Exhibition celebrates care at Sheffield maternity wing

The documentary style photography captures the relatives and the babies on the Jessop Neonatal Special Care Unit, and is the collection is now on display at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Jessop Wing.

The photographs, which were taken by professional photographer Andy Brown, captured real life, non-staged moments as they happened and aim to give an accurate representation of the life of families on the unit.

Mir Jansen, Arts Coordinator at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was hoped the exhibition would be reassuring for first-time parents.

“The aim of the photography exhibition is to welcome new parents to the unit at which can be a daunting time, by showing other parents sharing moments with their babies and the staff providing care.”

Of the collection of photos that Andy took, eighteen photographs were selected to be a part of the exhibition.

The are now displayed at the entrance to the unit and the corridor leading up to it.

Claire Howard, Matron for the Neonatal Special Care Unit at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the exhibition had been inspired by feedback from parents who had previously had their babies delivered at Sheffield’s maternity hospital.

“Parents tell me that they feel unprepared for the range of emotions they go through when they have a baby in the neonatal unit.

“We always listen to parents as their experience and insight helps us to adapt and continue to give the best support and care for their babies.

“These pictures tell their stories and the photographer has captured this beautifully in his photographs. We hope it will bring many parents some comfort during their time with us.”

As the regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the North Trent Neonatal Network, the Jessop Wing provides specialist care for Sheffield babies as well as babies from other units, who have been born prematurely or who become unwell.

The facility, based on Tree Root Walk, opened in 2001 and is a purpose built maternity unit where approximately 7,000 babies are born every year.

Visit www.sth.nhs.uk for more.