Integrated Maternity's
Maternity Communication Books
How to use
Thank you for buying our book!
We hope it empowers women, birthing people and families during their maternity journey.
Our books aim to promote British Sign Language (BSL) Awareness with illustrations of common maternity phrases to practice and learn and videos to help communicate to women when an interpreter isn't available.
As well aiming to promote language awareness with written and audio translations in many different languages to help communicate with women when an interpreter isn't available.
This book is not to replace an interpreter but to offer comfort to those in your care.
It is designed to help with the small conversations where there isn't typically an interpreter present, as well as to be used in crises where an interpreter isn't available or present, to ensure women, birthing people, and families understand what is happening with their care, until adequate interpretation arrives.
The book is divided into four following sections:
Comfort
Crisis
Conventional
Clarification
Comfort: This category is focused on ensuring that service users are comfortable while they are under your care. You can use this category to introduce yourself, ask for their names and preferences, enquire about how they are feeling, offer food and drinks, and ask if they need any assistance. By doing so, you can ensure that their basic needs are met and facilitate conversations that can help them feel well taken care of.
Crisis: This category encompasses all the relevant information that you may require in situations of emergency or complications. You can provide guidance on emergency procedures such as caesarean sections or instrumental assistance. Furthermore, you can answer queries from service users regarding any concerning events that may arise during their care and seek consent.
Conventional: This category focuses on providing explanations of the basics within maternity care. It also covers essential information such as routine care and service users' questions, their feelings, ask if they need any help, and allow you to offer food and drink. You can ensure the basic needs are met and facilitate conversations to help service users feel well looked after.
Clarification: This category provides information that aims to make conversations less confusing for service users. It includes explanations about procedures and treatments, essential information about medications and pain relief, and most importantly, explains how to gain informed consent.
The Categories...
BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE BOOK [BSL]-
Within the sections, you will find an English phrase followed by BSL illustrations and instructions, along with a QR code that will take you to the translated phrase in BSL as a video format, which you can show to the person in your care.
Once you scan the QR code, you will be taken to a place on our website where you can play the video you need. You will need to make an account on our website to use the video files, and then once you've signed in, you can use the videos anytime.
PLEASE NOTE:
IF THE VIDEOS DON'T PLAY WHEN YOU HAVE SCANNED THE QR CODE, REFRESH THE PAGE AND THEY SHOULD WORK.
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The QR Codes...
MULTIPLE LANGUAGES BOOK -
Within the sections, you can find the English phrase followed by the translated phrase, along with a QR code that will take you to the translated phrase in an audio format, which you can play to the person in your care.
Once you scan the QR code, it will take you to a place on our website where you can play the audio you need. You will need to make an account on our website to use the audio files, and then once you’ve signed in you can use the audio anytime.
PLEASE NOTE:
IF THE AUDIO DOESN'T PLAY WHEN YOU HAVE SCANNED THE QR CODE, REFRESH THE PAGE AND THEY SHOULD WORK.
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How can service users respond?
British Sign Language Book -
On page 3 of the book you will see illustrations of how the service user can respond to things asked within the book.
One of the challenges with any kind of translations books is the user being able to understand the service users response if the user is not a native speaker. Therefore, we designed questions which can be answered using 'yes', 'no', 'don't know' and hand gestures.
These responses in sign language are noted on page 3 [also shown on right].
If the service user responds to a question noted within the book, the user can act on that information accordingly.
For example - In the instance where is no interpreter present and the user needs to ask the service user whether there are any allergies they need to be aware of, and the service user is allergic to penicillin, the service user should respond 'yes' to the question. This then tells the user that it is an urgent need to get an interpreter present before any medicines are administered to clearly ascertain what the service user is allergic to.
Multiple Languages Book -
On page 4 of the book you will see instructions in English and followed by the translated instructions explaining how the service user can respond to things asked within the book.
One of the challenges with any kind of translations books is the user being able to understand the service users response if the user is not a native speaker. Therefore, we designed questions which can be answered using 'yes', 'no', 'don't know' and hand gestures.
These responses in the the translated language of the book are noted on page 4 [also shown on left].
On this page you will see gestures. If the service user wants to respond 'yes' they can put their thumb up as shown on the page. If they want to respond 'no' they can put their thumb down as shown on the page and if they want to respond 'don't know' they shrug their shoulders as shown on the page.
When the service user responds to a question noted within the book, the user can act on that information accordingly.
For example - In the instance where is no interpreter present and the user needs to ask the service user whether there are any allergies they need to be aware of, and the service user is allergic to penicillin, the service user should respond 'yes' to the question. This then tells the user that it is an urgent need to get an interpreter present before any medicines are administered to clearly ascertain what the service user is allergic to.
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Here is a 'how to use' video for the British Sign Language book.
If you still have any questions regarding how to use the book please email us on info@integratedmaternity.co.uk and we will be more than happy to help you with your query.
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How to use - Videos...
Here is a 'how to use' video for the Multiple Language's book.
If you still have any questions regarding how to use the book please email us on info@integratedmaternity.co.uk and we will be more than happy to help you with your query.
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Thank you for your support.
We hope this book is everything we imagined it to be.
Lots of Love,
Integrated Maternity
xxx
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Copyright 2024 Integrated Maternity Ltd
All rights reserved, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means. This includes but is not limited to; photocopying, recording, or making videos without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The works included in this publication can be quoted or paraphrased for academic work, reviews or non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permissions, please write to the publisher via email at info@integratedmaternity.co.uk
The works included in this publication have been rigorously checked for accuracy and quality. Integrated Maternity will not be held accountable for any harm caused by misuse. This publication is not meant to replace an in-person or telephone/video translator, it intends to supplement the available translation services to aid in better communication during emergencies or for comfort conversations.
Design by Integrated Maternity
Illustrations by Hybrid Industries – No reproduction of any illustrations is permitted under any circumstances; all illustrations legally belong to Integrated Maternity and are included in the copyright.
Printed in the UK
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