New support group is a FaB way to help new mums in Southport

SOUTHPORT and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust has teamed up with local Sure Start children’s centres to offer a FaB service for families in Sefton and West Lancashire.The Family and Baby (FaB) support is available to parents with babies on the Neonatal Unit.



The service offers emotional support, help to prepare for taking babies home, with budgeting and support at home.The service was created following the realisation that families sometimes feel depressed in the months following their baby’s discharge home.

FaB provides that constant support from birth, the children’s centres ensuring that families continue to feel supported, meet other families in the same situation and gain answers to any questions about their baby.
Rachel Nolan gave birth to Amelia at 27 weeks last May, before FaB was established, and feels families will really benefit from the support FaB provides.

She said: “After Amelia was born I was running on adrenaline without really thinking about what had happened. Because I chose to breast feed, I’d spend all day on the unit from the moment she woke up until she went to sleep. I was exhausted.“I’d have loads of questions for the nursing team but because they were so busy I didn’t want to trouble them, the main focus was ensuring Amelia received the care she needed. When we were allowed home, what we’d been through finally hit me. I started to think about the ‘what ifs’ and really needed some support.”

Because Amelia was born at 27 weeks, Rachel hadn’t yet started her ante-natal classes where she would have found out all about the children’s centres and the support they provide.

She said: “The children’s centres became a huge source of support and information. I loved that I could take Amelia to a normal mums and baby group and the staff could answer my questions no matter how trivial.
“FaB provides a vital link between the neonatal unit and children’s centres. I wish it had been around when I had my baby!”

source: http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2011/06/14/new-support-group-is-a-fab-way-to-help-new-mums-in-southport-101022-28866872/