ANTENATAL CARE

Your antenatal appointments will again be arranged at a time and date to suite you. If it is more convenient for you, I may be able to visit you in your home in the evening or on the weekend, but please bear in mind that if you are employed, you are entitled to time off for your antenatal checks. Your antenatal visits will be every 4 weeks until 28 weeks, two weekly until 36 weeks and weekly thereafter until you give birth.

The antenatal visit usually lasts 45 minutes to an hour depending on your needs. During this visit, I will monitor your blood pressure, test your urine, listen to your baby’s heartbeat, feel your baby’s position, assess his growth and give you feedback on all my findings. I will then update your maternity notes and answer any questions that you may have. We will then arrange your next antenatal appointment.

We will use the time during your antenatal appointments to discuss the type of birth you want i.e. active birth, water birth, etc. I have a very positive attitude to water birth and will recommend pools and companies for private hire if this is an area you wish to explore. We will also discuss any specific requests you and your partner have surrounding the birth of your baby. For example, wanting your partner to cut the cord.

At this time we will also discuss where you wish to give birth to your baby, either at home or at hospital. Together we will discuss the options by taking into account your personal preferences and medical history. If you do decide that you wish to give birth to your baby in hospital, I will accompany you to the hospital and stay with you during your whole delivery as your support and advocate. However, I will not be able to deliver your baby in the hospital environment due to the fact that I am not employed by the hospital and not covered by their insurance. I will still provide all of your antenatal care at home.

Should your desired place of birth, method of delivery, or the type of care need to change at any time, I can assist you in achieving this as smoothly and gently as possible.

If at any time during your pregnancy I feel it is necessary, and after discussion with you, I will refer you to see a consultant obstetrician at your local hospital. I will accompany you to any of these appointments that I make on your behalf. This is covered by the NHS (if you are entitled to NHS treatment).

I have many books and DVD’s on pregnancy, the development of your baby in the womb, childbirth and breastfeeding and parenting that you will be more than welcome to borrow. I feel that knowledge and information will serve to make you more relaxed and aware of what is to come, thereby lessening your fear of the unknown. It has been proven that the more relaxed and less frightened a mother is at the time of labour, the easier she will birth her baby.