Sensitive Midwifery Symposium

Sensitive Midwifery Symposium is one of the biggest and most prestigious midwifery and perinatal conferences in South Africa, initiated in 1996 by the Sister Lilian Centre, a health education and pregnancy, birth and parenting advice centre started by well-known South African midwife, health educator and parenting advisor, Sister Lilian. Sensitive Midwifery Symposium progressively gave birth to related Sensitive Midwifery initiatives, like the Magazine and Academy.

The mission of the Sensitive Midwifery Symposium is to make a positive difference to midwifery and maternity and child care, while celebrating the caring professions involved. There is an innovative blend of expertise updates, advocacy of sensitive care, challenging practices that harm, exposure to relevant fields of complementary health and encouragement of professional morale.

The flagship one-day Sensitive Midwifery Symposium will be held in Midrand, Gauteng in 2013. The theme for 2013 is Viva Maternity Care - Simple Steps, Profound Effects. In addition to that a variety of Sensitive Midwifery Workshops and Seminars will be held in Cape Town, Midrand and Durban in 2013. Click on ‘Current Programme’ to the right to see more. 

2013 Delegate Profile

All Sensitive Midwifery initiatives span the full spectrum of maternity, obstetric, infant and child care services, taking into account that midwifery is a broad-based and integral part of nursing in South Africa. Delegates are drawn from both private and state sectors. In particular, delegates include and are derived from:

·         Midwives & Obstetric nurse professionals

·         Antenatal education specialists

·         Antenatal, Labour & Birth units

·         Postnatal units and NICUs

·         All students & lecturers of midwifery and maternity nursing

·         Well baby clinic sisters

·         Lactation consultants & some other allied health professionals like doulas

·         Medical doctors are welcome to attend too

Sensitive Midwifery accreditation

Sensitive Midwifery is a recognised educational brand in the nursing/midwifery/medical world, considered to be one of the 3 ‘big influencers’, along with the DOH and BBI initiatives. Sensitive Midwifery has an internal CPD accreditation system as nurses do not yet have a formal points system. Sensitive Midwifery has been advised to await developments in the Nursing & Midwifery Training regulations before formally registering as a training institution, because the various ‘classes’ are still being finalised. 

Sensitive Midwifery Sponsors in 2013

Our grateful thanks to the generous industry partners who have made the 2013 programme possible – we know that their support will help change maternal and child care for the better.