The Cygnet Homebirth Team

The Cygnet Homebirth Team is a dedicated team of experienced midwives who provide antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care to women choosing to birth their baby at home in West Dorset. Our specialised home birth service, led by senior midwife Karen Myers and a team of highly skilled midwives & a maternity support worker, all with additional training in community-based birth care and who cover an on-call, 24/7.  The team have been established since 2015, with the sole aim to increase women’s choice for their place of birth.  We are all passionate about empowering women to achieve the birth they wish in their own environment.

All care for women choosing a homebirth is provided within their own home. The team caseload women dependent on where they live, providing continuity of care which increases women’s and family’s satisfaction of their pregnancy and birth experience.

The benefits of homebirth include;

  • Being in the comfort of your own home – not having to travel when in labour

  • Knowing your midwife who comes to you in labour

  • Guaranteed use of a birth pool (birth hire available through Cygnet team)

  • Having family around you including your children if you wish

  • Low intervention rates

  • Evidence which supports the safety of second or subsequent births being as safe as birthing in hospital

  • Receive personalised care throughout their whole pregnancy, having care in labour by midwives who they know which enables women to feel calm, relaxed and less inhibited in familiar surroundings.

The Cygnet Team midwives are available to come and discuss the possibility of having a homebirth, at any point in your pregnancy. Women can self refer themselves to the team at the beginning of their pregnancy or they can contact the team via 01305 253169 or homebirth@dchft.nhs.uk if they wish to transfer their antenatal care to them.

The team hold a meet the cygnet midwives’ group “nesting session” on the first Monday of every other month; 6pm – 8pm at The Quiet space, Poundbury. This is an informal group, which welcomes women and their birthing partner, family or friends to discuss all aspects of homebirth, join us at one of our home birth ‘Nesting’ sessions, to find out more about any of the above.  Often our recent new mums and dads come along to share their stories and answer any questions that you may have.

The homebirth team midwives will care for you during your pregnancy from the point that you choose to have a homebirth as your preference and aim to get to know you well before we are with you during your labour.  Two midwives will be with you in the home setting at the birth of your baby to support both mum and baby and each other in keeping you both safe. Join the homebirth team on social media via Instagram and Facebook.