Tag: pregnancy

MidwifeCare

Choosing where to give birth!

helentaylormidwife

Informed choices are always best! Working out what feels right & safe for you, alongside relevant options!

Firstly, you do not have to choose a local unit – you can choose to book in another area, but I always advise clients, to consider & bear in mind the logistics of getting to your maternity unit of choice, if it were a Monday morning at rush hour! Local does keep it simple!

All places of birth have a “risk” assessment & criteria.

For low risk, straight forward, no complications history – then home birth & maternity midwife led units are safe & relevant choices.

Us midwives are trained in caring for women in normal pregnancy, birth & postnatal & we are experts in that! Even better is if we as midwives know the woman we are caring for, as continuity has been shown to make a significant difference for women/clients as they approaching birth. They have talked through their birth choices ahead of going into labour & the midwife can offer bespoke care planned according to clients wishes. A birth plan is helpful if you do not know the midwife ahead of your birth.

Pregnancy & birthing for most women is a normal healthy event and us midwives can support & guide clients through that.

For some women, maybe they have pre existing medical conditions, or they develop pregnancy related complications, or even complications in birthing process – then Obstetric Led Hospital births are more appropriate.

There is so much more to say! I offer clients the opportunity to discuss this subject in full – in person or over a video call if further afield to my geographical area.

Do get in touch if I can help!

MidwifeCare

Joys of being a midwife!

helentaylormidwife

I have had a very busy but professionally rewarding 2 weeks, supporting clients.

2 of my clients birthed very close together (in the 5 years I have been working independently, its been the closest!!). Yes “Mother Nature” did make me wonder but it worked out perfectly in the end!
Both had excellent care from the NHS Team’s at their local chosen hospitals. The NHS is often slated but it provides impressive acute care! Yes it does not often give continuity of care, but my personal midwifery care can provide that aspect!

Feeling so blessed – I love my job as a midwife!

pregnancy

Water birth alert! Only related to one type of birthing pool!

helentaylormidwife

For all you pregnant ladies considering labouring in a pool at home/ home waterbirth.
The warning issued by Public Health England is ONLY related to one type of birthing pool that you can hire. That is the pools where the hire company you employ come and set the pool up in your room at home, @ around 38 weeks, and fill pool etc…..so the pool is all ready for when you go into labour. The pool water is kept warm for the whole length of time until you labour, with a heater.

The alert does not affect the vast majoirty of home water births, where the pool is put up and filled only when the woman goes into labour. Equally hospital birthing pools are not affected as they too are filled immediately prior to commence of use.

See following link!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10907044/Birthing-pool-alert-as-baby-becomes-severely-ill-with-Legionnaires-disease.html

Any questions, do message!

antenatal, pregnancy

When do I start to feel my baby move in pregnancy?

helentaylormidwife

This is a frequently asked question that I often get asked! Feeling the baby move is an exciting day in your pregnancy as it is, and will become, your way of “touching” base with your baby!

Most women, particularly when it is your first pregnancy, do not feel the baby move until between 16 – 20 weeks of pregnancy. For first time Mums’s, and women who have a high BMI , it is often nearer 20 weeks than 16, so don’t  worry, but rather wait patiently!  For second time and over Mum’s, it can often be a little bit earlier than that.

The womb or uterus is still protected in the bony pelvis until about 12 weeks, when the growing womb/uterus starts emerging out of the pelvis. It is often not until 16 weeks and over that you start to feel movements, as around then the baby has grown enough in size  that the movements can be then be felt by you.

I generally as a midwife do not describe the feeling of perceiving the first movements, as essentially, you will recognize it when you do feel it! Some do though describe it as a “flutter” or “bubble like”.

Initially you may not feel your baby move everyday either so don’t let that worry you. However most do feel movements every day from around 24 weeks, and there after it is important that you are happy that the baby is active moving inside you, and if not, to report this to your midwife or doctor.

And to finish…some advice for Dad’s/ husband’s/partners who are wanting to feel their baby’s movements – this is often not possible until around the third trimester which is 30 weeks and over. Again keep trying and be patient, you will eventually feel the baby kick and if the baby is having a mad activity session, somersaulting etc, you can even watch the pregnant tummy moving!

Pregnancy is fascinating!

 

 

MidwifeCare
helentaylormidwife

Pip midwife care                 taylor crail 2010 078

As a way of introduction, my name is Helen Taylor and I have practiced as a Registered Midwife in the UK since 1994. For the first 15 years following my graduation with a BSc (Hons) Midwifery, I worked solely for the NHS, gaining valuable experience in all area’s of midwifery.

In 2009, I decided to launch my own Independent Midwifery Practice, as I wanted to be able to offer women/ expectant couples access to “personal midwifery” support at the unique time of their lives during pregnancy, preparation for childbirth and the postnatal period.

And so “Midwife Care” was “born”in 2009, and what a thoroughly professionally rewarding experience it has proved to be!  It has truly re-ignited my passion for midwifery (which had become lost in the cost cutting exercises of the NHS). There are so many aspects that I have enjoyed aboutmy Independent Practice, but one of the one’s that stands out from the crowd, is being able to provide continuity of care to my client’s, supporting them in pregnancy, through to parenthood.

I offer women antenatal and postnatal midwifery appointments, in the comfort of their own home’s, and at times that suit them.  All appointments are generously timed to allow bespoke care, aimed at meeting the needs of each individual.  I offer care at any stage of pregnancy and up to 8 weeks postnatally, and cover a geographical area of London and North Kent. That is not to say that if you were outside of this area I would not be able to offer care!

By choosing to use private midwifery care, women do not exclude themselves from the NHS. Mos,t if not all of my clients, are “booked” to deliver with the NHS, but choose to access my midwifery services for their pattern of care rather than NHS appointments.  Clients can still access blood tests and scans on the NHS.  Should I have any concerns regarding any aspect of your care, I can directly refer to your GP or Obstetrician at your NHS hospital.

Additional midwifery services I offer include early pregnancy classes, group antenatal classes, as well as one to one private antenatal classes.

More recently I have been running “would be student midwives” sessions for people wanting to know more about the career of midwifery.

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http://www.midwifecare.co.uk