Helpful postnatal video offers lifeline for new parents
A new video has been launched to support parents as they begin their journey into parenthood offering clear, accessible guidance from birth and in early baby care.
It’s been developed by the Trust alongside the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP), to make sure patient voices helped shape every stage of its development, from script to finished video.
The 30-minute film covers essential topics including leaving hospital, physical recovery, emotional wellbeing, infant feeding, caring for a newborn, and recognising signs of an unwell baby. The video also offers practical guidance on registering the birth, accessing support and knowing where to find help.
Sarah Soanes, Lead Midwife for Patient Experience and Engagement, who played a key role in producing the video, said: "We listened to new parents who told us they wanted clear, reliable information once they went home, and worked with the MNVP to create an accessible video providing high-quality, consistent guidance from birth, through discharge and beyond.
“Now all that information is available in one place, it’s free, available anytime and captions can be translated into multiple languages, giving parents the knowledge and confidence they need on their journey into parenthood."
Rachel Blatch, a first-time mum, recently discharged from Southend Hospital having watched the film, said: "The video was so informative and broke everything down into small, bite-sized pieces. I’d felt overwhelmed with information at the beginning of my discharge journey, so it was reassuring to be able to watch it at my own pace and take in what I needed when I needed it."
Laura-Rose Thorogood from the Mid and South Essex MNVP, said ‘‘We’re delighted to have co-produced this video to support people to be informed and given knowledge on what the postnatal journey looks like.
“It is exciting for it to finally come to fruition, and we are proud of the work that has been done to create this amazing video resource for patients who have given birth and their families. It will help them to feel empowered and make informed decisions on their care.”
The full video is now available on the maternity section of the Trust’s website, its YouTube channel, and through local maternity services, offering a much-needed source of guidance and reassurance for parents across the region.