Community midwifery units

Community midwife-led units

We offer care for all women in Highland who have a straightforward pregnancy and are not expected to need any medical intervention during labour and delivery of their baby. We believe women are central to this process of care.

In the community midwife-led units our main objectives of care are to:

• Provide high quality care during labour and postnatal care for all women and their families who have their baby either at one of our units or in their home.
• Ensure women who deliver their baby with us have a full and equal partnership in their care.
• Give women control and choices in decision making affecting their care.
• Ensure and encourage minimal intervention in childbirth.
• Promote all choices women have in their plan for birth.
• Act as advocates for women to support their choices.

Our philosophy and aims

We care for all women in Highland who have low risk pregnancy and are not expected to need any medical intervention during labour and delivery of their baby. We believe women are central to this process of care.

A holistic approach to the normal physiological process of childbirth is used to meet the physical, emotional and cultural needs of women and their families in order to achieve the best possible outcome for the whole family.

The woman is a full and equal partner in assessing her needs and the midwife caring for you will have respect for the integrity of the woman.

Our aim is to work in partnership with women and their families throughout their labour and birth and after your baby is born. We aim to promote a relaxed homely environment where we aim to ensure you feel safe, comfortable and supported in your choices and needs.

Facilities and staff

In promoting natural childbirth, we support women in labour, offering hypnobirthing, mobilisation, TENS machines and relaxation techniques. The use of water as a means of relaxation is also encouraged. We have birthing balls to assist in adopting comfortable positions during labour. We actively encourage birth partners to assist in the labour and birth of your baby.

We have a birthing pool for women who choose to use water for labour and/or birth. We can also offer "gas and air" and diamorphine to aid relaxation. Women, with the support of their midwife, can use any of the above to assist the labour process.

In Highland, we have 3 community midwifery units - in Caithness, Lochaber, and Skye and Lochalsh.

You will have a named midwife to support you throughout the birth of your baby. You will have your labour, birth and postnatal care in one room with ensuite bathroom facilities. We encourage a "home from home" environment. The midwife will assist in all aspects of care for labour and birth. We will support in your feeding choices.

Most women stay with us for 6 hours following birth. If the midwife has concerns about you or your baby, they will recommend transferring you to Raigmore Hospital.

We have a team which consists of:

• midwives
• health care support workers
• infant feeding support workers
• nursery nurses

Within the unit, you will be offered infant feeding support, baby care, baby examinations and the newborn hearing test, with postnatal visits at home and additional support if required.

Both units have two midwives on-call out-of-hours. Your midwife will discuss with you how to access the on-call midwifery team.