ANTENATAL

All of my consultations will be held in the comfort of your own home, where you will be given the time to discuss any issues or concerns you have regarding your pregnancy. How long the appointments last will very much depend on your needs, but rest assured they will never be rushed! Pregnancy and birth are a very individual experience and therefore I feel that it is very important that you are at the centre of your own care, with me guiding and supporting you throughout your amazing journey. 

All care can be provided alongside your standard NHS midwifery care and so you can decide how much or how little input you want me to have, in your special journey. Scans and screening blood tests can be arranged through the hospital that you would like to give birth at. However, should you prefer to have these undertaken privately, then we can discuss this and arrange this to happen, at an additional cost.

At each appointment, I will undertake a full assessment of yours and your baby’s health and wellbeing, which will include a blood pressure check and urinalysis to check for any signs of pregnancy related problems. From 16 weeks onward, I will undertake an abdominal palpation and listen in with a Sonicaid Doppler where you will be given the chance to listen to your baby’s heartbeat.

After your first dating scan, I will generate a custom Grow Chart, based on your information, that will show the estimated growth we expect for your baby, throughout your pregnancy. From 26 weeks I will undertake a measurement of your ‘fundal height’ at least every 3 weeks, to assure you that your baby is growing as expected. Fundal height measurement is something that is not always undertaken in standard NHS care, as NICE guidelines say that women in their second and subsequent pregnancies should only have one scheduled appointment at 28 and at 34 weeks. The Perinatal Institute, which provides all Midwives with training on best practice for monitoring fetal growth, state that (based on case reviews of stillbirths), that this gap between these appointments is too long and that women should be offered a further appointment. Sadly, this is not always the case. Please rest assured that I will always have you and your baby’s wellbeing as my main priority and that I will use full up to date evidence-based knowledge, in order to ensure that you are being provided with the best possible level of care.

From 36 weeks you will be starting to prepare and think about the birth of your baby. This is when we can sit down and have a really good chat about your birth. This appointment will usually take an hour to 2 hours, as there is often much to discuss. You may have had a previous bad experience that you would like to talk about and we can take the time to discuss any fear or desires, that you have for your birth.

Unfortunately, I cannot be there at your birth. Sadly, legal restrictions imposed on indemnity insurance for Independent Midwives attending births, have now made it extremely difficult for us to attain sufficient and appropriate levels of indemnity insurance cover. However, what I can do, is equip you and your partner with all of the tools to feel empowered and to achieve the birth you desire. We will go through coping strategies and fully discuss any wishes you might have and document these in your hand-held notes.

Please remember, no question is too silly or trivial to ask me. I have heard it all, as a Mother and a Midwife. Sadly, many women feel a sense of detachment from their birth experience, as things may have happened to them in birth previously and that they did not fully understand why. I do not want you to feel this way about your birth. Birth is a momentous occasion in your lives and I want you to feel at the centre of your birth experience!

POSTNATAL

Postnatal care has long been called the ‘Cinderella’ of Maternity services. This is a crucial time, when support is so very important. In the NHS, home visits have become less and less over the years and even with so called health initiatives aimed at trying to improve these inequalities, some women now report only having one home visit after being discharged from hospital. More and more appointments are being carried out in postnatal clinics and under strict time restrictions, leaving it impossible for NHS Midwives to provide the care and support that all Mothers so badly need, during the postnatal period. This is one of the main reasons that I turned to Independent Midwifery. I want to be able to provide that nurturing care that every woman needs, when she first brings her baby home from hospital. I do not believe that this can be achieved in a busy postnatal clinic. and I strongly believe that getting postnatal care right, can impact hugely on a Mother and her baby’s wellbeing, with a positive impact on their long-term health.

All my appointments will take part in your own home, where you feel safe and comfortable to discuss any worries and concerns. Often you might want to discuss personal things that you just wouldn’t feel happy talking about, in a rushed, clinical environment. I will support you both physically and emotionally, in order to help you adjust to this momentous transition in your life. At each appointment, I will do a full examination of both you and your baby, assist with feeding and advise on aftercare for both you and your baby. As part of your baby’s physical assessment, I will undertake observations and assess if your baby has jaundice, weigh your baby and give you full advice or refer you appropriately, should the need occur. On day 5, I will discuss the new born heel prick test with you and undertake the test, with your consent. Ask me anything you wish; I will never rush this very protected and precious time in your birth journey! You can also ring me if you have any concerns or questions. 

How many appointments you have, will very much depend on you and your baby. I will be guided by your needs and wants and not by a regimented schedule of appointments. Most NHS midwives will discharge you into the care of a health visitor, at around 12-14 days. Whilst acceptable for some women, often others feel they would like more support. I will arrange postnatal visits for up to 4 weeks postnatal, in order that you feel that you have wrap around care that you so deserve and to give, both you and your baby the best start.