Maternity staff work with local families to improve caesarean birth experiences

Staff working in maternity services at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have partnered with the Swindon and Wiltshire Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership and local families to improve the caesarean birth experience for women and birthing people.

The new initiative, named #MyCaesareanBirth, will be launching in Swindon soon, and highlights the holistic options available to families during a caesarean section, to enhance the environment and birth.

Following feedback from a number of families who had experienced more clinical birthing experiences, the team have worked with these families to develop #MyCaesareanBirth, and they helped to pilot it during their own caesareans before a wider roll-out.

The new enhancements will include low lighting, the opportunity to play personal music in the theatre, the placement of monitoring leads on the back instead of the chest and the chance for a birth partner to cut the cord.

A caesarean birth can sometimes feel more clinical or invasive, but the team hope to support families to create an ambient, calming and soothing theatre space.

They are also looking to introduce more clinical practices that often follow a vaginal birth for those having a caesarean, including delayed cord clamping, immediate skin-to-skin contact and allowing time for the baby to be born spontaneously with minimal assistance, where possible.

Rhian Gibbon, Intrapartum Matron, said: “We want all families to experience a special birth, regardless of how or where their baby is delivered.

“We know that, for some, the thought of a caesarean section can induce additional stress, but we know that our work on #MyCaesareanBirth will make a birthing experience in one of our operating theatres more enjoyable and relaxed.

“Thank you to the families who stepped forwards to support us with the initiative, sharing their own experiences and advising on what would be most important for them – we know that our local women and birthing people are best placed to comment on how we can improve maternity services.”

Georgi Davies, one of the mothers who helped to co-design #MyCaesareanBirth added: “I was lucky enough to be involved in the early development of the programme and it was so special to be able to experience the suggestions I’d made for my own birth.

“On the day, I had low lighting, my own playlist and the screen was lowered as he was born, then my baby placed straight onto my chest. The whole experience left me feeling powerful and in control and I still look at the photos in awe.”

Natalie Griffiths, Swindon Maternity and Neonatal Voice Partnership Lead, said: "It has been a pleasure to co-produce the #MyCaesareanBirth service with the perinatal team at Great Western Hospital.

“Parents who are going through or who have been through the process of an elective caesarean birth have been involved from start to finish ensuring this service is designed with our families at the centre.

“The feedback we've heard from parents has been overwhelmingly positive and we are looking forward to the role out of #MyCaesareanBirth."

Any women and birthing people interested in finding out more should speak to their named midwife.