Ribbon reminder on baby movements
Maternity staff at University Hospital Wishaw are issuing expectant parents with nurture ribbons as a reminder to think about their baby’s movements.
A baby’s first movements usually happen between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy and every pattern will be different.
Wendy Duffy, staff midwife, said: “When expectant mums first start to feel their baby move it can be anything from a flutter to a kick and the type of movement can change the further along they are in their pregnancy.
“We want to stress the importance of knowing the pattern of their baby’s movements and the nurture ribbon is a great way of doing that.
“It is small enough to be attached to a set of keys or to tie around a wrist.
“If at any time women experience a change in their pattern or have any concerns about their baby’s movement, we strongly advise them to contact maternity triage immediately.”
As part of this initiative, maternity staff are also implementing the teach-back technique which involves asking patients to explain, in their own words, what healthcare staff have just discussed with them to ensure they fully understand.
Lorna Lennox, staff midwife, said:“clear communication is so important for effective healthcare and patient safety.
“The teach-back technique is an easy and effective way of doing this.
“When couples become pregnant they are given lots of information and it can sometimes be overwhelming.
“We want to ensure that new parents know what to look out for and are confident in recognising when something has changed and know never to hesitate in contacting a midwife or maternity unit for advice.”