Deirdre Daly

Deirdre Daly

I’m an Assistant Professor in Midwifery, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. I’ve worked as a midwife, midwife teacher & now maternal health researcher all my life & I love it.

Location Ireland

Activity

  • @CarolynO'Meara Hi Carolyn, we're so glad you enjoyed the course. Keep thriving! Deirdre

  • @EllieShaw Hi Ellie, thank you so much for all your comments. We're so glad you enjoyed the course. Keep thriving! Deirdre

  • @Unekuoffor
    Thank you so much Uneku, I/we appreciate it.
    Keep well.

  • @Unekuoffor

    Hi Uneku, thanks so much for your comment - the really lovely and key point is that you intend to change your practice, and that's brilliant :)

    Uneku, your comment is a great example of a healthcare practitioner's intention to change their practice - may I/we use it reports, presentations and publications based on the evaluation please?...

  • @PaulaFusella
    Hi Paula, thank you so much, the whole team appreciates it. Again, please be assured that we will never reveal any personal identifying information.
    Keep safe, healthy and well.

  • Hi Evelina, thank you so much, the whole team appreciates it. Again, please be assured that we will never reveal any personal identifying information.
    Keep safe, healthy and well.

  • @MalvinaW
    Hi Malvina, thank you SO much. Huge congratulations on your daughter's birth - it's fantastic to hear you describe it as 'wonderful'!
    Please be fully reassured that we will never use your name or even your initials in any report, presentation and publication.
    Thanks a million for taking the time to respond, it means a lot to us, and we hope you...

  • @CarleyM
    Thanks a million Carley, I/we really appreciate this, and thanks so much for spreading the word.
    All the best

  • @CarleyM
    Hi Carley, thanks for this. Sadly, a lot of women 'put up' with leaking urine and some stop exercising because of leakage.
    Carley, may I use your comment in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please? Please be assured I will not your name or any personal identifying information, and will not...

  • @Ruth
    Hi Ruth, thanks for joining us - I hope you enjoy the course and really like what you said about it being a conversation starter :)

  • @Jennifer
    Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us - whilst we know that our physical and mental health are linked, we separated the content over 4 weeks and week 3 focuses on mental health. John Sheehan, a perinatal psychiatrist, and Agnes Higgins, a mental health expert, talk about depression and anxiety. Agnes talks about how to develop a wellness plan and I...

  • @Rachael
    Hi Rachel, thanks so much for joining us and congratulations on your baby's birth - I hope you are feeling really proud of yourself too.

  • Hi Deborah, thanks so much for joining us and congratulations on your baby's birth - I hope you are feeling really proud of yourself.

  • Hi Marcia, thanks for joining us and congratulations on your pregnancy - I hope you are in great health. Every good wish for labour and baby's birth

  • Hi all, this is just a little note to say a big welcome to this run of our course. As we said in the introduction, we developed this course with women in the MAMMI study (https://www.tcd.ie/mammi/) and owe each and every one of them enormous thanks for their willingness to share their experiences with us - the MAMMI study and WHAM would not have been possible...

  • Hi again all, I hope you are well. I am writing to ask all of you who posted comments if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent.
    Thanks a million
    Deirdre

  • @FrancesW
    Thanks a million Katy, and all the best

  • Hi all, I hope you are well. A huge thank you to all of you for completing some or all of the course. We are delighted to have received so many positive comments and the whole team appreciates them.

    WHAM is running again from 20 January 2020 (in English, Spanish and Dutch), so we'd be most grateful if you would spread the word and tell others what you...

  • Hi Malvina, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent....

  • @alisonclarke
    Hi Alison, I hope you are well. Thanks again for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not...

  • Hi Evelina, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent....

  • Hi Paula, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent.
    Thanks...

  • Hi Cait, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent.
    Thanks...

  • Hi Amanda, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent....

  • Hi Shavaughn, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent....

  • Hi Frances, I hope you are well. Thanks for your lovely comment, the whole team appreciates it. I am writing to ask if I could use your comment, not your name or any personal identifying information, in the report for our funders and in presentations and publications based on the evaluation please. I will not use your comment if you do not give consent....

  • Hi Galeema, congratulations on being a mother of four children - you must be really busy so thanks a million for joining us. If you have finished the course already, I hope you found it useful. If you haven't had the time to finished it yet I just want to let you know that this version will close later today but that it will re-open, for free, on 20th January...

  • Hi Feena, thanks for joining our course. If you have finished it already, I hope you found it useful. However, if you haven't finished it yet, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today but that it will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Maria, thanks for joining us. If you have finished the course already, I hope you found it useful. However, if you haven't finished it yet, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today but that it will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Maryanne, thanks for joining us. If you have finished the course already, I hope you found it really useful. However, if you haven't finished it yet, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today but that it will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Sinead, thanks for joining the course - it's lovely to hear it was recommended :)
    If you haven't finished the course yet, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today but it will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Mudassir, welcome, thanks for joining us and it's lovely to hear that you are being proactive. If you haven't finished the course yet, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today but it will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Ekaterina welcome, thanks for joining us. If you have finished the course already, I hope you found it really useful. However, if you haven't finished it yet, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today and will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Leah, welcome, thanks for joining us and sharing your reasons for joining. You may have finished the course already but if you haven't, I just want to let you know that this version will close later today and will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join us.

  • Hi Safa welcome, thanks for joining our course. and congratulations on your son's birth. This version of the course will close later today, but I'm delighted to say it will re-open, for free, on 20th January 2020 and you are very welcome to re-join it.

  • Hi Ngozi, welcome, thanks for joining our course. This is just a little note to say that this course will close later today, but I'm delighted to say it will re-open on 20th January 2020.

  • Thank you for taking the time to post such a lovely comment Claire :)

  • Hi Clodagh, thanks for our comment. I passed it onto Cinny, our women's health physiotherapist, and her reply is:

    The postpartum advice for returning to exercises is based on the ‘Returning to running postnatal - guideline for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population'. In the infographic, the weight training is referring to higher...

  • Thanks so much Clodagh. The real-life examples are from the women in the MAMMI and other related studies. They shared their experiences with us and helped us develop this course so that we could share the message with others - a huge thanks to all of them.

  • Hi Alison, thanks so much for your lovely comment and for promoting the course to colleagues and women in your care :)

  • Hi Melissa, I'm delighted you enjoyed our course and thanks so much for taking the time to post your reflections and lovely comment

  • Hi Salome, I so pleased you found it informative and thanks so much for recommending it to other women and mothers.
    The course is open until 26th December 2019, but we're delighted to say that it will available again on 20th January 2020, in English, Spanish and Dutch :)

  • Hi Malvina, it's great to know you found it useful, thank you

  • Hi Triona, thanks a million and thanks for joining us!

  • Hi David, welcome to our course, thanks for joining us. I hope you like all of our resources and that they help you help women in your care in the future.

  • Hi Elizabeth, congratulations on your second baby's very recent arrival - I hope you are feeling so proud of yourself :)

    I really hope our course offers your lots of tips and strategies on how you can help yourself stay in great physical and mental health second time around.

  • Hi Shirley, welcome to our course, thanks for joining us. I hope you really like our resources and that they help you help women in your care.

  • Hi Jo, welcome to our course and thanks a million to your mother-in-law for sharing the course with you :)
    I hope you are enjoying excellent health and looking forward to becoming a mother. I delighted that you are being so proactive, good for you! I hope our course offers your lots of tips and strategies on how you can build a good supportive network for...

  • Hi Cait, I hope you are enjoying excellent health and looking forward to becoming a mother again. I'm delighted our radio interview helped spread the word about the course :)

    Lots of women in the MAMMI study told us that they struggled to look after their own health too. All too often, they told us that they neglected their own health, or that it became...

  • Hi Kathy, congratulations on your daughter's very recent arrival. Welcome to the course, we hope you benefit personally and professionally from taking part, and that our resources help you think about the things you can do to build a supportive network for yourself as a new mother and help you stay in good physical and mental health.

  • Hi Méabh, welcome to our course and congratulations on your first baby's birth. I'm delighted to hear your care in labour was fantastic. Unfortunately, you are describing far too many women's experiences of postnatal care and postnatal health issues - this is why our course is based on what women in the MAMMI study told us they wish they had known.
    As you go...

  • @JenniferRoe
    Welcome from me too Jennifer, and congratulations on your baby's birth. Great quote! I hope you enjoy the course.

  • Hi Rebecca, in many countries with well-developed maternity services, including the UK, women are supposed to have a detailed examination postpartum. I had a look at the NHS's website and what's included in the postnatal check (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/postnatal-check/) - I expected it to be more comprehensive :(

    In Ireland, this...

  • Hi Rebecca, what you said about getting a bit of your old life back and feeling good about doing something for yourself is powerful!

  • Good for you Cait, you found something that really works for you :)

  • Hi Cait, and thank you - I'm really glad you liked it :)

  • @AmandaWright
    Welcome from me too Amanda, I hope you really enjoy the course and benefit personally and professionally from taking part.

  • Hi Amanda, congratulations on your first baby's birth! I hope you really enjoy the course and benefit from taking part.

  • Hi Fiona, thanks a million for your lovely feedback and for sharing it with others.

  • @AnnetteM
    Hi Annette, I'd like to add my thanks to Susie's and says thanks so much for your lovely feedback on our course. Please share it with others and keep taking great care of yourself.

  • Hi Lynnette, thanks for joining our course - we hope you enjoy it and find it really useful, both personally and professionally.

  • Hi Frances, I passed your comment/question onto the other Deirdre (O'Malley) and this is her reply:

    'A really insightful comment Frances, as part of the MAMMI study we did ask women who they spoke to about their experience of pain during sexual intercourse.
    Of those women who reported pain during sexual intercourse three months after birth, 3.5% spoke to...

  • Hi Karen, welcome and thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoy our course - please feel free to share it with colleagues and the women in your care.

  • Hi Melanie, congratulations on your son's recent birth, I hope you are feeling delighted with yourself.
    Week one includes an exercise called 'Your body postpartum' and one part of this covers wound healing, and week two focuses on PFMEs and incontinence. You might find these parts particularly helpful but we hope you enjoy the whole course.

  • Hi Evelina, welcome and thanks for joining our course - we hope you enjoy it. Feel free to share it with colleagues and the women in your care :)

  • Thanks Ans, we tried to keep each week's content to ~ one hour but we'll certainly think about this when we're reviewing the course :)

  • Great suggestion, thanks Ans - we'll certainly keep it in mind when we're reviewing the course!

  • Thanks Ans

  • Thanks Frances

  • Hi Claudia, thanks for your comment. Yes, the definition of incontinence is leaking any amount of urine when you don't mean to (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0976-9).

    We looked at risk factors for developing incontinence during pregnancy (in first-time mothers) and found that women who leaked urine occasionally before pregnancy were at higher risk of...

  • Hi Sharon, the whole team was really disappointed to hear that life assurance companies were increasing premiums for people treated for mental health problems. Anyone who is having difficulties with their mental health should feel confident in seeking support and help-seeking should never be discouraged.
    We will raise this issue, anonymously of course, with...

  • César, thank you so much for your lovely comments, and thanks a million for promoting it :)
    We designed it with and for women, based on what they told us they wish they had known.

  • Hi Annie, congratulations on Jake's birth and thanks for joining our course.
    Similar to your own experiences, several women in the MAMMI study told us about aspects of their care that were excellent, but many others told us about their experiences of absence of care and services.
    We know that our physical and mental health are linked but we separated our...

  • Hi Rachel, thanks for joining our course, we hope you enjoy it and that it gives you access to information and resources that you can use to help women in your practice.

  • Hi Barbara, congratulations on becoming a mother recently and thanks for joining us. It must be very hard being away from your family at this time. While the course is available in Spanish as well as English, as a new mother in Ireland you might find some of the Ireland-specific resources useful. However, please take part in your preferred language...

  • Hi Ane, you are very welcome to the course - we're delighted you have joined us. The course is available in Spanish as well as English but please take part in your preferred language :)

    (https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/salud-de-la-mujer-en-el-postparto/1/todo/52618).

  • Hi Kate, welcome to our course and congratulations on becoming a mother recently. Lots of women in the MAMMI study, and in this course, said becoming a mother was really challenging. As you go through the course, think about the things you can do to help yourself stay in good health, and the things you can do to build a good network of support for yourself as...

  • Hi Michelle, welcome to our course. I hope you're enjoying your pregnancy.

    I really hope you enjoy our course and get lots of tips on how to help yourself stay healthy and well when you become a mother.
    Every good wish for your pregnancy, labour and birth.

  • Hi Elaine, the statistics are surprising everyone - in Ireland, and in many other countries, we don't collect or report data on these health problems during or after pregnancy. This means that these health problems are hidden, from women and professionals - when data are not collected, there is no way of knowing just how many women are suffering alone and in...

  • Hi Petra, thanks for letting us know about this - we'll get the link fixed tomorrow.

    In the meantime, here's a link to the article:
    https://www.inmo.ie/MagazineArticle/PrintArticle/10148

  • Well said Sharon, this very issue was identified in Ireland's Maternity Care Strategy (2016) (Action 64, p116) - it says that 'any review of the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme considers the feasibility of extending coverage to include a preconception consultation and postnatal check at three to four months and/or additional postnatal GP visits where further...

  • Hi Ellie, thanks for joining the course. Sadly, a lot of women in the MAMMI study told us that their healthcare professional did not ask them about incontinence or other health problems. We're learning so much from the women, including the fact that there is a real silence around women's health and health problems after motherhood - it's women's experiences...

  • Hi Yvonne, thanks for joining us. I'm sorry to hear about your incontinence and really sorry to hear about your experience with healthcare professionals. Please don't give up on looking for professional help, and when you do seek help again, maybe you could take some of our downloadable resources with you and give them to the healthcare professional(s). In...

  • Hi Lauren, welcome to our course. I hope you enjoy it and learn lots from it. All the very best with your application to study midwifery!

  • Hi Sheila, thanks for joining us and I hope you get lots of tips on how to help yourself stay very healthy and very well.
    Enjoy the course.

  • Hi Mariana, thanks for joining our course. It's based on what women in the MAMMI study told us they had experienced, and health problems that are common but not normal. Throughout the course we focus on what women can do to help themselves and when and how they should ask for professional help.

    I hope you enjoy the course.

  • Hi Jackie, welcome to our course, I hope you enjoy it and benefit from the resources we co-developed with the women in the MAMMI study.

  • Well hello Aleanbh, it's lovely to hear from you and what you are doing now. You'll know about the MAMMI study from your midwifery education :)
    When we shared the study's findings with women, they told us that we really HAD to do something to make a difference for women as mothers, so we co-designed this course based on what the women told us they wish they...

  • Hi Saidhbhín, welcome to the course and thanks for joining us. We hope you get lots of tips on how to help yourself stay very healthy and well during motherhood.

  • Hi Frances, thanks for your comment. In the first paragraph, we say that ‘Maternal mental health problems are mental health issues that arise during pregnancy or in the year after childbirth. They effect about one in five women’. This number, one in five, includes women who experience depression, anxiety and other mental health problems, both during and after...

  • Jo, you are/were on 'day 4 of an induction and patiently (and emotionally) waiting for our first baby to arrive at hospital' and you joined us - that's so impressive!
    Every good wish for your labour and birth from all of us in the MAMMI study team.

  • @OluwoleAjibola
    Hi Oluwole, as Susan said, the course is for everyone, and it's really great that you have joined us - we hope you enjoy the course, the discussion and share it with your friends.

  • Hi Zena, joining the course to 'better prepare for the future when I have my own children' is very impressive - good for you! Enjoy the course and all the best with your A-levels.

  • Hi Patrice, thanks for joining the course. We hope you enjoy it and get lots of tips from each week's content

  • Elizabeth, thanks so much for joining the course, I hope you really enjoy it. It's based on what over 3,000 women, first-time mothers, in the MAMMI study told us about their experiences. All the best with your A-levels.

  • Hi Roisin, thanks for joining the course. You must be busy+ being a stay at home mother with two toddlers! Suffering from depression and anxiety must be really difficult Roisin. Whilst we know that our physical and mental health are linked, we separated our course content over the 4 weeks, and week 3 focuses on mental health. John Sheehan, a perinatal...

  • Hi Jane, thanks for joining us. Our course is based on what women in the MAMMI study, over 3,000 first-time mothers, told us they had experienced. We talk about what health problems are common but not normal throughout the course and really focus on what women can do to help themselves and when and how they should ask for professional help.
    We hope you enjoy...

  • Hi Ramona, congratulations on giving birth recently - I hope you are in great health and that you enjoy our course.

  • Hi Catherine, congratulations on giving birth recently. I'd imagine your life is very busy at the moment so thanks so much for joining the course. I hope enjoy it, get tips on how to help yourself stay healthy and well and how to make even a little time for yourself.

  • Hi Emma, welcome to the course and congratulations on Jessica's recent birth.
    I hope you find the course really useful and that you get lots of tips of how to help yourself stay healthy and well.