Maternity & Neonatal Voices in Partnership (MNVP)
Are there moments when you find yourself thinking about the birth of your baby?
Do you have questions or thoughts about your experience that you haven’t yet been able to talk through? The Birth Reflections Service is here to support you.
What is the Birth Reflections service?
This service provides a safe, confidential space for women, birthing people, and their birth partners to reflect on their pregnancy and birth experience with the support of a senior midwife.
Whether your labour and birth didn’t go as expected, or you simply want to understand more about what happened and why, this service may be able to help.
Aims of the Birth Reflections service
- To give you the opportunity to ask questions, gain clarity, and reflect on your birth experience.
- To help us improve our maternity services by listening to your feedback and learning from your experiences.
What to expect
- After referral, a senior midwife will contact you within 4 weeks.
- You’ll be offered a 60-minute session to review your maternity notes and discuss your birth experience.
- Sessions are available face-to-face or by telephone (for phone appointments, you will need a quiet space without interruption).
- We can also offer onward referral to specialist services such as Obstetrics & Gynaecology if further support is needed.
Who can use the service?
- You must be at least 6 weeks postnatal to access this service.
- If you had your baby at University Hospital of North Durham or Darlington Memorial Hospital, or you delivered at home supported by a County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust midwife.
Please note: We cannot accept referrals before 6 weeks postnatal.
How to refer
You can self-refer into the service via email. For Birth Reflections in Darlington and Durham, please email: cddft.
Once assessed:
- If suitable, you will be added to our waiting list and contacted with an appointment.
- If not suitable, we will advise you of next steps or alternative support.
If you have a complaint
If you have concerns or would like to make a formal complaint, please contact our Patient Experience Team, who can offer independent, confidential advice and support by telephone: 0800 783 5774 or email: cdda-tr.
