Daisy Awards
Daisy Awards are an Internationally recognised award that nurses receive, upon nomination from their patients and families, for the level of care and kindness they provide.
Whilst working as the Paediatric Infant Feeding Lead I received three awards after being nominated by three families who I had supported during their infant's hospital admission.
More information about the Daisy Foundation and their Awards can be found at: www.daisyfoundation.org
Nomination 1
I'd like to thank Claire for the amazing support she provided for me and my daughter. She was admitted on day three with jaundice, high sodium, dehydration, and weight loss. I was breastfeeding but wasn't aware that she wasn't feeding effectively enough due to a poor latch as she had a tongue-tie.
On the first night, she was fed formula and switched to a bottle as I couldn't express enough for her. I was upset and disheartened and thought this was the end of me breastfeeding, and that bottle was my only option long term. The next morning, Claire was assigned to our care, and she spent so much time with us, observing the feeding, suggesting different positions of breast feeding, helped use shields to try and improve her latch, helped me to express and was genuinely putting all her efforts into helping me with the situation. There wasn't anything that was too much to ask Claire. Whenever I needed something or had a question or needed advice, Claire was there always with a friendly manner and smile. The passion and knowledge she has around breastfeeding made me feel so at ease and the level of care and attention she gave us that day was amazing.
I was already looking into getting my daughter's tongue-tie division done privately and, after speaking with Claire, she recommended someone I could go to two days after being discharged. We had the procedure done and now, five days later, my daughter is exclusively breastfeeding really well and is healthy and putting weight on. This is down to Claire. If I wasn't lucky enough to have Claire assigned to us that day, I would have gone home with all hopes of breastfeeding gone and stuck to bottle feeding as no one else gave me the slight chance of hope that I could breastfeed going forward. The tongue-tie division was of course what has enabled my daughter to breastfeed, but it was the support and guidance, and care I received from Claire that actually made me put all my efforts in and not give up. She deserves a lot of praise and I'd like to thank her massively because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be where I am now.
After having two babies at UHCW within the last three years, and with breastfeeding both my children, I've experienced firsthand how the support on breastfeeding varies so much depending on who is looking after you. Claire really wanted to help me with it all.
Nomination 2
My 5-day-old baby was admitted to ward 15 due to losing 14% of her body weight due to issues with breastfeeding. Claire was amazing. She was great at keeping me calm. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and last year I had a stillbirth. So I was very distraught originally, especially as due to covid I couldn't have my partner for support. She went above and beyond for us. She was amazing at helping me learn how to breastfeed correctly and I am going home tomorrow very confident that I can do it correctly. My little girl managed to gain weight beautifully once we got the breastfeeding back on track thanks to Claire. Claire checked in on us regularly and would do anything she could to help us. She kept us up-to-date on what the plan is and what the doctors have said. We couldn't have asked for a better Nurse. We are very thankful that we had Claire's support and kindness.
Nomination 3
Myself and my newborn were readmitted on Day 5 post-birth due to jaundice and weight loss. Claire came alongside to support me with feeding my little man, she sought to understand what I wanted to do and listened to me, and made a plan with me that included what I wanted to do rather than a completely medicalised plan. She advocated for us to go home with a tight plan and had identified our son had a tongue tie which was contributing to our feeding problems. She called us more than a week after we were no longer on the ward to check in about how feeding has been going post tongue tie division and encouraged me in my desire to continue breastfeeding. Claire was consistent support for both myself and my husband throughout. Despite him not being allowed to visit, she made herself available to see him when we were reviewed on the ward. Thank you, Claire, your role is so valuable and has been pivotal for me continuing to breastfeed despite jaundice, weight loss, and tongue tie issues!
Rising Star Award
“Claire has recently started in her new role which has been much needed on the Infant’s Ward for many years to support breast feeding mothers who have come into hospital struggling to feed their babies. Claire gives individualised support and time to these families and is invaluable in the support she provides mothers and the whole family to enable them to continue their breast feeding journey successfully.”
Delivering Care Award
“Claire is a highly knowledgeable member of the Feeding Team and she works collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure the patient's interests always come first. She works to optimise the patient experience and advocates for breastfeeding women and the care they receive. She rings patients and follows them through their journey/continuum to ensure prolonged breastfeeding rates. Claire works with the Community Midwifery Team as a specialist source of support when babies have feeding concerns and excessive weight loss. She meets parents in A&E and devises specialist feeding plans if needed and provides continuity of care on the wards. Parents and staff give positive feedback about her compassion, warmth, kindness and knowledge. She is an extremely valued member of the team and the service is much improved with her being there.”
-Maternity Infant Feeding Lead
