Antenatal Care

Regular antenatal care is important. Throughout pregnancy you should have regular appointments with a carer, to monitor the health and wellbeing of you and your baby. This will include things such as:

• Asking you about your health

• Checking your blood pressure

• Monitoring your baby's growth
   

You can ask questions and talk about anything that may be bothering you. If you have extra medical or personal needs, arrangements will be made for you to see doctors or other relevant professionals.

Antenatal Care

For the majority of women pregnancy is normal and uncomplicated.  Women in this category will be booked under the care of their Community Midwife and will receive “Midwife Led Care”.  For those women with a medical or obstetric complication, “Consultant Led Care” is advised.   

Community Midwives are attached to every GP surgery in the locality.

Day Assessment Unit - 01245 513355

Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

The unit, which is open seven days a week, treats women who have problems with their pregnancy including raised blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension abdominal pain and urinary tract infections.  The unit also carries out low risk inductions for pregnant women and sees ladies who have premature rupture of membranes before 37 weeks gestation and ladies with spontaneous rupture after 37 weeks who are not in labour . The unit also treats ladies who are having twins. The unit was the brainchild of senior midwife, Elizabeth Millican and two of her colleagues – Paula Hollis and Hayley Hume.

Women attending the unit can be monitored or treated and then go home the same day, rather than having to stay in hospital.  As well as women being referred to the unit by the GP, community midwife or consultant they can also self refer.  There is a triage service at the unit where all new patients are initially assessed.
 

Both presentation scans and small for dates scans are provided in the Day Assessment Unit (DAU).

Multiple births weekend information

Specialised antenatal classes are available for parents expecting twins, triplets or more! The aims of the classes are to offer you the confidence and competence in the ability to manage this unique situation.

Specialised antenatal classes are available for parents expecting twins, triplets or more! The aims of the classes are to offer you the confidence and competence in the ability to manage this unique situation.

The Saturday programme consists of the formation and management of multiple pregnancies, the types of delivery expected and the pain relief available. During the day visits are made to the Consultant Maternity Unit and also the Neo-natal Unit. The day also includes a discussion around feeding and managing pre-term and full-term babies in the early days. 

On the Sunday you are invited to meet with some new parents of multiples with their babies at their post-natal reunion. Also attending will be the Billericay Twins Club, Sarah, the project manager from the Writtle Wick Children’s Centre and any other parties who can support you at this time. The Sunday you will find invaluable in helping you make expensive equipment decisions and how to develop coping strategies! 

If you have any questions regarding the programme please contact me (via my answerphone/text), 

Chris Berner : 0785 240 9137