Antenatal care

Welcome to Wye Valley NHS Trust Community Midwifery, our aim is to support you and your family through pregnancy, labour and after the birth. As a team of Community Midwives we aim to provide the highest standard of care support and advice.

We offer of range of options where to give birth to your baby, either in hospital, or at home. It is our aim to help you achieve your ideal birth experience, be that in the home or within the hospital.

We have five Community Midwifery Teams providing care to the women of Herefordshire. Your named midwife is linked to your GP surgery and local children's centre for the following areas:

• North West City
• North East City
• South City
• South Rural
• North Rural

Most of our Community Midwives are integrated. This means that they work in the hospital and also in the community.  Each team of midwives may be contacted via the Community Midwives office on 01432 372965 from Monday to Friday between 8.30 am until 9.30am.

Midwife led care

This is care provided by a community midwife, where there are no medical or previous obstetric problems.

Each woman has a named midwife who will provide antenatal care throughout the pregnancy with other midwife members of the team for that area.

At your booking appointment you will be given an outline of your pregnancy plan as to whether shared care or midwife led care is advisable depending on your previous medical or obstetric history.

Shared care

Some women may require shared care that is care from a consultant obstetrician and a community midwife. This is because they have a medical condition or a previous pregnancy problem.

Electronic patient record

We have a maternity electronic patient record system.  This means that we no longer use paper forms for recording information about your maternity care.  Find out more and about how we access your patient record. However, it does mean that we will no longer provide you with a copy of your maternity patient record notes to carry with you.

We have also transferred all relevant general maternity healthcare information to this website, instead of giving out paper copies to women.  

This means that you can access this general healthcare information online on Badgernet at any time, such as antenatal class dates and times.  This is in addition to the information on the Trust's maternity website pages. Your midwife will set up your Badgernet account during your initial booking appointment to enable you to access your notes and information leaflets.

Registering your pregnancy 

When you find out you are pregnant there is no need to call your GP, you can now book direct with us by using the QR code or registering via an online link.

Appointment with your midwife

Your appointments with your midwife will take place in a community setting. This will either be at your Doctor’s surgery or in a Children’s Centre. Pregnancy notes are all held electronically now on the BadgerNet system.  Your midwife will give you a password for this at your booking appointment in order for you to log in and look at your notes.

Below is a list of the routine appointments you will be offered during your pregnancy if everything is uncomplicated. For second time mums these appointments will be slightly reduced. If your pregnancy has some complications you will be seen more and these appointments will take place in the antenatal clinic in hospital where you will also be seen by an Obstetric Consultant or Registrar.

• Booking apt 6- 12+6 weeks – can take between 1 to 2 hours. Full medical, social, family and obstetric history will be taken. Screening in pregnancy will be discussed.
  
  
• 12 weeks – dating scan
• 16 weeks – midwife appt
• 20 weeks – anomaly scan
• 24 weeks – midwife appt (first time pregnancy)
• 28 weeks – midwife appt
• 31 weeks – midwife appt (first time pregnancy)
• 34 weeks – midwife appt
• 36 weeks – midwife appt
• 38 weeks – midwife appt
• 40 weeks – midwife appt (first time pregnancy)
• 41 weeks – midwife appt 

Charge for ultrasound pictures 

When attending for an obstetric ultrasound there is a charge if you would like an ultrasound picture, as detailed below.  This charge is payable by card payment only. 

Please pay on arrival at reception at the time of your ultrasound scan. Prices are as follows:

• one picture £5
• three pictures £10
• four pictures £15
• six pictures £20

What will happen during my midwife appointments?

Your midwife will ask to take your blood pressure, test your urine (please remember to bring a sample), carry out Co2 monitoring, discuss fetal movements and listen to your baby’s heart beat (from 16 weeks).

From 28 weeks your midwife will ask to measure your abdomen to check baby is growing well.  If there are any concerns regarding your baby’s growth you will be referred for a growth scan.  Your midwife will routinely ask about your safety at home at different points during your pregnancy. This is because the incidence of domestic abuse significantly increases during pregnancy.

MAT B1 certificate

Your midwife will provide you with your MATB1 certificate when you are 24 weeks. This document enables you to apply for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from your employer or Maternity Allowance from Jobcentre Plus. The certificate is confirmation of your pregnancy and states your expected date of delivery.  It cannot be provided more than 20 weeks before your baby is due.

Find out about blood tests and investigations during pregnancy

Antenatal education

We provide antenatal education through The Real Birth Digital Programme. 

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