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You may know that this week (9-15 Oct) is Baby Loss Awareness Week. The current situation brings its own challenges to those who have experienced baby loss and our thoughts are with anyone who has been through, or is going through this.
If you feel that you need support following the loss of a baby, there are lots of places which can help.
Gloucestershire Hospitals have a bereavement midwife, and we will be sharing more about her role later in the week.
The SANDS website has lots of information - www.sands.org.uk/support-you
Earlier this year, we ran a survey to explore experiences of maternity services in Gloucestershire during the Covid-19 pandemic. There was such a range of experiences and we have captured a few of them in this short film.
A full report has been shared with the services involved in maternity care in Gloucestershire, and there are meetings planned to discuss the results and what can be done to improve things. So if you took part in the survey, you have helped to put the wheels in motion to make change, thank you!
GBSN indoor support groups are back! Take a look at their website to find your nearest.Now that autumn is here we are so excited to be bringing our breastfeeding support groups back indoors.
A few days, times and venues have changed so look out for details on posts later today and from the individual groups' Facebook pages. We are updating the website today/tomorrow (Sunday 4th/Monday 5th) so please bear with us! So much to do!
To keep everyone COVID secure there have been a few other changes too!
Each group is run by volunteer peer supporters, all mums themselves who have breastfed their own babies and have completed a course in breastfeeding peer support. Each group is also attended by an experienced professional Breastfeeding Counsellor.
Our groups are very friendly and we really encourage pregnant mums to come and see us before they have their baby. Coming with a newborn is so much easier if you already know where you’re coming to and what we’re about!
Regulations mean we cannot have more than fifteen socially distanced people at a group - this includes children and babies. However our wonderful Breastfeeding Counsellors are exempt from the head count. It may be that on arrival to group, if there are too many people you will be asked to wait until someone has left. Some of our venues have cafes attached where this can be done.
If you are unable to wait, we will help you to sign up to a virtual one to one with one of our Breastfeeding Counsellors for the next day or maybe even the same day.
We will be collecting information on arrival for Track and Trace via our electronic sign in forms.
Please do not attend group if you are unwell, even with cold symptoms. If you have symptoms of coronavirus you will need to isolate for ten days and your household contacts for fourteen days, unless your test is negative. Please also do not attend if you are quarantining after returning from abroad.
We will be ensuring rooms are thoroughly cleaned and providing alcohol gel to sanitise hands. Please wear a mask on arrival until you are settled in your space. We ask that families continue to keep 2m spacing from each other as we have done in our outdoor groups.
Please come with your own drinks, however in true GBSN style we will provide the cakes.
Important info about baby's movements if you are pregnant.*IMPORTANT INFO IF YOU ARE PREGNANT* If you notice a change in your baby's movements, you must contact your midwife or the maternity unit via the Maternity Triage Line 0300 422 5541 as soon as possible. The current COVID-19 pandemic does not change this advice and a friend, family member or partner may accompany you to Maternity Triage for support if you are asked to come into GRH for assessment. If you think your baby’s movements have changed, slowed down or stopped, or if you have any urgent concerns, please do not put off calling until tomorrow to see what happens.
No changes to the restrictions currently, but some reassurance that Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are continually monitoring the situation and reviewing the rules. Please do get in touch with them if you have any queries.*Maternity post* Our infection prevention and control team continues to monitor infection rates in the county on a daily basis and our maternity guidance remains the same as issued in our announcement two weeks ago. This is summarised on our website www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/high-risk-and-vulnerable-patients/advice-if-you-are...
These measures continue to be based on keeping you, your families and our staff as safe as possible and may vary from those in other units, even in counties close by, according to local infection levels and the varying physical space of different maternity units.
If you have any questions, please do send us a direct message and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
As a reminder, the social distancing measures in healthcare facilities remain at 2 metres.
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