"MGP Antenatal care and birth"

I opted for MGP care through KEMH for my first pregnancy as the continuity of care and having a familiar face throughout the pregnancy and during labour really appealed to me. Throughout my antenatal care I met Steff, Holly, Maddi, Paula and Kailey from MGP4/5 who were all caring and warm. During my routine 36 week appointment with Maddi, I was encouraged to head across to the MFAU in the main hospital as I’d reported a change in foetal movement pattern to her, though I was still feeling lots of active movement in the afternoons and evenings so I was confused but not necessarily concerned. Thank goodness Maddi encouraged me to go for assessment, after spending the rest of that day undergoing CTG and having multiple scans it was discovered that I had insufficient blood flow from the umbilical cord back to the placenta, which was explained to me to mean that that placenta has started to fail and baby is better out than in. Maddi had text me to check in at around 6pm when I’d just been told I would need to be induced that night, and she contacted Steff who was currently in labour suite with another patient. Steff then called me and said she would be over to see me shortly, and she spent her break for that shift coming to see me in the MFAU and reassure me and my husband that we were in the right place and everything was going to be alright.

We were able to go home and gather some things, have a shower, pack our hospital bags and we got back to the hospital at about 9pm. By 11:30pm the lovely midwife on labour ward had started the induction process with the balloon catheter insertion. The balloon had worked at the 12 hour check and MGP midwives were called to come in and break my waters and start my oxytocin drip. Kailey was the on call midwife for that afternoon and she was absolutely incredible, so warm and supportive somehow just knowing exactly what I needed to hear at all times throughout my labour. It all happened very quickly, and Steff arrived about 40 minutes before I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl.

I feel so lucky to have had MGP care, the whole team were amazing. We also received great care from the labour ward midwives prior to Kailey and Steff arriving, as well as the lovely Dr Roisin who cared for us in MFAU and explained everything so thoroughly to us.

I would not hesitate to go through MGP at KEMH again for any future pregnancies I have, despite being 36 week induction, I can honestly say my birth experience was a positive one thanks to the MGP team.