On this page we've provided some information about the contact and care you can expect from your local Maternity services. We've based the information on our own personal experiences so you might find that things vary a little in your own area.

Once you've confirmed you pregnant with a home test your first port of call should be your Doctor, they will be able to tell you the options you have in terms of where you can go for your Maternity care and once you've decided will refer you to Maternity Unit concerned. Should you have the choice of more than one Maternity Unit within area you can find out more information about each through the sites below:

BirthChoiceUK

This non-commercial web site is aimed at pregnant women in the UK to help them choose where to give birth. This could mean choosing a hospital birth, giving birth in a birth centre or midwifery-led unit, or a home birth. Women are encouraged to think about the sort of birth they would like, using research-based information.

A map of the UK shows them the maternity units local to them and the site gives maternity statistics for these. Women are provided with a list of questions they may like to ask when visiting their local maternity units to ensure that they choose to give birth in the place that gives them the best chance of having the sort of birth they want.

www.BirthChoiceUK.com

Dr Foster

Dr Foster is an independent organisation that collects and analyses information on the availability and quality of health services in the UK. Their site includes information on every maternity unit in the UK that has been analysed with the help of leading experts to make fair comparisons between units.

www.drfoster.com/birth

The list below gives an example of the antenatal care you could expect, based on my own recent experiences:

• 'Booking in' Appointment - at around 12 weeks. My midwife actually came out to my home but you might be asked to attend the Hosptial or your local clinic - you should receive a letter advising you of what to expect. The midwife took details of my medical history plus blood for routine tests such as Rubella antibodies. It's also a chance for you to ask loads of questions so you might want to make a list of anything your unsure of or would like to know!

• Dating Scan - again at around 12 weeks - this is the most accurate time to confirm your due date.



• Antenatal Screening tests - between 12 and 18 weeks you will be offered a number of screening tests designed to assess your chance of having a baby with Downs Syndrome or a neural tube defect such as Spina Bifida. For more detailed information about these tests and what you expect during the process visit our Antenatal Testing section;



• Anomaly Scan - at around 20 weeks - this is a detailed scan when the sonographer looks at the development of the baby to check that everything is progressing OK.



• Antenatal appointments - from around 24 weeks you will be asked to attend your local antenatal clinic for routine checks. At first these appointments are about every 4 weeks moving to every 2 weeks and then every week as you get closer to your due date. Each time you attend the Dr or Midwife will check your blood pressure, urine and physically examine your tummy. They'll also listen to the baby's heartbeat and ask about your general health. At around 30 weeks you'll probably be asked to give more blood to check your iron levels;



• Hospital visits - towards the end of your pregnancy you may also be asked to attend the Antenatal Clinic at your Hospital if not before then certainly around your due date when the Doctors will discuss / agree your care should you go overdue.

You will be entitled to free prescriptions and free dental care during pregnancy and for 12 months after the birth of your baby. You will need to obtain your exemption certificate from your health authority and your midwife or GP will give you the application form for this.

Mum + One

You’re pregnant! Great news? Well, partly. The usual routes to healthcare and antenatal advice are difficult to access – they’re miles from where you live and, anyway, there’s a waiting list. Your best friend lives a motorway drive away, your parents are miles away and your partner is as unsure about what to do as you are. Your circumstances have a lot in common with plenty of other women, and that’s why more and more mums-to-be are seeking help from professional “maternity mentors” – called Doulas.

In Mum + One on Discovery Home & Health follows six independent Doulas as they bring care and support to women from different backgrounds – all of whom are in the later stages of pregnancy.

From a Greek word meaning “woman servant or caregiver”, a Doula is a practical, non-clinical, friend who provides emotional and physical support, reassurance, advice or just simply someone to talk to about the difficulties of pregnancy and childbirth. Some women hire them because they’ve never given birth before, they don’t know what to expect or how to manage their fears, and they have nobody to turn to. Some may have experienced difficulties with previous pregnancies and now want to avoid similar experiences a second time. Others may simply have an ideal ‘dream birth’ in mind and want to develop a birthing plan to help realise their goal. Whatever their expectations, increasing numbers of women each year are turning to Doulas for friendly expert advice in their own homes and in their own time.

Mum + One shadows the Doulas throughout their working day – from home visits, shopping trips and massage/aromatherapy care all the way through to the day of the birth and beyond (when some mums really appreciate a lie-in or someone to cook a meal for them).

While some births turn out to be straightforward, others become problematic – sometimes even life-threatening. Mum + One discovers how mother and Doula react to whatever pregnancy and childbirth can throw at them.Mum + One premieres on July 18th at 7.30pm on Discovery Home & Health.

Case Study

Louise and her first child both almost died in Louise’s first labour, although Louise wanted more children she was naturally terrified of a repeat situation where both she and her baby would be at risk. Her anxiety drove her to employ Karen and Kicki as Doulas to give her practical advice on managing her anxiety, the pregnancy and the pending birth.

Natalie from Wittering was, like many women, a nervous first-time mum, she felt completely overwhelmed by her pregnancy and under-prepared for the birth. She employed a Doula, Joanne, to help her manage the pregnancy, birth, and those scary first few days when she was at home with her baby. Joanne gave Natalie handy tips, dos and don’ts from how to hold the baby, to feeding, and enabled her to handle her baby in a relaxed and confident manner.

Marlon and Louise are thrilled about becoming first time parents, but Louise’s hospital phobia is undermining her excitement. On top of this Louise has heard so many horror stories about the pain of childbirth that she is now petrified of actually having the baby. Can Louise’s Doula, Linda, allay Louise’s fears so that both she and Marlon experience a relaxed birth and enjoy the magic of bringing a child into the world?