Having a baby is an amazing experience, but it can also be a daunting one when it comes to preparing, which is why maternity staff at the RUH have produced a set of Maternity Virtual Tour films.
The special films showcase the birthing centres at the RUH and in the community, and the facilities they provide, including home births across BaNES, Somerset and Wiltshire.
The three videos, which can be seen on the Trust website, take you on a guided journey from the first scan, to care throughout pregnancy and on to the day when the big moment arrives.
You’ll find plenty of information to answer your maternity questions and support you in your choices, from deciding on your place of birth and what sort of birth you’d prefer, to who’s who on the wards and to what happens when it’s time to take your precious cargo home.
The videos were the idea of Midwifery Sister Helen Spurrell, who won backing from the Trust’s Innovation Panel.
The Panel provides support and funding for projects to improve patient care and experience or to increase efficiency across the Trust.
Helen said: “We know it’s not always easy for mums to join one of our regular group visits around our birthing centres so, while those will continue as usual, we thought we’d bring the centres to them with our virtual tour videos.
“It’s another way to further improve our service, making it more accessible and user-friendly and ensuring consistency of advice, which together will improve the overall experience for women and their families.
“Many thanks to all the mums, babies, families and our maternity staff who took part and helped to make the films. We hope they’re informative and useful.”
