Countess of Chester Maternity Services

27/08/2026

Our fantastic Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) are looking for an Engagement Officer to join their team and continue the great work they do for the local community.💜

👉 To find out more and apply:
https://www.nhsjobs.com/.../Nursing_Midwifery-v8149737

📣 We're recruiting!

We're looking for an Engagement Officer to join our Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) 💜

This is a brilliant opportunity for someone who loves talking to people, building relationships and getting out into local communities.

You'll help us reach families across Cheshire West and Chester, listen to their experiences of maternity and neonatal care, and make sure their voices help shape and improve local services.

We're particularly interested in someone who is approachable, confident connecting with different communities and passionate about making sure all voices are heard.

🕒 Part-time – 7.5 hours per week
📍 Community-based across Cheshire West and Chester
📅 Closing date: 2 September

Know someone who would be perfect? Please tag them or share this post!

👉 Find out more and apply:
https://www.nhsjobs.com/job/UK/Cheshire/Chester/Countess_Chester_Hospital_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Nursing_Midwifery/Nursing_Midwifery-v8149737

26/08/2026

✨ Countess of Chester July Babies ✨

A busy month for us, with 184 babies born under the care of the Countess of Chester Hospital 💜

July certainly brought the heat ☀️🥵, but our maternity team continued to work incredibly hard supporting families throughout the month. We're sure that this summer, our new maternity building is being appreciated by many too, helping to keep things a little more comfortable during those scorching days! 😅

📅 The 9th and 14th of July saw the most babies welcomed into the world, with 12 born on both days.

💬 Did you welcome a little July baby at the Countess? Tell us their name or share a photo below. 💜

24/08/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week, we're introducing Becky, one of our fantastic Maternity Support Workers 👋

Becky has been part of the Countess maternity team since 2018 and is now based on our Maternity Ward, supporting new parents and their babies.

Our Maternity Support Workers are such an important part of the team, working alongside midwives to provide extra care and support for families. A big part of Becky's role is supporting babies in those first few days of life; from helping with feeding, weighing and observations, to providing a little extra support when babies need it.

Becky says she particularly enjoys helping parents feel more confident as they get to know their new baby.

💬 Becky's advice: Every baby is different, and some need a little more support than others. Don't be afraid to ask for help – that's what we're here for. 💜

☀️When she's not at work, Becky loves a sunny holiday and can usually be found relaxing on a lounger and soaking up the sunshine!

Thank you, Becky and all our MSWs, for all the support and reassurance you provide to our families and babies. 💜

17/08/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we're introducing Hannah, our Maternity Care Coordinator. 👋

Hannah has worked in maternity services since 2017, starting as a Maternity Assistant before progressing to a Maternity Support Worker. She has spent the last two and a half years working in our community team and recently took on the role of Maternity Care Coordinator.

Before joining the Countess, Hannah spent 10 years working with children and families in a variety of early years settings and has a degree in Early Childhood Studies. Supporting families has always been a passion of hers, making maternity care a natural next step.

💜 What does Hannah enjoy most about her role?
"No two days are ever the same! I love building relationships with women and families and supporting them through such an important time in their lives. Sometimes, just a little extra support can make a huge difference to someone's experience."

As our Maternity Care Coordinator, Hannah helps to coordinate additional support for families who may need it during pregnancy. This might include arranging interpretation services, helping people access wider health and social support, or working with other agencies to ensure families receive personalised maternity care.

💬 Hannah's advice:
"Never be afraid to ask questions – there really is no such thing as a silly question. We're here to help and support you throughout your pregnancy."

Thank you, Hannah, for everything you do to help families feel supported, informed and cared for. 💙

13/08/2026

💜 Know your baby's normal movements 👣

Feeling your baby move is an important sign of their wellbeing. Every baby has their own pattern of movements, so getting to know what's normal for your baby is key.

If you notice your baby's movements have reduced or changed, don't wait until the next day or your next appointment. Contact your maternity team straight away, even if it's during the night or at the weekend.

Our team is here 24 hours a day to assess you and your baby. If needed, we may invite you to come in for monitoring, to check your baby's heartbeat and wellbeing.

✔️ Trust your instincts – you know your baby best.
✔️ It's always better to get checked, even if everything turns out to be normal.

If you're ever concerned about your baby's movements, please contact Maternity Assessment & Triage immediately for advice.
📞01244 365806

💜 It's always the right time to seek help if you're worried.

10/08/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday ✨

This week we're introducing one of the newest additions to our consultant team, Katie 👋

Katie joined the Countess of Chester for her first consultant post and is already making a real difference to the care we provide. She has a special interest in early pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage and rainbow care, and has worked closely with our midwifery team to recently launch our new Rainbow Clinic, providing specialist support for families who have experienced pregnancy loss.

Katie is also the lead for our Pre-term Birth Surveillance Clinic, supporting those with risk factors that may increase the chance of premature birth in their current pregnancy.

She says she's really enjoying working at the Countess of Chester in our new building and being part of the fantastic multidisciplinary team, particularly with the fabulous midwives! 💜

🌈 Katie's advice for anyone expecting a rainbow baby:
"Every pregnancy is different. We can tailor your care to you and what you need during this pregnancy."

🏃‍♀️ Fun fact: Outside of work, Katie is currently training for the Chester Marathon in October – so she's certainly keeping busy!

We're delighted to have Katie as part of the team and look forward to sharing more about the specialist services she helps provide for our families. 💙

💬 Have you heard about our new Rainbow Clinic? Are there any specialist maternity services you'd like to know more about? Let us know in the comments and we'll see if we can feature them in a future post.

10/08/2026

A huge thank you to every family and community member who fed into the design of our Women and Children’s Building. Your feedback helped us create a space that puts families first.

We’re delighted that this work has now been recognised nationally, with the building shortlisted for one of the NHS’s most prestigious awards in an exceptionally competitive year.

07/08/2026

This week is World Breastfeeding Week, and we're shining a spotlight on the support available to families across the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

From pregnancy through to the early weeks with a new baby, our maternity and neonatal teams provide expert advice, workshops, clinics, home visits and personalised support to help families feel confident in feeding and caring for their baby.

Whether you choose to breastfeed, combination feed or formula feed, we're here to support you every step of the way.

06/08/2026

💜 Following on from Monday's Meet the Team with Becca, let's talk about looking after your mental wellbeing during pregnancy...

Becca shared her four pillars for wellbeing:
🥗 Good nutrition
💧 Staying hydrated
😴 Prioritising sleep
🌿 Spending time outdoors

These simple foundations can make a real difference to both your physical and emotional wellbeing during pregnancy. While they won't solve everything, they can be a great place to start when life feels overwhelming.

Pregnancy can bring excitement, but it can also bring worry, uncertainty and days where you're simply not feeling yourself. Looking after your mental wellbeing is just as important as looking after your physical health.

Here are a few more ways to be kind to yourself:

💙 Stay connected with family and friends and let people know how you're feeling.
💙 Take time to slow down. Mindfulness and relaxation apps such as Headspace, Calm and Moodjuice can help you manage stress and anxiety.
💙 Remember that it's okay to ask for help. At the Countess, we're here to support your emotional wellbeing as well as your pregnancy.

💜 Extra support is available if you need it.

If you're between 12 and 26 weeks pregnant, your midwife can refer you to our NSPCC Pregnancy in Mind programme. This free programme offers additional support for expectant parents experiencing anxiety or low mood, helping to build confidence and emotional wellbeing during pregnancy.

We can also signpost families to local organisations such as Koala North West, who offer a range of support services for parents in our community.

If you're finding things difficult at any stage of your pregnancy or after your baby is born, please speak to your midwife, GP or health visitor. We're here to help. 💜

03/08/2026

✨ Meet the Team Monday – Becca ✨

This week, we’re introducing Becca, one of our community midwives based in Tattenhall, who also works within our specialist perinatal mental health team.

Becca has been a midwife for 13 years, with 11 of those spent working in community midwifery.

🎓With a special interest in perinatal mental health, she brings her previous degree in Psychology alongside her midwifery experience to support families during pregnancy and beyond.

💬 What does Becca enjoy most about her role?
Building relationships with the people she cares for and having the continuity to get to know families throughout their pregnancy.

🌿 Becca's top tip:
"Make the four pillars of nutrition, hydration, sleep and time outdoors a priority. They provide a good foundation, and everything else can feel a little easier from there."

And when she's not at work, you'll usually find Becca enjoying her other passion – gardening! 🌱