts.

A great number of people have worked alongside Amanda and all have a shared passion and a dream to improve outcomes for babies and remove the inequalities of care that exist in relation to the timing of the clamping of the umbilical cord. Australian Midwife Annie Barnes and Kate Emerson are just a few of the other professionals who should be commended for their contribution to the education of women and midwives about the evidence on this topic. Judith Mercer is one of the pioneers in delayed cord clamping research and her well respected work provides a sound evidence base. 

Earlier this year a small campaign called #BloodtoBaby developed through social media, the initiative facilitated multi-level networking of midwives, health-care workers, obstetricians, journalists and women who are all passionate about optimal cord clamping. They share a common goal; a desire to work in partnership, share messages and facilitate change for the greater good. Hannah Tizard, University of Central Lancashire midwifery student developed the campaign materials but its success has been down to the people who have promoted it. It is a grassroots campaign – it’s global, it’s open-minded, it promotes innovation, and it has the ability to break barriers and initiate connections with women everywhere. These types of movements in healthcare are becoming more and more popular, not least because of their ability to inspire and effect change quickly, but also because they empower professionals in their role as servants to public health promotion. The #BloodtoBaby campaign now with its own logo, posters, stickers and badges, which have been circulated as far as Bangladesh and Australia. Together we have engaged over 1.5 million people through social media. 

Following on from Amanda's British Journal of Midwifery award for Midwife of the Year 2015 and the national press coverage detailing her story public awareness is increasing. The Royal College of Midwives have now facilitated a small working group of professionals with the aim of ensuring practice standards for delayed cord clamping are implemented in line with the evidence across the UK.

As guest speakers on @WeMidwives Amanda and I would like to invite you to ask questions and share your stories about implementing DCC in practice.

Useful links:

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg190/resources/guidance-intrapartum-care-care-of-healthy-women-and-their-babies-during-childbirth-pdf

https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/sip14/

https://www.rcm.org.uk/news-views-and-analysis/views/latest-recommendations-on-timing-of-clamping-the-umbilical-cord

http://www.cochrane.org/CD004074/PREG_effect-of-timing-of-umbilical-cord-clamping-of-term-infants-on-mother-and-baby-outcomes