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Young Family

OUR STORY

ButNotMaternity was a hashtag that galvanised many parents and campaigners with one clear voice, supporting the birthing rights of all women, birthing people, parents and their families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Restrictions on partners attending scans and appointments, as well as the time allowed into labour wards for birth partners, became a post-code lottery.

 

Whilst some Trusts managed to work without any restrictions from the end of the first lockdown, many left them in place - and a myriad of others sat in between. We understood that every ward had differences - there are no blanket set of rules that would work for all to ensure social distancing and safety for both staff and parents. However, we believed that there was more that could be done, best practice and innovative ideas that could be shared, and that the risk of birth trauma should have been taken in to account when risk assessing restrictions.

 

There have been studies that showed restrictions adversely affected the health and well-being of parents and their babies. So many stories have been shared online using #ButNotMaternity, about traumatic births, stillbirths, women birthing alone.

 

Yet as many organisations, MVPs and members of the public fought for change, they were not being heard or given the consideration that they deserve.

UPDATES AND RESULTS:

 

Whilst the government can request that NHS England makes changes, they cannot enforce them. NHS England can set guidelines for their 125 trusts to follow, but they are GUIDELINES and not RULES/LAWS. Each Trust follows it's own regulations and policies in place.

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