A NEW service matching expectant mums to specialist midwives has been launched in Runcorn.

Private Midwives connects mums-to-be with their own personal midwife according to their health needs, choices, preferences and birthing philosophy, allowing antenatal, birth and postnatal care to be tailored specifically to them.

The service has links with 10 NHS trusts and provides midwives for women giving birth in six north-west based hospitals and birth centres and 18 nationwide.

Women can choose to have their care during birth provided by a Private Midwives midwife who is clinically responsible for the care during the birth, or have them there purely to provide birth support, in an advocacy role.

The company, on The Heath Business and Technical Park, was founded in 2012 and has been successfully pairing families with their own personal midwife for the last four years.

Eduard Sparkes, chief executive officer of Private Midwives, said: “We provide an additional choice for parents-to-be who would like more contact with or support from a midwife throughout pregnancy and beyond at times and locations that suit them.

“Pregnancy can be a stressful time which can often be made more so if women are unable to attend antenatal appointments with their partner, family member or close friend.

“Being treated by the same midwife for the entire pregnancy journey - from conception through to post-birth - allows families to feel more informed, in control and reassured about their pregnancy journey.

“It also means women can receive care that is individually tailored to them and their needs and choices as the paired midwife can track their progress throughout the journey.”

All Private Midwives are registers and regulated by their professional organisations.

Families receiving care would typically see their midwives every four weeks until 28 weeks, every two weeks until 36 weeks and then every week until birth.

Appointments can be arranged at home or at a clinic, in the evenings or at weekends.

Expectant parents can also contact the midwives by phone at any time for urgent advice.