Multidisciplinary professionals

Depending on your personal needs and circumstances, you may have a wider team to help and support you and your family. Other professionals that may be involved in your care could include family nurses, social workers, perinatal mental health/outreach teams and family support workers. Children’s and Family Centres bring together a range of professionals to help, guide and support you through the parenting journey until your child starts school. There are a number of agencies and staff working in the Centres who can support you. You will meet family support workers in every Children’s and Family Centre you visit. They may be delivering sessions or providing outreach opportunities in community centres, voluntary sector groups, clinics and libraries. Accessing a Children’s and Family Centre will give you the opportunity to meet other parents and provide an opportunity for your children to grow, play and make new friends. Other professionals you may find in a Children’s and Family Centre include:

• Midwives
• Health visitors
• Family support workers
• Family nurses
• Speech and language therapists

Pelvic health (women’s health) physiotherapists

Pelvic health physiotherapists may be involved in your care, if you:

• experience bladder problems including on-going postnatal incontinence
• have given birth to a baby that weighs more than 4 kilograms
• had an assisted birth or sustained a third or fourth degree tear.

If this service is offered by your maternity unit, you may see them on the postnatal wards or be invited for a follow-up appointment or class  approximately six weeks after giving birth. Should you have any on-going concerns when you are home from the maternity unit and you have not been offered this service, speak to a midwife or GP, who can refer you to a pelvic health physiotherapist.

Obstetrician

If you require a physical follow up with an obstetrician and/or have had a difficult or traumatic birth, an appointment will usually be made for you at approximately six weeks after the birth. In the meantime, any concerns that you have can be discussed with your midwife, health visitor or GP.

GP

For any non-urgent concerns about you or your baby you should contact your community midwife, health visitor or GP. You will need to register your newborn baby at your GP surgery as soon as you have a birth certificate.  It is important to do this as early as possible so that you have access to care if and when you need it. In some circumstances (such as requiring urgent care) you can register the baby with the GP with your baby’s NHS number. You need to make an appointment to see your GP six to eight weeks following birth.  This appointment is for you and your newborn baby and is an opportunity to check how you are after the birth. Your GP will also conduct some routine checks on your newborn. If you were due to have a smear test just before or during your pregnancy, this needs to be scheduled for at least 12 weeks after birth.