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    Community Based Midwives

    Midwives are recognised experts in caring for healthy pregnant women and their babies.

    The community based midwives work between the Rotunda and the local community. They provide maternity care to low risk women, who have no history of medical or surgical problems, which might affect their pregnancy. A previous complicated pregnancy or birth may also mean that care cannot be provided by the community midwives.  Antenatal care is provided in the local community.  You will be admitted to the Rotunda for labour and birth. If all is well with you and your baby, you will be able to leave hospital between 6 and 24 hours after the birth. The midwives will continue to care for you and your baby with visits at home for up to a week after the birth.

    Members of the community midwifery team

    If complications arise during the pregnancy, the community midwives will link with the obstetricians in the hospital. You will continue to receive the safest option of care depending on your circumstances. This service is offered under the public care options available in the Rotunda.

    This service includes:

    •  Community based midwifery antenatal care in local health centres
    •  Antenatal parent education, breastfeeding and hypnobirthing clasees
    •  Discharge from hospital between 6 and 24 hours following birth
    •  Postnatal care offered up to 7 days after the birth in the home

    The community midwifery team runs eight community based antenatal clinics every week, covering the city centre, north county Dublin and Ashbourne for normal risk women.  Women living in Dublin area codes 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 can book directly with the community midwives and can have their first antenatal (booking) visit at home.  Antenatal care will then continue in the community and will be shared with your GP.  All other women who meet the criteria and live in the catchment areas listed have their booking visit in the hospital and are then referred out to the community clinics.  If you are interested in attending the community based clinics, please ask the midwife in the outpatients department at your booking visit if you meet the criteria.

    The community midwifery team offer one day parent education and one day breastfeeding classes, along with hypnobirthing classes which are held over four weeks in the evening time.  These classes aim to give you information, build your confidence and to provide support to you and your partner through the journey of pregnancy to parenthood.

    All women are delivered in the hospital.  You will be offered early transfer home within 6 and 24 hours of the birth and care is offered to you and your baby up to 7 days after birth in your home.

    For further information on this service or to make an appointment to attend one of these clinics, please phone 01 – 817 6849 between 8.00 am – 4.00 pm, Monday – Friday.

    Community Midwives’ Clinic Times:

    Area Health Centre Day Times
    Balbriggan Balbriggan Health Centre Monday 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
    Blanchardstown Roselawn Health Centre Monday 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm
    Darndale Darndale Health Centre Tuesday 10.00 am -12 noon
    Coolock Coolock Health Centre Tuesday 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm
    Finglas Wellmount Health Centre Wednesday 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
    Swords Swords Health Centre Wednesday 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm
    Ballymun Ballymun Health Centre Thursday 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm
    Corduff Corduff Primary Care Centre Thursday 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
    Cabra Cabra Health Centre Friday 9.00 am – 12 noon
    Rotunda Outpatients Department Friday 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

     

    in Public Care

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