This is continuity.

This is Carol. She is without a doubt the best physio in London and absolutely the best physio for me.

I have been seeing her since I was 19 years old and a dancer. That means that she has been fixing me up and straightening me out for 28 years!

She knows my back probably better than I do.

I trust her.

She has seen me through countless marathons and ultras. If she says I'm good to go then I run. If she says otherwise I stop.

I love her to bits.

Now, in maternity care, when a woman is potentially at her most vulnerable, most emotional time she is most likely to be greeted by strangers.

They don't know her body.

They don't know her mind.

They don't know her fears.

They don't know her dreams & hopes.

They just don't know her.

They meet over notes. In a busy ward. At the beginning, middle or end of a shift.

Perhaps quick important information is shared. Perhaps not.

Perhaps she just sees BMI or age or a worried partner or that she is noisy...or quiet.

If I ask my midwife friends or colleagues if they would like to know the birthing women better before labour starts they say yes.

Continuity of care matters. It is so important.

Empirical evidence shows that women want and benefit from continuity of carer. The Cochrane review (2016) found that women who received midwife-led continuity of care were less likely to experience preterm births or lose their baby in pregnancy or in the first month following birth.

Equally, safety is not just about whether your baby lives or dies, safety for childbearing women and their partners and families also means emotional, psychological, and social safety. This holistic sense of safety is what they receive through continuity models of care.

So my advice would be to seek this out. Certain hospitals do already offer continuity. There are trials so see if you can get onto them. Pester your hospital to implement it.

If not then consider a doula, or an independent midwife. Yes they may be pricey but many offer terms and payment plans which will certainly help the budget.

Whatever does happen though remember you always get to choose your own birth partner & they will be there for you throughout.