Parents-to-be who are accessing maternity services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) can download a smartphone App with guidance to support them every step of the way.
We are working in partnership with The Lister Hospital and Watford General Hospital – which are part of the wider Hertfordshire and West Essex Local Maternity and Neonatal System – to offer localised information for parents-to-be via the new Mum & Baby App.
The Mum & Baby: Herts and West Essex Local Maternity and Neonatal System App launched today (Monday 2 November) and is designed to be a personal guide for pregnancy, birth and beyond.
From the start of pregnancy to early parenthood, this App will support women and their families with:
- Choice on where they would like to give birth and how they would like their birth to go
- Access to essential, clinically-validated information every step of the way from being pregnant, to giving birth and looking after a new baby
- Personalised plans for their care during pregnancy, birth and beyond
The App provides users with a single point of access for information on booking in their local area to receive higher levels of continuity of care.
The App offers an easy-to-navigate screen, with multiple links and videos on a range of useful topics. This includes emotional and physical wellbeing, mental health concerns, advice for partners, and preparing for labour. Additionally, parents-to-be can find out about a stay in hospital, post-delivery care, baby care basics, mum and baby checks, recovering from different types of delivery and medical conditions, and advice for when back at home. Personal preferences for each stage of the maternity journey can be documented and stored within the App for sharing with care providers, generating conversations that support collaborative and personalised care plans.
Abby Higgins, expecting her first baby in four months, said: “I have found this App really useful as there are many different categories that you can research and go through and if you want to read more there are lots of helpful links where more information is accessible. It has made me write down things that I need to discuss with my midwife nearer my due date regarding my birth plan etc. and any thoughts and concerns that I may have, especially during a global pandemic.
“I like it that I am able to choose the hospital in which I am choosing to have our baby in. Sometimes information can be overwhelming in pregnancy but I find this App really helps to break it down and understand each topic throughout my first pregnancy. The App aims to improve women’s experiences of maternity care and ensures that the information they receive is consistent, no matter where they choose to give birth in the local area.”
Jacqui Featherstone, associate director of midwifery at PAHT, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this fantastic resource for women, their partners and families, together with other local hospitals.
“We would encourage all parents-to-be who are accessing our services to download the App and access the wealth of information available. This App enables us to enhance our support of women, their partners and families during pregnancy and new parenthood.
Rachael Corser, senior responsible officer for Hertfordshire and West Essex Local Maternity System, added: “The Mum & Baby App is an innovative way to harness digital technology in the NHS to provide mums-to-be in Hertfordshire and West Essex personal care and access to information easily and quickly. This brilliant app allows us to deliver a new model of continuity of care which delivers safer outcomes for mothers and babies by helping women manage their own care throughout their pregnancy, birth and beyond.”
The app was originally developed by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and their charity CW+ with Imagineear, and has evolved with new content to deliver on the ambitions of the NHS Better Births to provide women with a single source of trusted NHS information for all their maternity needs.
To download the App
The App is available in both iOS and Android formats. Go to your App store (Apple Store or GooglePlay) to download the App.