Find out what to expect and when, during your pregnancy.
8-12 weeks: Due for a booking-in appointment with your midwife.
12 weeks: In some areas you'll be offered a nuchal or dating scan.
12-14 weeks: Book National Childbirth Trust (NCT) antenatal classes (0870 444 8707)
16 weeks: Antenatal blood tests and check-up carried out
18-22 weeks: You may feel first movements. These may be similar to when you get butterflies and can be uncomfortable. Don't panic if you don't feel anything straight away - the baby might be moving and you just don't recognise what the sensation is. If you're in doubt or you're worried about this or anything to do with your pregnancy, speak to your GP or midwife.
20 weeks: Fetal anomaly scan. This scan just checks the baby for any missing fingers and toes or in case it's not growing at the right level - don't worry this is completely routine for every pregnancy.
21 weeks: Ask for your Mat B1 form at your check-up. This form is actually the Maternity Certificate which can be used when claiming maternity pay from your job.
25 weeks: Check-up for first-time mums; ask about NHS antenatal classes
29 weeks: Earliest date to start maternity leave
31 weeks: Antenatal check-up for first time mums
33 weeks: Tour of hospital where you'll be giving birth
35 weeks: Antenatal check-up; discuss birth plan with your midwife. Remember this is your pregnancy, your child and you have the right to have a birth of your choice - do bear in mind though that health concerns may determine what kind of birth you have and you may have to compromise!
36 weeks: Antenatal check-up and repeat blood tests
37 weeks: Prepare and pack your hospital bags.
38 weeks: Antenatal check-up
40 weeks: Due date!

by
Victoria Woolaston

When you're dedicated to the idea of a natural childbirth experience, as we were, you want to consider all of your options. Assuming you do get pregnant, which was a problem for us (which we overcame!), then you will want to consider all of your options first. It's important that you weigh the consequences of your actions and to keep the well being of your wife foremost and first! If you can't tell already, I'm the husband in this process.
The Hospital Choice: The first option for a natural childbirth is having it done in a hospital, as opposed to a birthing center or at home. You should be making this decision as early as you can in the pregnancy as it will set up your procedures to come. But how do you come to this decision? Just because your friends and family use the hospital, doesn't necessarily mean you have to. We went the hospital route as it was better equipped to handle what we were going to go through.
Thankfully our hospital understood our natural birthing wants and needs and accomodated nicely. Do your due diligence and ask the right questions to see if the hospital staff can accomodate your needs.
Birthing Centers: I mentioned birth centers before, and they are a good choice for some couples. At those birth centers you usually have more options and choices for how you want the birthing to go. Again ask the right questions and also ask them how many birthings they've done over the past 6 months. Not that quantity means quality, but it may be an indication that people love to go there and they're doing well by it.
Home Birthing: If you want to go the home birth route, you are more than welcome. We didn't have the space nor the tools to do that, and I think if we did, we may have done a home birth, but it wasn't in the cards for us. If you do go this route, you must be psychologically and financially dedicated to this- you can't do it at half speed. It's either you buy what you need to do it, or you don't!
Hiring a Midwife for an at home birth: If you do go the natural pregnancy home birthing route, see if you can hire the services of a midwife. They're generally more experienced than the person giving birth and can help you with all the details.
Always do your research and talk to doctors, friends and family: Your best tool for a natural pregnancy is your mind. Do all the research you can and read up on all the stories and see if it is really right for you. My wife and went that route and don't regret. You are more than welcome to visit our site to see how went that route and what we used.
by
David S