The Birth Reflections Clinic is a single midwifery-led appointment offered alongside clinical psychology where women, birthing people and birth partners can engage with a therapeutic review of their birth experience.
The clinic is for individuals with emotional difficulties related to their birth experience that have not attenuated over the first 4-6 weeks after the birth.
The Birth Reflections Clinic offers a single appointment review clinic for women and birthing people who are:
- more than 4-6 weeks postnatal and
- have had a difficult birth experience and
- wish to engage in a single therapeutic appointment with a midwife and the Maternity and Neonatal Psychological Interventions (MNPI) clinical team.
Due to waiting times, the Birth Reflections Clinic appointment should not be used as a primary referral option if there is an assessed need for specific trauma assessment/treatment. These will be individuals seeking assessment and treatment of difficulties that include all of: – intrusive memories, hypervigilance, avoidance of triggers, persistent changes in mood and negative beliefs for more than 1 month that are affecting day-to-day functioning. In such cases, please refer to MNPI if within the first year post birth, or to sector adult mental health teams if out with the first postnatal year.
If a birth has required obstetric intervention referrals are reviewed and redirected to the obstetric team who progress appointments independently of the Birth Reflections Clinic.
Please note that due to likely waiting times this clinic is not suitable for people seeking review before the birth of a next baby if more than 18 weeks gestation on date of referral.
Please discuss the Birth Reflections Clinic patient information leaflet with the family to collate questions for the appointment. With patient consent email a completed Birth Reflections Clinic referral form to loth.birthreflections@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
