Childbearing Women with Increased Maternal Age

Public Health

Infant Feeding

Bonding, Attachment and Perinatal Mental Health

Working History

Following qualification as an Adult Nurse in 2009 from University of Cumbria, Lancaster.  I started my nursing career in North East of England where I was based on a medical ward caring for women over the age of 65 years presenting with complex sopcial circumstances, this required intense multidisciplinary team working and I really enjoyed my time there.  I nursed in North East of England for two years before moving to Australia in 2011.  Whilst in Australia I was afforded the opportuntiy to continue my nursing career.  Firstly settling in Tasmania and working at a Private Hospital and a private nursing and residential home.  Following a move to Brisbane I was then employed by a care agency and worked in seven hospitals throughout Brisbane in settings ranging from rehabilitation, medicine, surgery, outpatients, day surgery and high dependency and intensive therapy.

At the end of 2012 I returned to UK where I commenced a Post-Graduate Diploma in Midwifery studies, qualifying in 2014 as a Midwife where I was afforded the opportuntiy to return to the same hospital I had previously worked before my move to Australia, however this time I was employed as a Midwife and a Bank Nurse.  Where I still continue to bank in both Nursing and Midwifery.  

Whilst working full time as a Midwife I also studied to complete my MSc Midwifery Studies in 2015 at Northumbria University, focussing on the potential for birth plans to fulfil maternal expectation on a labour ward environment.  In 2017, I qualified as a Katharine Graves Hypnobirthing Instructor and had the great fortune of being trained by Katharine Graves in person.

Then in 2018 I commenced employment at Northumbria University as Graduate Tutor in Midwifery and embariking on my teaching career in academia.  I have since been successful in securing a Lecturer post in Midwifery Studies in 2019, where I continue to teach full time and study.  Since starting employment at Northumbria Unviersity I have been involved in a variety of roles including: Erasmus Link Tutor (Malta - Midwifery); International simulation teaching to Lecturers from Thailand, working with Sixth Form Colleges in the Health Alive study days and working with the Local Maternity Services group to develop a regional pathway for Infant feeding.

Research Projects

'Hello my name is project…'

An interdisciplinary piece of research focussed on student experience in the clinical setting when wearing name transfers for identification and personalisation in practice.  This research has been analysed and is currently under review for publication.  We have also been accepted to presetn at the Advanced HE NET Conference in 2021.

Doctoral Research

'An exploration of the expectations and realities of pregnancy and motherhood for nulliparous women aged 40 years and over.’

I am hoping to start data collection soon for this research.  I am passionate about understanding more about the experiences of women entering pregnancy and motherhood with increased maternal age and the impact of changing childbearing demographics.

South Tyneside Project

I have been involved with some externally funded research to increase understanding of the needs of the local childbearing community to inform the development of a community hub service to address the needs at a local population level.  This is still at the stage of data collection.

Hobbies

Walking

Global Travel

Running

Spending time with family and friends