Our dedicated and committed Community Midwives (CMW) and Maternity Support Workers (MSW) work within our local communities offering a range of services from both hospital and community settings.
Attend Anywhere video consultation
Did you know your outpatient appointment for this service may now be done by video consultation using Attend Anywhere. This enables you to be able to attend your appointment from home, saving you time and money.
From you first appointment thorough to your postnatal discharge our maternity team is here to work in partnership with you and your family, supporting you through your pregnancy, birth and beyond.
You will be cared for by a named midwife who works as part of a small team. She will guide you through the different options that are available to you during your pregnancy journey, for example the different types of screening tests available or choosing where you may like to birth your baby. You will be supported to make decisions about what you want and need from your maternity care.
To register your pregnancy with The Rosie Hospital please call the Booking line on 01223 348981 to arrange your booking appointment. Once you have met with your community midwife (CMW) she will give you a schedule if appointments when she would like to meet you again. These appointments are usually held at a local Children’s Centre or your Doctors surgery.
The NICE recommended schedule of care can be found here (opens in a new tab).
At each appointment the midwife will assess both yours and your baby’s wellbeing. She will answer any questions that you may have and provide advice and information about your ongoing care. Within these appointments you will be able to discuss your thoughts and feelings around your pregnancy, birth and beyond. These could include how you wish to feed your baby, or support in creating a personalised care plan (PCP). You will also get to discuss where you may like to birth your baby. We are able to offer you three different locations for your birth home, The Rosie Birth Centre and our Delivery Unit. Your Midwife will be able to talk through the differences between each one and help you to plan the birth that is right for you.
If you were interested in having a home birth your midwife would be able to arrange a home birth assessment where you can talk through your wishes and preferences.
Once your baby is born a CMW from your team will come and see you at home. This will be the day after you return home from hospital or you have birthed at home, the following day. CMW’s will visit between 09:00 and 17:00. Unfortunately we are not able to give an appointment time. If you haven’t had any contact from a CMW by 17:00 then please call The Rosie Birth Centre on 01223 217003 who will be able to help. At this appointment the CMW will check both you and your baby to ensure you are well. She will ask you questions about how you are feeling and will assess how your baby is feeding, offering support and guidance if that is needed. We will also be assessing your baby for Jaundice.
Your CMW will make a plan as to when you will be seen again. You may be invited to attend one of our postnatal clinics at either a Children’s Centre or at the Rosie Hospital, or if appropriate, you may be offered another home visit. These appointments are conducted by our MSW’s as well as our CMW’s. At these appointments they will monitor your baby’s progress and wellbeing and answer any questions you may have about caring for a newborn. They will be on hand to support you through the first few days as you settle into your new family life.
When your baby is 5 days old you will be offered the newborn screen test. This is a blood test from your baby’s foot and is used to look for serious conditions that can’t be seen by just examining your baby. Your midwife will explain the test in detail, and ask for your permission to carry it out.
Our CMW’s and MSW’s will care for you until 10 - 28 days postnatal depending on individual need, at which point we will transfer your care to your local Health Visitor.