International Day of the Midwife 2026 | Meet the Transitional Care Unit Team

30th April 2026

5^th May 2026 marks International Day of the Midwife, a day to recognise and celebrate the important role midwives play in caring for women, babies and families at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. This year, we are shining a light on the incredible work of the Transitional Care Unit.

The Transitional Care Unit, based at the University Hospital of Wales, provides postnatal care for babies who need a little extra medical support after birth, but don’t need to be admitted to the Neonatal Unit. This can include care for conditions such as jaundice or treatment with intravenous antibiotics.

The main aim of the Transitional Care Unit is to keep mothers and babies together during the vital first days after birth. This helps families stay close while babies receive the care they need, and supports a safer and smoother journey home.

Care within the Transitional Care Unit is provided by a multidisciplinary team of midwives, neonatal nurses, nursery nurses, healthcare support workers, consultants and doctors, who work closely together to support families.

Collette Church, Ward Manager, described the unit as “a great example of multidisciplinary working”. Collette explained that care planning is collaborative, ensuring shared decision-making for every family.

Sioned Pritchard, the Lead Neonatal Nurse, added: “The whole team comes together to make a plan for the care of the baby, so everybody has a voice in the decision-making.”

Having neonatal nurses working alongside midwives on the postnatal ward is an important development and has made a real difference to families using the service. Collette explained: “This is not a new concept, but having neonatal nurses working alongside us on the postnatal ward feels really exciting as the team continues to evolve.”

Keeping mothers and babies together can make a significant difference to family wellbeing. Staying in hospital for longer than expected can be difficult for families, and this approach helps to reduce stress while protecting those early moments of bonding.

Sioned explained: “Those early days of bonding can have a lasting impact on both family health and wider community health.”

When asked what they are most proud of, both Collette and Sioned replied: “The team, 100%.”

Sioned added: “The team makes a huge difference to families, even if they don’t always realise it at the time.”

Midwives play a key role within the multidisciplinary team in the Transitional Care Unit, providing skilled, compassionate care and supporting families during an important and sometimes challenging time.

Reflecting on her career, Collette said:

“Being a midwife is part of who I am, it truly is my vocation. It is a very privileged career, to be able to support families in their most vulnerable and transformative time in their lives.

"As a ward manager, it is a moment to recognise the extraordinary commitment, skill and compassion the team brings to every family they care for, often under immense pressure. I see firsthand the resilience it takes to advocate for safe, respectful and individualised care, even in the most challenging circumstances.

"This day reminds me of my responsibility to support and empower the team, so they can continue to provide the highest standard of care and is also an opportunity to celebrate the amazing work of the team.”

On behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, thank you to every midwife for their dedication, compassion, and care, today and every day.