Survey on birthcare

[ArabeIIaScott]

Details on this webchat, which I totally missed, with MP Theo Clarke, who discusses her experiences and seeks views of mothers.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/guest_posts/4857159-guest-post-from-theo-clarke-mp-it-was-the-most-terrifying-experience-of-my-entire-life-i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-but-the-lack-of-support-afterwards-has-left-me-determined-to-improve-care-for-new-mothers

'Working with Mumsnet and with the Birth Trauma Association , I hope to put this issue firmly in the national consciousness and work for better procedures and better care for mums who suffer birth trauma. In parliament, I have set up an All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma with my Labour colleague Rosie Duffield MP to drive change with the government. We have a big job to do, but it’s one I am committed to achieving, and I need your help.'

And a link to the survey itself :

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HGL2KWX

Thanks for posting. It’s not a very good survey. The only physical form of birth trauma it appears to recognise is perineal tears. It has pre-determined what the solutions are. Basically it’s focused on the trauma that the MP experienced and the improvements she wanted to see in her case. It’s well intentioned but disappointingly narrow.

Not sure why mumsnet needs to know about its users’ household incomes in a survey about birth injuries.

I agree it’s a very poorly written survey. I have 1 child who was a planned home birth. I have never had a baby in hospital. A whole section of the survey only allows you to answer ‘yes, no or don’t remember’ about your time in hospital. I never spent any time in hospital.

There are lots of things that need to change in maternity care but it really doesn’t feel like this is hitting the mark.

Maybe worth feeding back those comment to the MP?

I was glad to see an APPG set up.

https://members.parliament.uk/member/4819/contact

Is Stafford likely to re-elect a Conservative at the next election? If she loses her seat, what will happen to the APPG she chairs?

It might be worth contacting her, and MPs on the group from other parties too?

I fully support her campaign, it’s just it’s a shame that the survey is so limited. I can understand her being focused on perineal tears though, given the horrific experience she had. It’s just that there are other horrific birth experiences too.

Yes, I noticed that hospital focus too. And the limited response options, there should have been a “wasn’t a concern for me” option, not just “I don’t remember”.

I didn’t really understand the aftercare list. I had lots of contact with various professionals in the post natal period - midwives, women’s physio, health visitor, GP, newborn breastfeeding support group. It wasn’t the contact with support services that was lacking, it was the inadequate pain relief / failing to spot a developing problem, despite all that contact, which was the issue.

I also thought the questions which can be summed up as “was anyone nice to you?” and “was anyone horrible to you?” presented as either/or options were pretty pointless. Yes, there were one or two impatient/ abrupt individuals but there were also lovely and helpful ones.

All good points! Please feed them back if you are happy to do so. I imagine APPGs run whether or not current members are re elected? Though I don't know for sure.

Whats an APPG?

All Party Parliamentary Group, formed to look at a specific issue with cross party input.

Done this, thanks.

There really should have been more free text boxes to go into detail about specific concerns or experiences.

I also had failure to spot a developing problem, dystocia likely caused by that failure and an ECS as a result of the distocia, which was probably avoidable. In addition, I had to push for two hours with a baby that was never going to come out because they weren’t allowed to do a vaginal examination due to regulations about how often that was allowed. I now have a son with Asperger’s and that probably doesn’t count as birth trauma, but was likely caused by the hospital’s failures. None of that was relevant in the survey, which mostly seemed to be about whether the staff had been polite and helpful. They were polite and helpful, but also missed something vital and then were caught in regulations which removed flexibility.