The Neuro-Affirming Midwife

<p><strong><em>The Neuro-Affirming Midwife: Practical Care for Autistic &amp; ADHD Parents from Pregnancy to Postnatal</em></strong></p><p>Support safer calmer care for neurodivergent parents—without adding work to a busy shift. This practical guide shows you how to provide <strong>neuro-affirming maternity care</strong> across antenatal labour birth and the postnatal period. You’ll get plain-language tools you can use in clinics birth centres labour wards and home settings: <strong>checklists scripts templates and quick sheets</strong> that help teams reduce sensory overload improve consent conversations and plan reasonable adjustments that meet legal duties and local policies.</p><p>What You’ll Learn</p><p><strong>Neuro-affirming practice basics:</strong> language sensory profiles communication preferences and shared decision-making.</p><p><strong>Sensory-safe care:</strong> lighting noise touch gowning monitoring and quiet-room set-ups.</p><p><strong>Communication &amp; consent:</strong> short scripts visual aids and briefing sheets for triage induction assisted birth and caesarean.</p><p><strong>Autistic care needs:</strong> masking monotropism shutdowns/meltdowns interoception pain and postnatal decompression.</p><p><strong>ADHD care needs:</strong> executive-function supports appointment flow medication considerations feeding plans and follow-up aids.</p><p><strong>Birth planning:</strong> creating a neurodivergent birth plan and documenting reasonable adjustments for continuity across shifts.</p><p><strong>Risk &amp; safety:</strong> overload first-aid grounding steps and trauma-aware debriefs.</p><p><strong>Team practice:</strong> handover phrases signage and small changes that raise care quality across the pathway.</p><p>What’s Inside</p><p><strong>Ready-to-use tools:</strong> birth plan template consent and explanation scripts sensory toolkit list overstimulation response card postnatal check prompts.</p><p><strong>UK-friendly phrasing:</strong> aligns with common NHS terms and roles while remaining useful internationally.</p><p><strong>For the whole team:</strong> midwives maternity support workers perinatal educators doulas and obstetric teams.</p>