HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE IMPORTANT DURING PRE-CONCEPTION AND PREGNANCY
GP (GENERAL PRACTITIONER)
Otherwise known as a General Practitioner, your GP can help you plan your antenatal care. Sometimes the GP may be responsible for all your antenatal care and in some areas may be responsible for your care in hospital. If you have your baby in a GP or midwife unit or at home, your GP may be involved in your baby's birth. If, however, your baby is born in the hospital, your GP will be notified of your baby's birth and will arrange to see you soon after you return home.
(Don't forget to register your baby with your GP).
- It is important to know who your Healthcare Professionals are and how they can help you
MIDWIFE
A Midwife is trained to care for mothers and babies throughout normal pregnancy, labour and after birth, and provides all care for the majority of women at home or in the hospital.
Hospital Midwife:
A Hospital Midwife will see you each time you visit the hospital for your ante-natal clinic. A Midwife will look after you during labour and will probably deliver your baby (if your delivery is normal). If there are any complications during labour, a doctor will become more closely involved with your care. Once your baby has arrived, you will both be cared for by midwives on the postnatal ward until you go home.
Community Midwife:
A Community Midwife will probably get to know you before your baby is born and will visit you at home, during the first weeks. Community Midwives are sometimes attached to GP's practices and may be involved in giving antenatal care. They are also involved in delivering babies in the community and some Community Midwives will accompany women into the hospital maternity unit to be with them for the birth.
PAEDIATRICIAN
A Paediatrician is a doctor who specialises in the care of babies and children. A Paediatrician may check your baby after birth to make sure all is well and will be present when the baby is being born if you have had a difficult labour.
If you decide to have your baby at home, you may not see a Paediatrician at all. Your GP can check that all is well with you and baby.
HEALTH VISITOR
Health Visitors are specially trained nurses concerned with the health of the whole family. You may meet yours before the birth of your baby.
The Health Visitor will contact you to arrange a home visit when your baby is ten days old to offer help and support. You may continue to see your health visitor either at home or in the hospital, or at the Child Health Clinic, health centre or GP's surgery, depending on where they are based.
OBSTETRICIAN
An Obstetrician is a doctor who specialises in the care of women during pregnancy, labour and soon after birth.
If you are having a hospital birth, you will usually meet and be under the care of a consultant and the doctors within the team, together with other professionals such as midwives.
In some hospitals you will routinely see an Obstetrician, whilst in others you will routinely see your Midwife or GP, and they will refer you if they have particular concerns or there are complications with your pregnancy, labour or you have a chronic illness.
Obstetrician Physiotherapist:
An Obstetrician Physiotherapist is specially trained to help you cope with the physical changes of pregnancy, childbirth and after birth. Some attend antenatal classes and teach antenatal exercises, relaxation and breathing techniques during pregnancy and labour. They can also advise you on post natal exercises to help tone up your muscles again.
When there is no Obstetrician Physiotherapist available, your Midwife can help you with these exercises.
DIETITIAN
Dietitians, otherwise known as RDs - short for Registered Dietitians, are uniquely qualified to translate scientific information about food into practical dietary advice. As well as providing impartial advice about nutrition and health, Dietitians also advise about food related problems and treat disease and ill health. Many Dietitians work in the National Health Service (NHS) and may work in one or more specialist areas.
If your GP thinks that you need to follow a special diet, such as that recommended for women with gestational diabetes, he/she will refer you onto a Dietitian.
