From the moment that new Mums discover they’re pregnant, a whole new world of parenthood opens up, and most women are keen to find out about maternity care options as quickly as possible.

Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s (GHNHSFT) website www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/maternity and Facebook page www.facebook.com/gloshospitals provide a wealth of useful information which can help pregnant women ensure their health needs and preferences are met.

The NHS is encouraging new and expectant Mums to use the hospital’s social media options where they will find useful tips and advice on everything to do with maternity, as well as being able to share experiences with other people. Being pregnant or a Mum can be difficult at times, and it can be reassuring to understand that you’re not alone, and that other people are going through the same kind of experiences.

Dr Jeremy Welch, GP and Clinical Lead for Women’s Services at NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, said:

“Although we already offer an excellent range of maternity services across Gloucestershire, we always welcome feedback so that we can continually improve the care and options offered to pregnant women.

Social media allows people to give their views on different aspects of maternity care to help us do this. It also gives mums the opportunity to talk to other people going through similar experiences and access useful information and advice.”

The NHS in Gloucestershire delivers more than 6,000 babies every year so really does have a wealth of knowledge, experience and services that can provide invaluable support during pregnancy and after the new baby arrives, from finding out about ante-natal classes to state-of-the-art birthing facilities.

Dawn Morrall, Assistant Director of Maternity & Fertility Services/Supervisor of Midwives with Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We really welcome feedback from the women and families who use our services, and social media is a great way of getting in touch with us. We are always open to suggestions and comments about the maternity pages on our website.

“Our website also has a Supervisors of Midwives page where women can raise any concerns they may have about their care and treatment during their pregnancy or after their baby is born. We’re delighted to be supporting the World Breastfeeding Week and hope that women will come and meet our midwives on the Information Bus.”

To mark World Breastfeeding Week from 1 – 7 August, the NHS Information Bus will be travelling around the county. Midwives will be available to answer any questions or concerns that people have. The bus will be at:

  • The Cross in Gloucester on Monday 3 August from 10am – 3pm
  • Beechwood Arcade in Cheltenham on Tuesday 4 August from 10am – 3pm
  • King Street in Stroud on Thursday 6 August from 1am – 3pm

People can take virtual tours of all the units and find all the information they need during their pregnancy at www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/maternity. Keep up with maternity news and events through social media: @gloshospitals and www.facebook.com/gloshospitals.

Anyone with comments about infant feeding can complete a short survey, available here (also available on social media).