Baby Beat, who received just under £200,000 from NHS Charities Together’s Innovation Challenge Fund, will soon launch a regional first maternity service.
Working in partnership with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who manages Royal Preston Hospital’s Maternity Unit, Baby Beat has used the funding to hire two specialist midwives and a maternity worker.
Support from recently hired Michelle, Linda, and Sophie will be specifically for young parents up to 19 from Preston, Chorley, Leyland, and South Ribble.
Read more: Glowing tribute after unexpected death of Royal Preston Hospital midwife
Described as team Blossom, the group of three workers will be by their side for pregnancy check ups, birth, and up to birth, including home visits and drop in sessions.
Rebecca Arestidou, who is Baby Beat’s trust, grant, fundraising, impact, and project officer and worked to help to secure the funding for the service, explained the impacts of young parenthood and importance of initiatives like this.
She said: “While there are exceptions to the rule, there is evidence to suggest that teenage mothers are three times more likely to smoke during their pregnancy, three times more likely to suffer post-natal depression and have higher rates of poor mental health for up to three years after birth.
“They are also half as likely to breastfeed and are 22 per cent more likely to be living in poverty by the age of 30. They have a two in three chance of their relationship with baby’s dad ending either during pregnancy or within the first three years after baby is born, while very young dads are twice as likely to be unemployed by the age of 30.”
Support Blog Preston: Keep our community reporting going and view the website without any adverts too. Sign up for a membership today.
Stay updated: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to you phone and inbox.
Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines
