Nobody has time to sit you down and explain it. So I will.
Honest, evidence-based answers from a registered midwife with 18 years' experience, for the questions your fifteen-minute appointments can't fit in.
Real questions women bring to me. Every one of them deserves more than a leaflet.
Everything gets checked. Not much gets explained.
This is roughly what fits into a routine appointment later in pregnancy. It all matters, and it all gets done. There's just no time left to tell you what it means.
It's not that your midwife doesn't care. It's that the system gives her fifteen minutes.
"...appointments with my midwife were short, and for more complex questions I was only given QR codes, which for me wasn't enough."
Monikaone-to-one client- "Hello, how are you feeling?"
- Blood pressure taken
- Urine tested for protein
- Bump measured with a tape
- Baby's heartbeat listened to
- Bloods, if they're due
- Notes updated on the app
- "Any questions?"
- A QR code for the leaflet
Scan for more information. A QR code isn't an explanation. That's the part I do.
Ten appointments for a first baby.
The routine NHS schedule for a straightforward first pregnancy. Apart from booking, most of them are short, with the scans in between.Source: NICE antenatal care guideline, NG201
Every pregnancy comes with its own list of questions.
First baby or third, straightforward or complicated, the questions are real and they deserve a proper answer. Here are four I get asked all the time, and where I answer them.
"My 20-week scan is booked. What are they actually checking for?"In the library:The antenatal appointments videos, 12 to 28 weeks, plus the weekly live group Q&A.
"What do all the abbreviations in my notes actually mean?"In the library:The Medical Abbreviations Guide, plus the weekly live group Q&A.
"Gas and air, pethidine or an epidural? How do I decide?"In the library:The pain relief videos, plus the weekly live group Q&A.
"They've offered me an induction at 41 weeks. What happens if I say yes, or no?"In the library:The induction video, the Induction Guide and the BRAIN framework, plus the weekly live group Q&A.
Hover over a photo, or tap it on your phone.
How it works.
Start your free trial
Three days with full access to everything. Cancel before day 4 and you won't pay a thing.
Book your 20-minute 1:1
When you join, we have one call, just you and me, to talk through where you are and what's on your mind.
Bring your questions every week
To the live group Q&A, or post them in the community whenever they come up. I reply during the day.
One membership, built around your questions.
Everything below is included. Try it free for 3 days, then it's £67 a month and you can cancel whenever you like.
a 3-day free trial
A weekly live group Q&A with me
Bring your real questions to the group every week and get straight answers. Can't make it live? Send your question in and watch it back.
A private community
Post whenever something's on your mind, day or night. I reply during the day, so for anything urgent, call your maternity unit.
Monthly guest specialists
Pelvic health physios, infant feeding experts and more, recorded for your library.
One 20-minute 1:1 with me when you join
Once, at the start, just you and me. Bring questions, worries, or nothing at all.
My whole library
The pain relief module, the BRAIN framework and the 47-page Labour Preparation Guide, with something new every week.
Hi, I'm Emma.
I've been a registered midwife since 2008, in the UK, Italy and the UAE. I spent years in NHS quality leadership looking at where maternity care falls short, and the answer kept coming back to time.
So I built Elythia to do the explaining. I don't want to lie to you, so you'll get honest answers here, even when they aren't the easy ones.
What women say.
"It's the most useful thing a couple could have while they are expecting."
Andreeajoined at 16 weeks"Every stage, every change I went through was explained with patience and professionalism, and it gave me real peace of mind."
Diana"If you're like me, a type of an anxious person, non-native, and not so sure about how NHS works, it is something which would help you a lot."
Monikaone-to-one client"She made me feel safe and confident, and her support was priceless."
CameliaHonestly, this isn't for everyone.
It's for you if
- You want to understand why, not just be told it's fine
- Nobody has had time to sit you down and explain, and you've noticed
- You'd like to walk into appointments knowing what to ask
- Being kept in the dark bothers you more than hearing the truth
It's probably not for you if
- You're happy going with the flow and trusting it'll be fine on the day, which is completely fine
- Reading about induction or intervention would wind you up rather than settle you
- You're looking for a replacement for your NHS care. Elythia sits alongside it
Things people ask first.
Does this replace my NHS midwife?
No. Your NHS midwife is responsible for your clinical care and that stays exactly as it is. Elythia gives you what sits around those appointments, so you understand what's happening and know what to ask.
What if I can't make the live Q&A?
Every session is recorded and added to your library within 24 hours. Send your question in beforehand and I'll answer it on the call.
I'm already in my third trimester. Is it too late?
Not at all. A lot of women join in the third trimester, because that's when the questions get urgent.
Can I cancel at any time?
Yes. No contract and no minimum. Cancel from your account and you keep access until the end of the month you've paid for.
Bring me the question you didn't get to ask.
Try the Inner Circle free for 3 days. If it isn't for you, cancel before day 4 and you won't pay a thing.
£67 a month after the trial. No contract, cancel whenever you like.
Prefer to work with me one-to-one? If group sessions aren't for you, have a look at my one-to-one programmes, with a plan built around your own pregnancy.
See the one-to-one programmes