"I appreciated being able to speak to the same person"

In early January I gave birth to my first child at Craigavon area hospital. I was under the COMC Emerald team and my appointment midwife was Rachel.

Having mostly heard negative press about the state of hospital services I had been feeling nervous about how my maternity care would be. But I was overwhelmed by the level of care I received from the outset! 

I met Rachel at my first appointment and she gave me her work WhatsApp so we could keep in contact and she shared antenatal courses I could attend. If she wasn’t the midwife to be at my routine appointments she would call me or arrange another appointment for me to speak with her.

As someone who has struggled with my mental health and also ME/chronic fatigue syndrome I really appreciated being able to speak to the same person. I knew she would ensure that the team as a whole would look after me but I did always feel more able to be honest with her because we had done my full review at my first appointment and I didn’t have to go through anything multiple times. 

I only managed to make it to one of the meet the team days and it was invaluable. I met a mixture of new mums with helpful advice and recent experience to reassure me and also other ladies who were in a similar stage to me.  A couple of weeks ago I went back with my little boy and it was so lovely to see people from the previous time and also to meet someone I had only met on an online antenatal class. So I could encourage her as she was due in a week’s time. 

I don’t think my maternity care would have been the same with being within the COMC pathway. They explained that I was eligible for the lovely midwifery led unit and Rachel took time to explain what would happen if anything became more complicated. They made sure that the midwife in the assessment unit sent me to MLU even though I was consultant led didn’t put me at high risk. This meant that although I was transferred downstairs and give birth in the delivery suite I was able to return to my room and stayed there for the days after which I stayed in for breastfeeding support. 

The room and care I received was excellent, from cleaning staff, girls bringing tea and toast to midwives giving extra support.  Sinéad particularly gave a lot of support and advice. 

I have spoken to several recent mums who had no idea about COMC pathway and I think that it would be great for GPs and others to know about it so that when you fill in the self referral form you know what the different options are. Only I’m a researcher and took time to read though was I able to opt for COMC. Being in this pathway of care ensured I knew how to navigate the antenatal and early postnatal days. My allocated midwife Rachel wasn’t working when my baby arrived but by that stage I was familiar with most of the team and they really work as a team! My brief interaction with the assessment unit felt like a very different culture. The first person I spoke to implied that MLU was busy and probably had no space, which panicked me. I ended up having to go home not knowing if I would be able to go there. Thankfully there was space the next day, but unfortunately this person wasn’t overly considerate of the comment to someone who has anxiety and was feeling the uncertainty of what lay ahead. 

It makes a huge difference when everyone supports each other in a team and you enjoy and feel cared for through a really vulnerable process. I always knew I could text Rachel and she even called me the day before I went into labour while at home.  Despite some complications with my labour my whole experience was excellent. And it’s all about the relationships developed with patients and colleagues. It leaves me confident to have another baby and know this level of care is there.