The team of community midwives provides antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care to women and their families.
They are specialists in providing maternity care where there are no complications and they work together with local GPs and other health and social care professionals.
Their role includes:
- providing antenatal care in GP surgeries or through home visits
- supporting women in labour in hospital or who are giving birth at home
- visiting new mums and babies in their homes for up to 28 days after birth
- providing antenatal education and infant massage, for example through Sure Start programmes
- providing reflexology therapy
- running local breastfeeding support groups
The team also:
- provides advice to women and their partners throughout the pregnancy, birth and postnatal period
- supports new mums and babies around parenthood and feeding
- has close links with health visitors, who fulfil a similar role after birth