We don’t have a specific policy for deaf mothers to be, we just take each case as it comes. We have always relied on their family to interpret, but the patient doesn’t always want someone there, so we sometimes use lip-reading. When they want an interpreter, there isn’t always one available. We try and use written information when this happens.

 

We don’t have any community midwives that can use sign language. We had one deaf lady who was in labour; she was very distressed and had no interpreter. Normally, I would talk to her and soothe her, but she couldn’t understand me so we decided to give her an epidural.