Antenatal Care depending on package:

Antenatal appointments, are typically week 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36 then weekly until baby arrives. At each appointment your midwife will offer to complete a physical check of mum and baby, measure baby (after week 26), listen to the heartbeat (after week 16), take your blood pressure and test your urine. She will also talk through options, choices and birth planning. Your appointments include parent education, birth planning, optimal fetal positioning techniques, biomechanics and if you wish, colostrum harvesting. Each appointment lasts 1-2hrs.
- You will be offered early pregnancy blood tests for HIV, Hepatitis, syphilis, thalassaemia, sickle cell, group, antibodies and full blood count.
- If you are Rhesus negative, we can offer you screening at 12 weeks to determine baby blood group. This can avoid unnecessary injections of anti-D for you. 

- NIPT test. This is a blood test from mum around 12 weeks to examine baby DNA for the common chromosomal conditions (Downs syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Pataus syndrome). 

- You will be offered a blood test at week 28 to check for anaemia, platelet count and any antibodies
- If you are in a “at risk” group for gestational diabetes, we can offer you a GTT test at home.
- You will be offered a blood test at week 34 or 36 to check your platelet count and to see if you are anaemic at all.

If your package of care includes private scans. We will call you and offer you a range of appointments at a private clinic close to you. Scans are normally:
- Early pregnancy dating scan
- 18-20 week anomaly scan
- Third trimester scan for growth or position, as needed
- Any other scan clinically indicated. For example, this may be additional growth scans if your midwife is concerned.

Birth Care:

Your midwife is on call 24/7 from 37 weeks of pregnancy and she will support you to birth in hospital or care for you at home. I will also arrange a second midwife to be on call for a home birth, as we try and have 2 midwives at a home birth setting. If you are planning a home birth we will talk through logistics and practicalities.  After a home birth we stay for approx 2 hours to ensure mum and baby are adapting and happy and have a little clean up. 

After baby is born:

Your package will include postnatal care. During these visits your midwife will ensure feeding is established, you and baby are well, arrangements are made for the NIPE (new-born paediatric exam) and the NBBS (New-born blood spot) test. She will also make sure you have an appointment for a new-born hearing test.  A reweigh can be done on day 5.

Hearing test:

The hearing test is completed by an audiologist so your midwife cannot do this at home. However, your midwife will ensure you have an appointment for the test.

NIPE:

The NIPE, or Newborn and Infant Physical Examination will be performed at your home within 72 hours of the baby's birth.  This checks the baby's eyes, heart, hips and testes(if applicable).  This test is perfomed again at 6-8 weeks by your GP.

NBBS:

The NBBS, also known as the New-born blood spot, or PKU test, is a blood test taken from baby. Normally the blood is from a heel prick around day 5. The test looks for a number of genetic and metabolic disorders and forms part of routine new-born screening. Your midwife will complete this test at home.