A new NHS website, Bump, Birth and Beyond, has launched in Kent and Medway to help expectant parents make informed choices about their maternity care.
Bump, Birth and Beyond brings together information about local maternity services into one place for the first time, to make it easier for women to find out about antenatal care, post-natal care and options for giving birth.
Paula Wilkins, Chief Nurse at NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group and Senior Responsible Officer for Maternity Services, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this new resource to expectant parents. For the first time, information about maternity services in Kent and Medway is available in one place. We hope Bump, Birth and Beyond will be an invaluable tool to guide local families through the joys and challenges of pregnancy, birth and the early days of parenting.”
Bump, Birth and Beyond is packed full of friendly, accessible information and advice, including what to expect during the different stages of pregnancy, choosing your birth setting, preparing for the birth, practical tips on caring for your baby and being a birth partner. There’s also a decision-making tool designed to help parents decide where to access care and direct links to hospitals’ maternity webpages for online self-referral.
An interactive map provides details of the different birth facilities available and how to contact your local health visiting team or children’s centre. In addition, there are video tours of birth settings to give you an insight into what is on offer.
You can also read real life stories from other local mums and families who share their own personal experiences about birth and local maternity services.
Tannice Hemming, Chair of the North Kent Maternity Voices Partnership, said: “We are extremely proud to be part of this project. We believe this website presents valuable information that is relevant and easy to read and understand. Anyone who has just learned they are expecting a baby can turn to this site, find out all they need to know and trust the information they are given. That is so important when it comes to making decisions about maternity care.”
The website was developed by the Local Maternity System (LMS), with feedback from local women and families, and working closely with midwives, clinicians, health visitors, local Maternity Voices Partnership representatives and partner organisations.
The website is available here: https://kentandmedwaylms.nhs.uk/