Midwives (LMC)
Here at Clutha Health First we believe pregnancy and childbirth are normal every day life events, and are delighted to be able to provide Midwifery Care (Lead Maternity Care). Christy and Holly will provide the majority if your care, from your first initial booking, until 6 weeks after your baby's birth. One of these Midwives will be with you during your labour and birth. We offer care for women birthing at Clutha Health First or those families that choose to home birth. Antenatal and postnatal care is available from the team for any woman who choses to, or for clinical reasons need to deliver at Queen Mary. When you require secondary care, Clutha Health First encourages you to return to us from Queen Mary, within 12 hours of a vaginal birth or 24 after a Caesarean birth. While continuity of care is our aim, holidays and sickness may interrupt this ideal. In the situation your care will be provided by a locum Midwife. From time to time we may have a Midwifery student working with us. Your consent will be sought to have a student involved in your care. As your Midwives, we aim to establish a partnership with you and your family, where your unique values and beliefs are respected. We provide you with individualised advice and information so that you can make informed decisions during your pregnancy, labour and birth and postnatal period. We would encourage you to undertake your own research. Antenatal classes will be able to assist you with this process. Midwives are available for emergency/labour care 24 hours a day, but we would appreciate routine concerns to be contained to week days between 9 am - 4 pm. Midwives can be contacted via a mobile or pager system. Please refer to the following pages for these contact numbers. The pattern of antenatal visits is usually monthly until 28 weeks, fortnightly until 36 weeks, then weekly until birth. We will see you at our clinic rooms at 16 Elizabeth Street or Plunket rooms in Milton. In the event of complications, Midwives co-ordinate your care with obstetricians at Queen Mary Maternity Centre in Dunedin Hospital. A specialist also visits once a month in Balclutha. If early bleeding occurs, you may be referred to the early pregnancy clinic, also at Dunedin Hospital. Ultrasound scans are usually held in Balclutha, but sometimes need to be performed in Dunedin. The documentation of all your care is contained in the Midwifery and Maternity Provider Organisation (MMPO) booklet, which you are welcome to keep throughout your pregnancy. These notes are confidential and will be returned to you on completion of your care with us. Following birth, if you and your baby are well, we would expect you go do home on the 3rd - 5th day. The length of stay depends on how you and your baby are doing. A midwife will see you daily in hospital and visit you at home following discharge, until 6 weeks after the birth of your baby. We look forward to sharing this child birth experience with you and your family. Please feel free to discuss any concerns or questions with us.
Christy Soper |
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