AMP Specialist Perinatal Mental Health/Birth Trauma
Maria Gibbons is the newly appointed Advanced Midwife Practitioner Specialist Perinatal Mental Health/Birth Trauma at University Maternity Hospital Limerick.
Maria has worked as a midwife in for many years and her experience in the clinical area has really enhanced her practice in this area. Maria completed a Masters in Health Education/Promotion at the University of Limerick in 2001 and spent a period of time working in the area of health promotion for the UL Hospitals group. She has had a specific interest in mental health during the perinatal period and completed a research study into women’s experience of normal birth for her masters in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Completing a module on ‘Supporting perinatal mental health’ in UL along with previous study have been hugely beneficial in her current role. Maria’s caseload for her advanced practice will include women who have a traumatic birth experience or have tocophobia (fear of labour and childbirth).
With the support of Eileen Ronan, Director of Midwifery, Maria has established the Lavender Clinic, see below, in collaboration with Dr Mas Mohamad, Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Imcha Naro, Consultant Obstetrician and Emma O’Kane, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist (Women's Health & Ambulatory Gynae) to support women during this vulnerable time. This clinic allows a multi-disciplinary approach to care and allows women to receive care from different health care professionals at one visit.
Research and audit are central to Maria’s new role and she is currently exploring the experience of women who have been attending the specialist perinatal mental health service (SPMHS) following a traumatic birth since the service began in 2018.
The Lavender Clinic, Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, University Maternity Hospital
The Lavender clinic is a screening, assessment and early intervention service for women at risk of or experiencing post traumatic stress symptoms related to birth. It is a MDT, collaborative clinic facilitated by an Advanced Midwife Practitioner (AMP), a Consultant Psychiatrist or Registrar in psychiatry, an Obstetric Consultant and Clinical Specialist Physiotherapy.
Women are provided with an opportunity to discuss their birth experience with the team. It is an essential part of healing to facilitate a birth reflection for women to clarify and validate their experience of events surrounding labour and birth. Therefore, the establishment of the Lavender Clinic has created an intervention pathway for mothers and their partners to help in processing trauma and help to allow planning of future pregnancies without the impact of unresolved trauma.
The clinic is in an offsite location which ensures that women are more likely to engage following a traumatic experience in the hospital environment. The MDT nature of the clinic allows women to attend perinatal mental health, obstetric and physio follow up on the same day, in the same place with the most appropriate healthcare professional. This enables continuity of care with a focus on women centred care. Co-location for the MDT reduces demand on room bookings and ensures a more efficient use of resources.
