Mental health and wellbeing resources for new and expectant parents Speak your midwife. If you have been discharged, your health visitor can also provide advice, and refer for additional support. Visit www.ghc.nhs.uk/healthvisiting for contact details. Your GP is there to support your mental and physical health before,... Read More
Links to background information: Maternity Voices Partnerships, our responsibilities, membership and aims How we collect feedback Where we are now The MVP have continued to operate virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic which consumed most of 2021/22. Despite this, our key achievements to date have been: Worked with... Read More
If your baby arrived in February 2022, they were one of 413 born in the county! The stats: 222 boys and 191 girls. 6 sets of twins, no triplets. Smallest baby weighed 1910g (4lb 3oz) and the largest weighed 5750g (12lb 11oz). 77% of women initiated breastfeeding. Places of birth: Cheltenham Aveta Birth Unit – 7 Gloucester... Read More
Message from the Chair Birth Experience Survey Priorities from 2021 Bereavement Perinatal Mental Health Language LGBTQAI+ Postnatal Care Cultural Diversity Infant Feeding Coproduction and Engagement activities The Ockenden Report The Covid-19 pandemic Next steps for 2022 Message from the Chair I have now been the chair... Read More
Had a baby in January 2022? They were one of 472 born in Gloucestershire! The stats: 224 boys and 248 girls. 5 sets of twins, no triplets. Smallest baby weighed 1400g (3lb 1oz) and the largest weighed 5360g (11lb 13oz). 79% of women initiated breastfeeding. Places of birth: Cheltenham Aveta Birth Unit – 1 (the unit... Read More
In recognition of World Breastfeeding Week, Gloucestershire MVP Chair, Kathy, reflects on her breastfeeding experiences. My children are now 3 and 2.5 years old. I breastfed until they were each around 6 months. Choosing how to feed your baby can be a very difficult decision, from those who choose to formula feed early... Read More
One of the priorities that Gloucestershire Maternity Voices wanted to keep a focus on this year is mental wellbeing, and ensuring this is a topic that we speak about and signpost to. At a meeting, we all agreed that it would be good to write a post on social media about where to access lots of different support, in particular... Read More
On the 16th of November 2019, I went into Gloucestershire Royal Hospital to be induced. I was carrying twins and had reached 37 weeks. I was lucky that twin 1 was head down so was able to try for a natural birth. My husband is disabled and I was very concerned about how we would manage with the twins if I was recovering... Read More
It’s been nearly a year but the future is looking more positive, the next few months already feel long though. For me personally, this also means that my son’s second birthday at the end of March is not too far away. It is looking very likely that his total of two ever birthdays will be in restricted times, with... Read More
Well, the end of 2020 is nearly here. I am nearly the end of my first month in this role as chair for Gloucestershire MVP, so it does still feel like new beginnings for me at the moment. It also feels very much as though each day has stopped and is skipping like an old CD, in a car going over speed bumps. You just don’t... Read More