Your postnatal care
Your postnatal care begins from the moment you have birthed your placenta and ends when you feel confident and settled into the newness of motherhood. This is usually at around week six. Usually you will have 10 visits, but this will be negotiated according to you need. I like to visit my clients 5 times in the first week, twice in the second week, once on week 3 and 4, skip week 5 and then if all is well with you and baby, I will see you for a final discharge visit at week 6. As with your Antenatal Care, appointment length will vary according to your need. As your midwife I will remain on call 24/7 for emergencies and be available to answer any questions or concerns in between visits. As with your Antenatal Care, there are specific clinical checks that I will perform, though with less frequency as the postnatal period progresses. My approach to postnatal care is as holistic as with the rest of your midwifery care. I see this period as "liminal" (relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process). You are exchanging a known self in a known world for an unknown self in an unknown world. There is not much in terms of previous life experience that it can be compared to. It can be a wondrous rollercoaster ride punctuated with times when you feel clueless. I will support you to trust the instinctive bonding between you and your baby. Sometimes it's the most immediate and obvious thing in the world, but sometimes it can be a bumpy ride due to lost sleep and hormonal adjustments and simply takes time to grow. However things are, I will encourage you to slow right down and rest with your baby as much as possible. I also aim to provide you with plenty of useful tips and suggestions to assist you through this new, exciting, but uncertain territory. Click here for Home Page |
My duty of care includes:
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