Women and Child Health
Maternity
The Trust has launched a brand new programme
'Getting Ready for Baby' in the Downe Midwifery
Led Unit.
'Getting Ready for Baby' is a new way
of delivering antenatal care linking clinical
appointments with parenting education within
Northern Ireland.
It was launched in September 2016 in Lagan Valley
Midwifery Led Unit and is now available Trustwide
in a variety of venues.
The Solihull evidence-based programme supports first time parents through pregnancy, labour, birth
and the early days of a baby's life.
All low risk first time parents in the South Eastern HSC Trust area are being offered six group-based
combined antenatal clinical care and education sessions led by midwives. These sessions start much
earlier than traditional antenatal programmes at 16 weeks and provide continuity of care.
Women recruited on to the programme will be reviewed regularly throughout pregnancy and have
their combined care and education sessions delivered at 16, 25, 28, 31, 34 and 36 week's gestation,
which will provide a strong foundation for bonding, attachment and emotional health and wellbeing,
overall promoting positive mental health.
The first programme which commenced in the Downe Midwifery Led Unit in April 2018 was extremely
popular and was fully booked.
Further dates for the programme (within the Downpatrick Midwifery Led Unit), were available for any
mums interested in attending in June 2018, July 2018, September 2018, November 2018, February
2019 and March 2019.
Jackie O'Neill, Early Intervention Transformation Programme Manager says:
"Getting Ready for Baby is part of the Northern Ireland Government Early Intervention
Transformation Programme which aims to improve outcomes for children by supporting
parents to understand, develop and fulfil the critical role they play in their children's early
years. Getting Ready for Baby is about transforming antenatal care and parent education.
Prospective parents are considered partners in maternity care and given all relevant
information, in appropriate formats, to make informed choices about what is best for them
and their baby".
Downe Midwifery Led Unit Team involved in
'Getting Ready for Baby' Programme.
Women and Child Health
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