Consultant package

This package is for women who prefer to be looked after solely by Dr Gibb, or solely by Dr Roberts. (Dr Roberts covers for Dr Gibb, and vice versa, at times of absence. Dr Gibb performs all the ultrasound scans.)

The Consultant package includes all of the following:

Initial consultation

The first consultation is usually held at between 8-12 weeks of pregnancy and lasts about 1 hour. Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts will discuss your needs and how the care is organised. We will usually do an ultrasound scan to confirm that your dates are correct. You will be given a report and some pictures of the scan. You will be given advice and a book about nutrition and exercise. You will be given a ‘gestation calculator’ disc which allows you to plan the dates of your continuing pregnancy at a glance. You can discuss travel plans in the light of this. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, and we will discuss antenatal classes with you.

Routine antenatal scans

These include an early pregnancy viability scan at 7-11 weeks, a nuchal translucency scan at 11-14 weeks, an anomaly scan at 21-23 weeks and a wellbeing/growth scan at 36 weeks. During your scans you will be given three photographs and a report of the scan.
(For more information about these and other scans, click here.)

Routine antenatal appointments with Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts

You will have 11 routine appointments with Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts, at 12, 22, 26, 30, 33, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 40+ weeks. At each visit, your blood pressure will be measured and you will have a urine test and tummy assessment. We do not routinely weigh women but you can be weighed if you wish. Any concerns that are not an emergency can be discussed at this time. Each of these appointments lasts about 20-30 minutes. For clinic times for Dr Gibb and Dr Roberts, click here.

Antenatal booking appointment with the midwife

At 26 weeks, you will be invited to attend a booking consultation with our midwife Catriona Muir. This appointment usually lasts 1 hour. She will go through your medical history with you. Details of your pregnancy will be recorded in an obstetric book that The Birth Company will keep until you are close to delivery. This information will be transferred to The Portland Hospital’s computer records system. You will also be encouraged to attend antenatal classes locally. These will complement the classes later at The Birth Company.

Routine antenatal blood tests

The Birth Company routinely carries out the following tests for all
mothers-to-be:

If you want us to do any other blood tests, please discuss this with us as there are many tests available.

Voucher for a complementary therapy

We have a range of therapists who are available to offer a range of treatments. When you book, you will be given a voucher for one session of any of our complementary therapies, with the compliments of The Birth Company, which you can use at any stage of your pregnancy. Contact our support team to book an appointment.

Antenatal couples class

We arrange an antenatal class for first-time mothers and their partners at about 36 weeks of pregnancy. Our classes are always on a Saturday morning to early afternoon. The classes are kept to small groups to ensure they are welcoming and friendly. Dr Gibb along with midwife Catriona Muir, facilitates the class, preparing couples for the practicalities of giving birth and what to expect in the early days after the birth. We provide refreshments and sandwiches and you will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the session.

Dr Gibb’s or Dr Roberts’ delivery fee

The Consultant package includes a ‘delivery fee’ for Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts. You can expect Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts to attend to your care during labour, delivery and postnatally until you are discharged from hospital. If one or other doctor has any planned absence for more than one day, you will be informed of this early in your pregnancy.

24-hour telephone and mobile support

During the antenatal period you can contact Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts via The Birth Company, which is open from Monday to Saturday. You will also be given a mobile phone number, which can be used out of hours.

6-week postnatal follow-up

Once your baby has been delivered and you have been discharged by The Portland Hospital, you will need about six weeks to recover from the birth. The rate of recovery varies greatly and there are a lot of factors that can affect this – for example, the type of delivery you have, if it is your first or subsequent delivery, and if there were any complications after giving birth. You will be seen by Dr Gibb or Dr Roberts in the sixth week after delivery to confirm that you have made a full recovery. Women who have had a Caesarean section often have to wait the full six weeks before they can resume normal activities such as driving and exercise.

For information on the cost of the Consultant package, see our Fees section.