Countess of Chester Maternity Services

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Countess of Chester Maternity Services

We aim to provide each person with the appropriate care, at the appropriate time, for the well-being of both parent and baby.
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We would love to care for you, your family and your baby during pregnancy, birth and the days after your baby is born. If you have any questions about our services or your care please speak direct to your community midwife or contact our Midwifery team direct on 01244 365166. We want all families to feel safe and secure with their maternity care and so we encourage anyone who might be worried or a

nxious to speak to one of our team who will be happy to answer questions. You can also speak to Chester Maternity Voices Partnership who can also support you with information or answering your questions.

05/05/2026

🤩Happy International Day of the Midwife!🥳

04/05/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we’re introducing Vicky and Sara from our Maternity Inpatient Ward team 👋

Vicky has been a midwife at the Countess for 31 years, including the last 10 years as Deputy Ward Manager.

Sara has worked at the Countess of Chester for 23 years and has been Maternity Inpatient Ward Manager for the last 4 years.

Both are incredibly proud of the supportive environment their team provides for families during those first precious days with a new baby. They particularly love seeing the positive feedback from patients about our new maternity ward, including the comfort, privacy and calmer environment the single rooms provide for recovery and family time 🩷

💬 Their advice for new parents?
Feel free to bring home comforts with you - even something as simple as your own pillow can make a big difference while you rest and recover. They also encourage families to take the opportunity to enjoy those first quiet moments together getting to know their new baby.

💬 Have you stayed on our maternity ward in the new Women and Children’s Building? We’d love to hear what made your stay comfortable or memorable.

27/04/2026

💙 Meet the Team Monday 💙

This week we’re shining a light on our Newborn Hearing Screening Team 👶👂

Based within our maternity unit, the team offers hearing screening to all babies born at the Countess of Chester, usually before discharge. They also provide outpatient appointments for babies born at home or outside the area.

Pictured here are Clare and Nina 👋
Clare has been part of the team for 19 years, and Nina joined in 2021 after previously working as a maternity support worker.

The hearing screen is a quick and gentle test, usually done while your baby is settled or asleep. A small soft earpiece is placed in your baby’s ear, which plays quiet sounds and measures how the ear responds. It’s completely safe and doesn’t cause any discomfort.

Early screening is really important, as identifying any hearing concerns as soon as possible can make a big difference to a baby’s speech, language and overall development.

Our team understand that this can be a very emotional time for families. They aim to provide a calm, kind and reassuring experience, taking the time to explain the test, answer questions, and help parents feel at ease 🤍

Do you remember your baby having their hearing screen with us? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments 💬

23/04/2026

🏥 Maternity Unit Tours – Update 💙

Thank you for the huge interest in our maternity unit tours – we’ve been delighted by the response!

Due to high demand, we are prioritising bookings for those who will be 34 weeks pregnant or over at the time of the tour, to help ensure spaces are available for those closest to their due date.

Our July tours (following the Parent Education class on Saturday 4th July) will now run at:
🕧 12:30pm
🕜 1:30pm
🕝 2:30pm

If you would like to book onto a tour (or the parent education class), please email:
📧 coch.parenteducation@nhs.net

When emailing, please include:
Your name
Your NHS or hospital number
A contact telephone number
How many weeks pregnant you are

Please remember:
✔️ One other person may attend the tour with you
❌ Due to the clinical environment, children are not able to attend

We will continue to review future dates and availability based on demand.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support 💙

20/04/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we’re introducing Holly, one of our Specialist Midwife Sonographers working in Fetal Medicine. 🩷

Holly has been part of the Countess of Chester team for 20 years, starting her career as a healthcare assistant before training as a midwife. She has now been a qualified midwife for 15 years and has spent the last 9 years specialising in fetal medicine.

Holly enjoys the variety her role brings and values being able to provide continuity of care for families, particularly during more complex pregnancies. She has a special interest in high-risk and twin pregnancies requiring fetal medicine input.

✨ Fun fact: Holly has completed two postgraduate ultrasound qualifications and now works across both Obstetric and Gynaecology scanning, alongside her fetal medicine role. She’s also known as the organiser of social outings for the outpatient team!

Holly wants patients to know that when they attend fetal medicine, they are in safe hands and nothing is ever too much trouble 🤍

15/04/2026

🏥 Maternity Unit Tours – Now Available 💙

We’re pleased to be reintroducing guided tours of our maternity unit at the Countess of Chester.

These tours are a great opportunity to see our facilities, ask questions, and feel more prepared for your birth experience.

During the tour, you’ll visit:
✨ Maternity Assessment and Triage Unit (MATU)
✨ Midwife Led Unit (MLU)
✨ Labour Ward
✨ Maternity Ward

We are starting by offering tours in July, following our Parent Education class on Saturday 4th July, with time slots at:
🕛 12:00pm
🕐 1:00pm
🕑 2:00pm

To begin with, we are taking bookings for these 3 sessions and will review future dates and times based on demand.

You’re welcome to book onto both the Parent Education class and a tour on the same day.

Please note:
✔️Tours are for those booked to have their baby at the Countess of Chester
✔️One other person may attend the tour with you
❌Due to the clinical environment, children are not able to attend

📞 To book your place, please call 01244 363646
Please let us know of any accessibility needs on booking.
Spaces are limited, so we recommend booking early.

13/04/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we’re introducing Leah, one of our early career midwives 💙

Leah qualified as a midwife last year after training here at the Countess of Chester, and is now continuing her journey with us while completing her preceptorship programme.

💙 What is a preceptorship?
The preceptorship is a structured support programme for newly qualified midwives, usually lasting 12–18 months. It helps support the transition from student to confident, autonomous practitioner through developing clinical skills, building experience, and ongoing professional development.

Leah says her favourite part of the role is meeting families and supporting them through some of the most important and memorable moments of their lives.

✨ Fun fact: Leah is a keen crocheter and has recently been showing off a beautiful cushion cover she made!

💬 Leah’s advice:
“Create a playlist for happy birthing vibes! Having music you love playing in the background can really help you feel more comfortable during labour.”

We’re so pleased Leah has chosen to continue her career with us 💙

09/04/2026

✨A look back at March on our maternity unit ✨

It’s been a lovely month supporting families as they welcomed their babies, with a variety of birth choices across our services including home births, water births and our Midwife Led Unit.

Thank you for choosing Countess of Chester to be part of your journey ✨

If you had your baby with us this month, we’d love to see your photos and hear your stories – feel free to share them in the comments or tag us 📸💭

06/04/2026

🌟 Meet the Team Monday 🌟

This week we’re introducing Jo, our Deputy Manager of Antenatal Clinic 🩷

Jo has been part of the Countess maternity team since 1990 – over three decades of dedication to caring for women and families! For the past 10 years, she has been the Deputy Manager in our antenatal clinic, where she plays a key role in keeping everything running smoothly.

Jo is especially passionate about supporting women with high-risk pregnancies. She values the continuity she can offer – building relationships, providing reassurance, and guiding families through their pregnancy journey from start to finish.

Behind the scenes, Jo is known for being the calm at the centre of even the busiest days. Managing multiple clinics at once is no small task, but she keeps everything flowing and never flaps under pressure.

💬 Jo’s advice:
“If something is worrying you, don’t sit with it – please get in touch. We’re here to listen, support, and help put your mind at ease.”

Thank you, Jo, for your incredible experience, leadership, and the reassurance you bring to so many families 💙

02/04/2026

🤱 Not sure what to expect when it comes to feeding your baby?

Preparation around infant feeding during pregnancy can make a real difference to how confident you feel when your baby arrives. Our Infant Feeding Workshops are designed to give you practical advice, reassurance and the chance to ask questions in a relaxed, supportive environment 💙

You’ll learn about:
✨ Feeding your baby
✨ Building close and loving relationships
✨ What to expect in the early days

We run sessions across a range of locations and online, so you can choose what works best for you.

📞 To book your free place:
Call 01244 363646
📧 Email coch.parenteducation@nhs.net

We’d love to support you on your journey 💙

30/03/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we’re introducing Emma, one of our experienced Labour Ward Shift Leaders 🩷

Emma has been a midwife for 20 years, and a Labour Ward Shift Leader for the past 5 years. She is known for her calm, composed approach - always keeping a smile on her face, even in the most challenging situations. ☺️

Emma is passionate about supporting not only the women and families in our care, but also the staff she works alongside. She recognises how important it is to support her colleagues through difficult and demanding moments, helping the whole team provide the best possible care.

✨ Alongside her clinical role, Emma has a wonderful creative side. She is the author of “Oscar’s Storytime”, a book written to support siblings in families affected by baby loss. The book helps open up conversations between parents and children during incredibly difficult times, and is now available in several NHS Trusts - a truly special contribution beyond her day-to-day role.

We’re so proud to have Emma as part of our team 💙

23/03/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we’re introducing Jean, one of our wonderful Maternity Support Workers (MSWs) in the Community Midwifery Team 💙

Jean has worked at the Countess for an incredible 19 years, with the last 7 years supporting families out in the community. She is a much-loved member of the team, known for her kindness, dedication and the calm reassurance she brings to every visit.

💙 What does a Maternity Support Worker do?
Our community MSWs work alongside midwives across the areas we cover, supporting families both at home and in clinic. Their role includes:
🏠Setting up and maintaining homebirth equipment
⭐Supporting the community midwives with their clinics
🤱Supporting infant feeding
👶Providing newborn support and checks, including the day 5 bloodspot screening
💜Providing practical help and reassurance in those early days

Jean says her favourite part of the job is helping with feeding and providing new mums with the confidence and support they need.

Her advice for new parents?
“Don’t rush the early days. Spend the time you need in hospital where you have 24/7 support to get feeding off to the best start. Try not to stress as it’s such a special time with your new baby. Enjoy it as much as you can.”

Thank you, Jean, for the care and compassion you show our families every single day 💙

Address

Liverpool Road
Chester
CH21UL

Website

http://www.coch.nhs.uk/all-services/maternity-services.aspx

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