Pregnancy Care
Midwives are experts in the provision of primary care for women anticipating normal, low-risk pregnancy and birth. Midwives view pregnancy and childbirth as a profound time in a woman's life, with a variety of personal and cultural meanings. Midwives see themselves as partners in their clients care, providing choice of birthplace, continuity of care & informed choice and recognizing the woman as the primary decision maker. Clients can call their midwives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with urgent concerns.
Appointments
During regularly scheduled visits to the midwifery clinic, midwives provide:
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physical assesments
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support
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information
Physical examinations include taking clients’ blood pressure, urine
testing, measuring growth and listening to the fetal heart rate.
Appointments are on average 30-45 minutes long. Prenatal visits take
place once a month for the first 28 weeks, every two weeks until 36
weeks and then once a week until your baby is born. Most women will see
their midwife 11-12 times before they go into labour.
Pregnancy care appointments are conducted in the midwives' clinic.
Women will typically be offered a home visit around 36 weeks. If you are
planning a homebirth, this visit will help facilitate the midwife's
knowlege of the home setting.
Your family or support system, as defined by you, is encouraged and
welcome to attend appointments with you as frequently as you like.
A midwife will also visit your home in the first week after your
baby is born to check on you and your baby, assist with breastfeeding
and answer any questions about other aspects of infant care.
A midwife will typically visit you and your new baby
within 24 hours and on at least two other occasions in the first ten
days after the birth. Your subsequent visits, up until six weeks, will
usually take place in the clinic. Most midwives do the day 10-14 visit
in the clinic.
Your final visit usually typically takes place at
six weeks and will be booked in the clinic and the midwife will conduct a
complete physical examination of you and your baby.
Testing and prescribing
Midwives offer the same routine tests as other maternity care providers (Family Doctors, Obstetricians), such as:
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blood tests
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urine tests
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genetic screening
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ultrasound
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gestational diabetes screening and testing
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PAP testing
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swabs for sexually transmitted infections
- GBS testing
Your midwife will talk with you about what each test looks for, how it
is performed, possible advantages and disadvantages, and any risks
involved. This information will help you make decisions about what tests
are right for you. Depending on your individual health, your midwife
may also make recommendations about each test.
Some tests are performed in the clinic and others may take place at a
hospital or medical lab in your community. Test results are sent to your
midwife, and she will discuss them fully with you.
Midwives can prescribe certain drugs related to your care such as
medication to treat morning sickness, or antibiotics to treat infections
like
GBS or mastitis. Midwives also bring drugs with them when attending home births, such as medications to control bleeding.
