Let’s Reboot the Future

You Were Held: Love, Loss and Compassion at Birth - Gaynor Morrison

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In this episode, we’re joined by Gaynor Morrison, a midwife, lecturer and photographer, and the creator of You Were Held.

Drawing on her role as a midwife safeguarding lead, Gaynor shares how she supports some of the most complex moments in care, when babies are removed from their mothers following court decisions. Through You Were Held, she offers a simple but profound gift: professional photographs taken at birth, created with care and dignity, to honour the bond, love and connection between mother and baby, even in separation.

A powerful reflection on compassion in practice.

More information about Gaynor: 

Gaynor has worked in the NHS and in education over the past 30 years with her speciality and focus on Safeguarding vulnerable families. After leaving the front line of the NHS nearly 3 years ago, she was able to start the 'You were held' compassion project with her safeguarding manager Sharon Bunford, who arranges the governance, data protection and formalities. As a volunteer she is able to go back to the Trust and offer photography to mothers and birthing people who are being separated from their babies due to complex safeguarding situations, with a hope of capturing those first moments when the baby is held by their birth mother so that they will both have forever memories. This project recognises the mother's role prior to separation and will be a small gesture towards acknowledging their disenfranchised grief.


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