After your baby is born (Postnatal)
The services and clinics we provide to you after being discharged by your midwife include community services, home visits, GP support, children’s centres, community hubs, and the health visiting team.
Birth experience support services
Giving birth is a life changing, emotional event. Sometimes your maternity journey may change from your original birth plan and may include something happening that you do not understand or that leaves you with unanswered questions - we have a service available where you can meet with a midwife and discuss your experience in confidence and with access to your notes.
Contacts
Basildon (Birth Afterthoughts) – email birthafterthoughts@btuh.nhs.uk
Mid Essex (Birth Reflections) – email birth.reflections@nhs.net
Southend (Missing Pieces) – call 01702 385486 between 8am to 4pm (weekdays).
Maternity Network Group
Join our maternity network group to improve outcomes for families and our staff within ethnic minority communities.
Email msessexmvp@gmail.com to find out more.
Feedback
We value your feedback on any of this information or any experience of your maternity and or neonatal journey that you would like to share with us. Please share your with our Patient Experience team.
Postnatal maternity information leaflets
- Having a small baby - https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/having-a-small-baby
- Being overweight pregnancy after birth - https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/being-overweight-pregnancy-after-birth
- Obstetric cholestasis - https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/obstetric-cholestasis
- More patient information - https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/?q=hep+b&subject=Pregnancy+and+birth&orderby=title
- Birth after previous caesarean - https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/birth-after-previous-caesarean/
- Assisted vaginal birth - Assisted vaginal birth (ventouse or forceps) (rcog.org.uk)
A Better Start 1-2-1 breastfeeding support service
We have teamed up with Southend University Hospital to provide our 1-2-1 Breastfeeding Support Service. The service provides personal, one-on-one breastfeeding support by fully trained Infant Feeding Support Workers in your home, and can be accessed both antenatally and postnatally within the first six weeks of your baby's life.
During these appointments, Infant Feeding Support workers will discuss:
- The benefits of breastmilk and breastfeeding
- How to get breastfeeding off to a good start
- The importance of developing a relationship with your baby both during and after pregnancy
- Positioning and attachment
- Hand expressing of breast milk
- How families and partners can support
The service is currently available within Kursaal, Shoebury and West Shoebury wards. Visit https://abetterstartsouthend.co.uk/locations and check your postcode.
For more information and to book, please get in touch with the Infant Feeding Support team on 0788 071 4472 or email Betterstart.breastfeeding@nhs.net.