A Calm Connections Clinic that supports Walsall parents and is believed to be the only one of its kind in the Black Country, has won an award for “Best Birth Trauma Project.”
The accolade has been given by the Make Birth Better collaborative network founded by Perinatal Psychiatrist Dr Rebecca Moore and Clinical Psychologist Dr Emma Svanberg.
The network supports parents and professionals impacted by birth trauma through training and campaigning.
Walsall’s Calm Connections Clinic is run by three specialist Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Midwives – Tracy Denmade, Birth Reflections/Patient Experience Midwife, Laura Atkinson, Specialist Bereavement Midwife and Hari Nijjar, Mental Health Specialist Midwife.
Calm Connections support parents who have suffered baby loss, have mental health needs or have experienced previous birth trauma. It is part funded by the Walsall Family Hubs programme and is held at the MindKind CIC voluntary sector organisation.
Tracy said: “We are truly honoured to receive this award from Make Birth Better.
“But the real praise is for the women and parents who have attended our bespoke clinic – they are why we do what we do. By sharing their experiences in this safe space they are bravely helping us to better shape our Maternity Services.”
Laura said the award also symbolised greater awareness around birth trauma which can be as a result of baby loss, mental health challenges or difficult or frightening labours.
“We support those whose trauma is very recent, but equally we are here for those with a past trauma as we know the impact continues for a long time and affects whole families and communities,” she said.
“We’re proud of the work we do and are in awe at the amazing women and parents who trust us with their stories and turn to us for healing. This is an incredibly difficult and painful topic but it’s important we raise awareness and work on tailoring the most appropriate support for those affected.”
Referrals to the clinic, which runs every Tuesday, are made by Doctors and Midwives via an electronic referral system.
Hari, whose post is partly funded through Walsall Council, added: “This partnership with the Family Hubs is much needed in Walsall where parent infant relationships can benefit greatly from additional support.
“We offer a holistic approach and one of our mums recently described us as “putting their arms around me, making me feel safe and listened to” which is exactly what we want to achieve.
“Winning this award is further proof that our clinic is making a difference and we hope similar clinics can be established in other areas.”