Getting Ready for Baby Programme- Western Trust

Within the Western Health and Social Care Trust first time parents have the opportunity to receive their antenatal care and education under the regional Early Intervention Transformation Programme (EITP). Getting Ready for Baby is a new way of delivering care and supporting first time parents through pregnancy, and preparing you for labour, birth and the early days of baby’s life. It links antenatal appointments and parenting group support for the first time in Northern Ireland. This means that:

• You will be part of an antenatal parenting group which meets on the same day and in the same venue as your normal antenatal appointments in weeks 16, 25, 28, 31, 34 and 36
• At your first antenatal appointment (at 16 weeks), you will get dates for all of your remaining appointments in advance so you can plan your antenatal visits
• Your other antenatal appointments, at 38, 40 and 41 weeks, may also be scheduled in advance but your parenting group won’t meet on those days
• Your ultrasound scans at booking and 20/21 weeks will be arranged as normal.

Should you need additional scans during your pregnancy these can be accommodated additional to your antenatal group based care.  Women will be offered this new programme when they go to the midwife for their booking appointment. The programme means women can have their ante-natal care combined with their parent-craft education with a group of new parents that are at the same stage of pregnancy.

To enhance support to parents through improved social networks, the group based sessions will commence at around 16 weeks pregnant and continue in line with the regional antenatal pathway of usual contacts for first time parents until 36 weeks pregnant, at which time care will return to individual appointments by the same community midwifery team. Expectant mum’s scans and visits with the obstetrician remain the same as before This programme is available across the whole Western Trust area. Parents who would like to participate, can attend any of our four sites :- South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen; Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex; Waterside Health Centre and in partnership with Derry Well Women Centre, Londonderry, If you are interested in finding out more information please contact

Omagh:  Anne Marie Grimes, E-mail:  annemarie.grimes@westerntrust.hscni.net,  Telephone 02882 833107

Enniskillen:  Fidelma Beacom, E-mail:  fidelma.beacom@westerntrust.hscni.net, Telephone 02866382175

Community Mid Wife Team Southern  Sector:  Ali Ferguson: Telephone 07525771502