A Caerphilly-based midwife has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list for services to Midwifery and Breastfeeding Mothers in Wales.
Carol Walton qualified as a Midwife in 1967 and has worked tirelessly for mothers, babies and their families throughout her 43 years of dedicated service.
Based in Caerphilly Carol became the first Lactation Consultant in Wales and went on to lead the maternity unit’s success in achieving the UNICEF Baby Friendly Award. Her work has led to rise in the numbers of women breastfeeding in the area.
Carol is renowned across the UK and was a founder of the All Wales Breastfeeding Forum which she currently chairs. She is also a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor for the National Childbirth Trust and La Lech League which she undertakes in her spare time!
She said: “I am quite overwhelmed to have been given this award, but I am especially pleased that the importance of Breastfeeding has been recognised.
“I am so very grateful for all the help and support I have received from all the Maternity Staff throughout Aneurin Bevan Health Board over the years, without which I would not have been able to implement the Baby Friendly Best Practice Standards across the Health Board.
“Above all, I would like to say that this award is really an acknowledgement of all the hard work and commitment given by the Mothers to their babies. It is a great privilege to be able to help them at such a very special time in their lives.”
Carol is an amazing woman. She helped me give my three sons the best start in their lives and as a student midwife myself now I often recall the advice she gave me. Congratulations to a woman that truly deserves this recognition.. X