This was me in 2016 as a first time mum. My post term, 12 day overdue baby was born and taken straight to the NICU without me even being able to lay eyes on him or hold him following a failed induction and an emergency c section. By the end of that week, we were being told to essentially give up and let him go. In every sense of the word, my baby boy looked healthy and was described as a 'strapping' and sturdy looking 9 pound plus newborn. Doctors couldn't understand why he was so severely ill. I had had a healthy pregnancy and been well throughout, without any concerns.
But I had the answers they didn't. Had I been listened to on the induction ward by the staff when I was in agony all night, and had NICE guidance been followed, my baby would not have been born in the condition that he was. My husband and I fought for him. We refused to 'pull the plug'. We had him transferred to another hospital 2 hours away and miraculously he turned a corner, and slowly over the course of a month in NICU, he came home. My baby came home healthy, and has been thriving since. He is our constant reminder that hope never dies and miracles are possible. My story had a happy ending. So many others do not. However, I emerged from this experience with PTSD and anxiety symptoms which went un detected because I wasn't scoring highly on a screening measure of depression. As a clinical psychologist, I was able to slowly use my own skills on myself and come out the other side. But this won't be the case for most. Maternity care and post maternity support must be improved within the NHS. We need to trust that pregnant women know their own bodies- if they say something is not right, it probably isn't. We need more psychological support post birth, and we need this support from experts who are trained to deliver psychological support.
#nhs #perinatalcare #clinicalpsychology #psychologist #maternitycare
"Access to psychologically-informed perinatal care must not be a postcode lottery." Dr Camilla Rosan
First UK Birth Trauma Inquiry report sets out improvements for maternity and postnatal care after traumatic childbirths.
Understand the report: https://lnkd.in/eznF_TnQ
Executive Director of Business Development at Culinary Depot/Founder of the Hope Organization
3moWhat an amazing achievement, Tampa General Hospital team! Your dedication to maternal care is truly inspiring. Wishing you a Happy 4th of July.