Taunton & Somerset receive 4,500 Wellbeing Wallets

Pictured above from left to right: Dr Joanne Watson, clinical director of women’s and children’s services, Heidi Eldridge, CEO of MAMA Academy, Katy Evans, maternity matron, Jo Anderson, South West Sands network coordinator.

MAMA Academy are thrilled to announce the safe arrival of 4,5000 Wellbeing Wallets today at Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust thanks to funding from the charity, South West Sands.

MAMA Academy have developed Wellbeing Wallets as a means of relaying key health messages to expectant mothers to have to hand at all times, and are now in a position to provide the wallets free of charge thanks to the donation from baby loss charity South West Sands.

The wallets are robust plastic zip-lock pouches in which pregnant women can keep their handheld antenatal notes, which they are expected to keep with them as their pregnancy progresses. The wallets ensure the notes are kept protected, but they are also colourfully printed with important advice regarding the mother’s health, and that of her baby. This ensures that key messages such as monitoring babies’ movements become second nature to the woman as she carries the wallet with her.

The information contained on the wallets complements the work of the new NHS ‘Saving Babies’ Lives’ stillbirth care bundle and is in line with safer pregnancy messaging by the Department of Health and Sands. The wallets are also supported by The Royal College of Midwives.

The wallets are typically given to mothers at the first booking appointment and are currently being distributed in 30 NHS Trusts nationwide. Trusts can request a free trial box of 100 wallets by emailing contact@mamaacademy.org.uk. Mothers also have the opportunity to purchase their own wallet directly from the MAMA Academy website for only a couple of pounds if their local trust does not yet offer them.

MAMA Academy Chief Executive, Heidi Eldridge, has been delighted with the positive feedback already received. She said: “The UK has one of the highest stillbirth rates in the developed world and all maternity providers should be working to reduce this. We are thrilled to be able to provide Taunton and Somerset with a means to give more babies the best chance of arriving safely”.

Katy Evans, a maternity matron at Musgrove Park Hospital, said:

“As a hospital we want to do everything we can to make sure mums are as well informed as possible about their pregnancy.

“The wallets will be given to all women when they first see their midwife and contain important advice about the mother’s health, and that of her unborn baby.

“We hope that key messages, such as the monitoring of baby movements and the need to report a change in the baby’s movements straight away, become second nature to the woman as she carries the wallet with her.

“We want to thank both the MAMA Academy and SANDS for making it possible for us to provide mums with the wallets.”

Jo Anderson, South West network co-ordinator for Sands, said: “We are delighted to be able to help provide the wallets to mothers-to-be in the South West. They are an inspired way of getting really important messages across to mothers so they know how best to look after themselves, to empower them in making positive decisions around their pregnancy and inform them of the warning signs if something might not be quite right. It adds another dimension to the work we are already doing with hospitals in the South West to support parents.”

For more information, please visit our Wellbeing Wallet page or order yours today from our online shop.

Read the official press release from Musgrove Park Hospital.