Private Midwifery Care
Antenatal Care
Each antenatal appointment will last up to 2 hours and will assess the health and wellbeing of you and your baby with a full antenatal check (from 12 weeks). As you are at the centre of your care, the care you receive is completely bespoke to your needs and wishes. Your care package will also include:
Booking appointment - includes taking a full medical and pregnancy history, creating your own personal maternity notes and care planning for your pregnancy and birth. Blood pressure measurement and urinalysis. Referral to multi-disciplinary medical team if required.
I recommend all packages are dual booked with your local NHS maternity service, to access screening bloods, maternal wellbeing bloods and ultrasound scanning. I will be happy to arrange this on your behalf. This facilitates a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team approach which is best clinical practice. However, advice on private blood and screening tests, including ultrasound scans can be given if you prefer at additional cost.
Previous birth debrief (if needed)
Antenatal appointments - include a full holistic health assessment including blood pressure measurement, urinalysis, fetal well-being and growth. I can also refer and accompany you to obstetric, anaesthetic, physiotherapy and specialist appointments if required.
WhatsApp and telephone support available in between appointments
Preparation for birth and newborn care workshop
Aromatherapy pregnancy massage
Introduction to breastfeeding workshop including a colostrum harvesting kit (if required)
You can arrange a home visit at around 6-8 weeks for your booking appointment and then home antenatal visits around 16, 25, 28, 31, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 41 weeks. I can also attend NHS or private scans with you at 12 and 20 weeks or visit you shortly afterwards at home. These visits are tailored to your own needs, so this schedule is only a guide. To read the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and schedule of antenatal appointments click below -
I am in the fortunate position to work with a collective of experienced midwives and doulas, all of whom are registered to attend births as well. As part of providing gold standard care, we routinely have two midwives at birth. You will have all of your antenatal care with myself but you will have the option to meet the other midwife if you wish. This gives you the opportunity to get to know them and benefit from their experience too, which in turn will set you up beautifully for birth.
“My husband and I were both so impressed with her level of knowledge. Cheryl instantly made us feel calmer and at ease, addressing any questions we had about labour and beyond. I would not hesitate to recommend Cheryl to other parents to be. We were seriously impressed and Cheryl really went beyond to ensure we had a good experience and felt at ease.“ - Hayley and Jim
I also offer individual antenatal appointments, 1:1 antenatal education and full antenatal care only according to your individual needs, please enquire for details.
Labour & Birth Care
https://lcrazebirthphotography.co.uk shared with kind permission
As your midwife I will be on call for you 24/7 from 37 weeks and you are guaranteed to have support for your birth whenever you need it. I can support you during early labour and can even visit you at home if you desire.
If you have chosen to birth your baby at hospital on a birth centre or labour ward, by elective caesarean or if during a homebirth we recommend for you to transfer into hospital for additional medical care, I can support you as a professional birth partner only and will be unable to provide any clinical midwifery care. This means I am able to offer you emotional and physical support and be an advocate for you, offering continuity of carer until your baby is born.
If you have chosen to birth at home, I can provide full clinical midwifery care. I will come to your house whenever you feel like you need it and will stay until after your baby has been born. When the time of your birth is nearing, a second attendant will come to your home. This will be either a midwife or a highly experienced doula, depending on the situation and the timing. At a homebirth you can be guaranteed the support of two experienced and confident practitioners who fully believe in the process of physiological birth and will help you to trust your body throughout the process.
Every complete midwifery package includes:
Myself on call for you 24/7 from 37 weeks until birth
Use of TENS machine and disposable pads
Myself as a birth partner at a NHS birth centre, labour ward or elective caesarean birth until your baby is born. I am unable to provide any clinical care in a NHS setting.
Aromatherapy massage, active birth and rebozo techniques to support labour and birth
Homebirth midwifery care (if required)
Additional midwife to be on call from 37 weeks of pregnancy for your homebirth. You’ll have the opportunity to meet them at an antenatal visit.
2 cylinders of entonox for homebirth (if required)
Use of birth pool including disposable liner, hose and pump for homebirth (if required)
Immediate postnatal care for the whole family at a homebirth
Assistance with initiation of your chosen method of feeding
Vitamin K for baby if desired at a homebirth
If you have birthed your baby at home, we will do all the clearing up and make you feel comfortable, including making you all tea and toast! This leaves you to focus on your new addition and enjoy those precious early moments as a new family. Your birth team will stay with you for 2-4 hours and make sure all is well before they leave.
Postnatal Care
I will be there every step of the way as you adjust into life with your newest little family member. In the first week alone, you can expect five visits (day 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 after birth). Each of these visits will include a full postnatal check for you and your baby, support with feeding, tips and tricks for caring for a newborn. Your baby's weight will be monitored and you will be offered the Newborn Blood Spot Test to screen for genetic and metabolic disorders on day 5 (included in fee). I can also offer aromatherapy massage for postnatal recovery if clinically appropriate.
I can arrange for a private newborn infant physical examination (NIPE) screening test to be completed, in your home within 72 hours from birth for an additional fee or you can access this examination for free via the NHS.
You will then be offered visits on day 10, 14, 21, 28 and 35. However, as this is your care package and your postnatal experience, the package can be completely tailored to your needs.
“Cheryl was very friendly and approachable from day one and really put me at ease. She has really helped us prepare for the new addition in our family and we both now look forward to the birth with excitement rather than the nerves we had previously. I cannot thank you Cheryl enough for the support and guidance throughout my pregnancy and I would strongly recommend her“. - Laura
I also offer individual postnatal appointments and full postnatal care only according to your individual needs, please enquire for details.
