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We are mindful that this is a sad time for you and we will do all we can to communicate with you in a sensitive way. Please see our refund shedule which is in the resource library of our website. This goes through all the different scenarios and explains how much refund you are entitled to.
Yes, you can normally change your package at any time by calling Head Office. If you cancel the birth element of your package after your midwife has commenced on call for you, some charges will apply.
All of our midwives are very experienced. They are all trained to a high standard and regulated by the appropriate professional body. This is the NMC in the UK, and the NMBI is The Republic of Ireland. Private Midwives is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. We have full appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance for all elements of the care we offer.
Normally, antenatal visits are in your own home. Ultrasound scans can not be performed at home so these will be at your local hospital or a private clinic.
Yes, visits are arranged at a time to suit you. Evening and weekend visits often mean that your partner can be more involved and we welcome this.
Your midwife is on call from 37 weeks of pregnancy. If labour starts before this she may still be able to accompany to hospital but this cannot be guaranteed. If your own midwife is not available, we will try to identify another. Please refer to our refund schedule in the resource library as this goes through all possible scenarios for you.
Technically, you are not “over-due” until after 42 weeks of pregnancy. At about 41 weeks your midwife will talk to you about options and choices. We will give you information to make your own choices. We will not pressurise you to do anything you are uncomfortable with. We will still continue your antenatal care until your baby arrives, there is no additional charge.
We understand that this is an upsetting situation. If you have booked a homebirth and need to be induced we need to consider your individual circumstances, if we can still accompany you and if your midwife has been on call for you. All of these scenarios are covered in our refund schedule document. Our first priority is the safety of you and your baby and to ensure you receive the care you need. After this, we want to be fair to you and only charge you for what is fair and appropriate.
Please talk to us about your specific circumstances. We would be pleased to share our clinical guidelines with you. We will aim to support all your birth choices if we can. Normally, you can still book a home birth with us if you have a medical condition or you have other health related concerns. We can talk to you about possible plans and options for you.
Normally, yes. We ask that your notes are reviewed and explained to you so that you have all of the available information to make an informed choice.In some cases, you can send your previous notes to us and our Obstetrician can review them for you and give you explanations and advice based on what happened last time.
Wherever possible, we will allocate a midwife to you who can guarantee being available with you throughout. If she is unavailable due to unexpected circumstances, another midwife will attend you.
Please contact us straight away to talk about this. We have a number of payment options fot you and we will work with you to find a solution you are happy with.
Yes. We offer three payment plans:
- Pay in full.
- Spread the cost interest free from booking until the month baby is due.
- Payinterest free over 12 months for packages over £5000 or €6000.
You can pay by bank transfer or World Pay. The details are in your booking contract. If you are paying monthly, this should be on the same day each month. If this is not convenient for you, you can pay on your credit card.
What if I plan a homebirth but there is a problem and I need to go to hospital, can I have a refund?
If your plans changewe understand that this can be upsetting for you. The first priority is to make sure you and baby are being cared for appropriatley. After this, we can calculate any refund based on your individual circumstances. Please refer to the refund schedule for explanation and scenarios.
If you are planning a homebirth and have requested a birthing pool and gas, we will call you when you are about 34 weeks pregnant to arrange for these to be delivered to your home. A new pool is delivered to you and you keep it afterwards. We advise that you have a “trial run” and inflate the pool and fill it with water so that you are aware of how long this takes and the best position for the pool. Please keep the pool liner for when labour starts. The gas is normally delivered to you at 36 weeks of pregnancy. Please store it safely. The gas is collected after baby is born. There is more information on birthing pools and gas in our resource library.
If you are booking midwifery care with us, we are responsible for providing you with care. Wherever possible, we will accommodate your needs and wishes. Our midwives are skilled in facilitating a positive birth environment and not interrupting you. We keep interventions to a minimum and the midwife can sit quietly in the room and not disturb you, other than to undertake some observations of you and your baby. The midwife being outside the room and only entering if called is not something we can support. If this is your choice, we would advise a Doula may be more appropriate for you.
The relationship with your midwife is personal, intimate and unique. It is vital that you feel comfortable and confident. If for any reason you wish to change your midwife, please contact Head Office and we will help you.
We will do all we can to support you during this time. It may be that you want to change your package of care. Please contact us and we can arrange this for you. You will only be charged for the care you have had and any surplus will be refunded to you.
Yes of course. Please tell us as soon as you can if you think this is an option, so we can ensure your midwife has the necessary equipment with her for a home birth.
Yes we can. Please contact Head Office and we can advise you.
We ask that you pay us and claim back the money yourself. We will help you with receipts for your claim.
We strongly advise you to have one of our all-inclusive home birth packages, or our all-inclusive hospital packages. Many NHS hospitals will not accept you for planned care, particularly in London and Birmingham. Most of our clients in your position travel to one of our partner hospitals in the North West. Please contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.
Your midwife is available for you from 37 weeks until the baby is born. This may not be until 44 weeks. The same price applies. We do not charge extra for prolonged pregnancy. We do not refund if the baby arrives at 37 weeks.
Yes. Your midwife will talk about labour preparation, options, choices and make a birth plan with you if you wish.
We would advise our intensive breast feeding support week, giving one visit for approx. 2 hours each day for 7 consecutive days. During this time the midwife will sit with you and observe a full feed, helping the baby latch and feed well. She will also provide care to mum during these visits. Additional weeks care can be purchased to follow on from this. Our breastfeeding success rate is 99%.
Yes of course. Electronic copies are free. We charge £20/€20 for copying and postage for paper copies.
A midwife is a trained health professional who can be involved in providing care to you. They are able to recognise if things are not going well and take appropriate action. Midwifery has a protected function, making it a criminal offence for any person other than a registered midwife, or a registered medical practitioner, to attend on a woman in childbirth (except in emergencies).
Doulas offer support to women. They are not trained to provide any clinical care to you. They do not advise, but can support a woman to find balanced information to make informed decisions about her maternity care. We have further information in our resource library on this subject.
Your midwife will complete the neonatal blood test. She will ensure arrangements are made for a hearing test. If she (or her colleague) are trained in the NIPE neonatal examination (the paediatric exam) then the midwife will do this for you. However, this is not guaranteed as only a small number of midwives are trained. If we cannot do this your midwife will make alternative arrangements for you. This may be with the NHS/HSE.
Take a look at the section below to see more about our outcomes during 2019-2020
Work With Us:
Midwives: Work With Us
NHS: NHS Trusts
Telephone:
UK: 0800 3800 579
R.O.I 1800 937 119
Email:
info@privatemidwives.com