Birth Reflections Service

For women and birthing people who have given birth in Oxfordshire.

The Birth Reflections Service provides women and birthing people with the chance to talk about their labour and birth. This service is available for up to one year after the birth.

We recognise that everyone's birth experience is different and is very personal. What may feel normal or natural to one person can feel very different to someone else. Talking things through after the birth may help you to understand events more clearly and answer any questions you may have.

It is not always easy to take in all the information you are given during labour and birth. A review of the notes can be helpful in gaining a clearer understanding of what happened at the time, and why.

During the Birth Reflections Service appointment, we will offer you a confidential review with a midwife. This will involve reading through your notes together with the midwife in a safe and calming space.

We will invite you to openly discuss your labour and birth freely - to explore things that you felt were empowering, but also to revisit any aspects of your care that you felt were confusing or unexpected.

Our aim is for you to feel heard and supported. The midwives who run the clinic are not trained counsellors or therapists, but they will listen and explain anything in your notes that you feel unsure about or don't understand. They will also direct you to other services if further support is needed.

Appointments

Appointments can take place virtually (online), or face to face at the John Radcliffe Hospital, based on your preference.

The appointments usually last about an hour. You might want to attend with your partner, a friend or a family member and you are welcome to bring your baby with you.

We suggest waiting up to two months after the birth to give yourself time to process what happened.

Due to the capacity of the Birth Reflections Service, we are only able to offer you one appointment. We will offer you two dates to choose from within that month.

If neither of the dates offered are convenient for you, unfortunately we will have to remove your name from the waiting list. You are welcome to self-refer again, but this will involve submitting a new form and re-joining the waiting list.