Choosing your antenatal care

The first step is to decide where you want to have your antenatal care and give birth to your baby.

Many women choose their nearest maternity unit, but this is a matter of personal choice. It is possible to change to a different maternity unit during your pregnancy, in which case you may need to have extra appointments and repeat blood tests.

You can find out more about your local hospitals using the ‘Mum and Baby’ app. Available to download on Apple and Android.. 

You will normally receive your first appointment, which is called the ‘booking’ by the time you are 8-12 weeks pregnant. 

As your pregnancy progresses, you may have appointments at the hospital, in local children’s centres, at your GP surgery and occasionally at home (particularly after birth). After your baby is born and you are at home, you will always receive postnatal care from midwives associated with your closest maternity unit.

If you are thinking about a homebirth, you will need to book your pregnancy at your closest maternity unit so that local midwives can provide you with care in labour at your home.Some women choose to have private (paid for) maternity care through either an independent midwife or an obstetric consultant.