Northumbria Healthcare hosts Christmas party for families supported by Rainbow Clinic after baby loss
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust held a Christmas party in partnership with the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership for families who have used the ‘rainbow clinic’ to support their pregnancy following a baby loss.
Every year they hold a series of Christmas parties for new mums and families in Northumberland and North Tyneside who have given birth since the rainbow clinic started.
The party was an opportunity for families to get together and provide feedback on the care they received.
A rainbow baby is the name given to a baby born following a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, termination for medical reason, stillbirth, or neonatal death.
A subsequent pregnancy is understandably a difficult time for a family and can bring feelings of anxiety and worry but Northumbria’s rainbow clinic supports families through their pregnancies.
In attendance at the party was mum Danielle, partner Anthony and son Harrison who were the first family to receive support from the rainbow clinic.
Danielle said: “By attending the rainbow clinic we both felt a lot more reassured that everything was ok. It also felt like we could speak to Jenny and Nira above just attending routine scans, so it was really nice to have the extra support.”
Nicki, mum to Franki, Mabel and Leo said: “Going through an experience like losing a baby, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one so coming to an event like today’s helps you understand that there are other people who have gone through it too.”
Charlotte, mum to Leo also shared her experience and said: “My partner and I really struggled and my partner experienced anxiety attacks. The support from the rainbow clinic was unreal. Having someone there to talk to and reassure us helped me relax a lot more in my pregnancy."
Bereavement midwives Jenny and Nira run the clinic and were at the party and were able to catch up with the families they had supported.
Jenny said: “Experiencing a loss is an extremely vulnerable time for families and through supporting them during their following pregnancies we witness a range of emotions, so seeing them here today smiling with their little ones has been wonderful.”