Antenatal appointments

If this is your first pregnancy, you'll have 10 appointments or sometimes more. If you've had a baby before, you'll usually have 7 appointments..

These appointments include:

• your first midwife appointment (booking appointment)
• scans and screening
• regular check ups

Your appointments can be in a community clinic if you live locally, or sometimes at St Thomas' Hospital. We'll explain this to you at your first midwife appointment.

Usually, you'll see a midwife or GP at your appointment. However, we might refer you to a doctor who specialises in pregnancy and birth (an obstetrician) or one of our specialist clinics. The midwife will explain the reasons for this. These appointments take place in the hospital.

Scans and screening

We offer antenatal ultrasound scans when you're around 12 weeks and 20 weeks pregnant. These scans take place at St Thomas' Hospital.

Read about screening tests for you and your baby on GOV.UK

Regular antenatal appointments

Your regular check ups are provided by our community midwives, based near where you live.

Before your appointment

Please bring your purple maternity notes booklet to all your appointments. We’ll give you this at your first appointment.

Please do not arrive more than 30 minutes before your appointment.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, we'll rebook another appointment as we will not be able see you on the day.

If you do not attend, the doctor or midwife will decide if your appointment can be rebooked.

If there is anything specific you need to do before an appointment, we’ll let you know. 

During your appointment

Appointments with our midwives and doctors usually take 20 to 30 minutes, except for the first appointment which will take about 1 hour.

At each appointment we'll test your pee (urine) and check your blood pressure.

We always ask you about your baby’s movements from 24 weeks onwards.

Your appointments are also an opportunity to talk about how you are feeling.

We strongly advise you to attend every appointment, so that we can check that you and your baby are well. If the midwife feels it’s necessary, you might also need to see doctors and might be referred to a specialist clinic.

After your appointment

We'll arrange your next appointment. This will depend on your individual needs.

Please contact us if any appointments you were expecting haven’t been arranged.

Community midwives

Our community midwives offer continuity of care, meaning you’ll usually see the same midwifery team from your first booking appointment through to around 10 days after birth. This helps you build a relationship with midwives who understand your needs, your preferences and your medical history.

You’ll have most of your appointments at one of our local community hubs, making it easier to get the care you need close to home. Your midwife will carry out your routine pregnancy checks, support your health and wellbeing, and help you prepare for birth. They’ll also arrange any specialist care you may need.

After your baby is born, your community midwife will visit you at home to check how you and your baby are doing, offer feeding support, and make sure you feel safe and confident in the early days. When your midwifery care is complete, they will hand over to your health visitor.

If you’re planning a home birth, some teams may also provide midwives who can support you during labour at home.

Areas community teams cover

We have several teams that cover different postcodes within our catchment area. They are available Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.

You will be given information about which team will support you, and their contact information, at your first appointment.

If you live outside our catchment areas, your antenatal care will be delivered by the River Midwifery team at Wooden Spoon House. Your postnatal care after you give birth will be provided by your local hospital.

Postnatal care

Our community midwives look after you during your pregnancy and usually for up to 10 days after you have given birth and are back at home.

Health visitors usually take over your care from around day 10 but can be earlier if required. If you need extra support, the community midwives may visit for up to 28 days after you have given birth.