Alexia

Alexia and her partner were first time parents with no family nearby. Here is how the early weeks with their midwife Agata went.

She was expecting her first baby, her family was far from London, and she wanted two things: someone to show her and her partner how to look after a newborn, and someone to call when they weren't sure.

She was also set on breastfeeding and a little nervous about it. Most first time mothers are.

Alexia was matched with Agata, one of our midwives, who visited the family at home from birth onwards. Same midwife every time, and a WhatsApp chat in between.

This is what Alexia and her partner told us afterwards.

"We can't recommend Agata enough. As first time parents living far from our families, her support really made a difference. She really helped us stay calm instead of panicking during the early weeks. Agata was amazing, both super professional and kind. She helped us through our baby's jaundice with clear, reassuring advice, and was always there whenever we had questions. She also taught us things we can use in the future, like baby massages and how to bathe our newborn properly. She was really knowledgeable and reassuring and gave clear explanations of the distinction between what was normal vs what was worrying. She gave us the confidence to trust ourselves as new parents, and we're so grateful for everything she did!"

What we love about this one is how ordinary it is. Breastfeeding went well. Alexia took to it easily and barely needed to change anything. What she needed was someone to watch a feed and say "yes, that's right."

Then the baby became jaundiced, which is common and usually resolves on its own, but it does need watching, and it is closely linked to feeding. Agata explained what was normal, what wasn't, and when to pick up the phone. A question at 10pm went to the WhatsApp chat and was answered, instead of turning into a night on Google.

That combination is the whole point. Practical skills like bathing and baby massage, reassurance when things are going fine, and clinical knowledge for when they might not be. A good postnatal midwife brings all three, and knows which one you need on the day.

Alexia finished with a postpartum MOT at Six Physio, a full body check for her own recovery. The baby is doing very well.

Thank you, Alexia, for letting us share this.

If you are expecting your first baby far from family, we offer a free 20 minute conversation with one of our midwives.