Ready Steady Baby
Home visits.
You should be visited several times by your midwife or family nurse at home during the first 10 days. Friends and family will want to visit to meet your baby too.
It’s OK to ask visitors to:
- call you first and to sometimes say no
- help with other things so you can have a rest or spend time with your baby
Extra support
Some new parents need more support than others. You’ll get extra support from your midwife, family nurse or other health professionals if your baby:
- was born early
- spent time in special or intensive care
- has additional needs
Tests and checks
During the first 10 days your midwife will:
- weigh your baby
- do a newborn blood spot test if you agree
You’ll also need to register your baby with a GP
More about newborn blood spot tests
Your health visitor
A health visitor’s a registered nurse or midwife who’s done further study in public health nursing.
Your health visitor will:
- take over from your midwife when your baby’s 11 days old
- get to know you and your baby
- ensure you get all the help and support you need as your baby grows
Your baby’s named person
In Scotland, the aim is that every child, young person and their parents have a `named person’ who is a clear and safe point of contact to seek support and advice about any aspect of your child’s wellbeing.
From when your child is born until they start school, your named person is your health visitor.
Your baby’s named person will:
- be a good person for you to ask for information or advice about being a parent
- talk to about any worries
- support you to look after yourself and your baby
They can also:
- put you in contact with other community professionals or services
- help you make the best choices for you and your family
The Red Book
You’ll be given a personal child health record called the Red Book. You can use it to record information about your baby’s growth, development, tests and immunisations.
Keep it safe and take it to any appointments you have with a healthcare professional.
The family nurse
Family nurses offer the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme to young, first-time parents from early in their pregnancy until their child’s 2 years old. This program is available to first-time parents under the age of 20.
The programme includes home visits from a family nurse while you’re pregnant, and after your baby’s born. These visits help:
- to have a healthy pregnancy
- you and your baby grow and develop together
- you to be the best parent you can be.
Your health visitor will take over from your family nurse when your baby is two until they go to school.
The Scottish Government has more information about Family Nurse Partnership
Translations and alternative formats of this information are available from Public Health Scotland .
If you need a different language or format, please contact [email protected].
- Ready Steady Baby leaflet in Arabic, Polish, Simplified Chinese (Mandarin) and Ukrainian
- Ready Steady Baby leaflet in English (Easy Read)
Source: Public Health Scotland - Opens in new browser window
Last updated: 19 December 2023
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Your antenatal appointments
You'll have a number of antenatal appointments during your pregnancy, and you'll see a midwife or sometimes an obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy).
They'll check the health of you and your baby, give you useful information and answer any questions.
Pregnant employees have the right to paid time off for antenatal care.
This page lists the appointments you'll be offered and when you should have them.
If you're pregnant with your first baby, you'll have more appointments than those already with children.
First contact with midwife or doctor
Contact a GP or midwife as soon as possible after you find out that you're pregnant.
They should give you information about:
- folic acid supplements
- nutrition, diet and food hygiene
- lifestyle factors – such as smoking, drinking and recreational drug use
- antenatal screening tests
You should be told about the risks, benefits and limits of these tests.
Screening for sickle cell disease and thalassaemia should be offered before 10 weeks.
This is so you can find out about all your options and make an informed decision if your baby has a chance of inheriting these conditions.
It's important to tell your midwife or doctor if:
- there were any complications or infections in a previous pregnancy or delivery, such as pre-eclampsia or premature birth
- you're being treated for a long-term condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
- you or anyone in your family has previously had a baby with a health condition (for example, spina bifida)
- there's a family history of an inherited condition (for example, sickle cell or cystic fibrosis)
- you know that you're a genetic carrier of an inherited condition such as sickle cell or thalassaemia – you should also tell the midwife if you know the baby's biological father is a genetic carrier of these conditions
- you have had fertility treatment and either a donor egg or donor sperm
8 to 12 weeks: booking appointment
It's best to see your midwife or doctor as early as possible to get the information you need to have a healthy pregnancy.
Some tests, such as screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia, should be done before you're 10 weeks pregnant.
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about:
- how the baby develops during pregnancy
- nutrition and diet
- exercise and pelvic floor exercises
- antenatal screening tests
- your antenatal care
- breastfeeding, including workshops
- antenatal education
- maternity benefits
- your options for where to have your baby
Your midwife or doctor should:
- give you your handheld notes and plan of care
- see if you may need additional care or support
- plan the care you'll get throughout your pregnancy
- identify any potential risks associated with any work you may do
- measure your height and weight, and calculate your body mass index (BMI)
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein
- find out whether you're at increased risk of gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia
- offer you screening tests and make sure you understand what's involved before you decide to have any of them
- offer you an ultrasound scan at 11 to 14 weeks to estimate when your baby is due
- offer you an ultrasound scan at 18 to 21 weeks to check the physical development of your baby and look for 11 rare conditions
- ask about your mood to assess your mental health
- ask about any past or present severe mental illness or psychiatric treatment
This appointment is an opportunity to tell your midwife or doctor if you're in a vulnerable situation or if you need extra support.
This could be because of domestic abuse or violence, sexual abuse or female genital mutilation (FGM) .
FGM can cause problems during labour and childbirth, which can be life threatening for you and your baby.
It's important you tell your midwife or doctor if this has happened to you.
11 to 14 weeks: dating scan
This is the ultrasound scan to estimate when your baby is due, check the physical development of your baby, and screen for possible conditions, including Down's syndrome.
16 weeks pregnant
Your midwife or doctor will give you information about the ultrasound scan you'll be offered at 18 to 21 weeks.
They'll also help with any concerns or questions you have.
Your midwife or doctor should:
- review, discuss and record the results of any screening tests
- consider an iron supplement if you're anaemic
18 to 21 weeks
You'll be offered an ultrasound scan to check the physical development of your baby. This is also known as the 20-week scan .
Screening for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B will be offered again by a specialist midwife if you opted not to have it earlier in pregnancy.
These tests are recommended as they greatly reduce the risk of passing infection from you to your baby.
At around 20 weeks, you'll be offered the whooping cough vaccine .
25 weeks pregnant
You'll have an appointment at 25 weeks if this is your first baby.
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- talk about your baby’s movements. If you have any concerns or your baby is moving less than usual, you’ll be advised to contact maternity services straight away.
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- offer more screening tests
- offer your first anti-D treatment if you're rhesus negative
- discuss how to prepare for your labour and birth
- talk to you about active labour
- discuss what happens after the birth, including how to care for your new baby and feed them
- tell you about about the vitamin K injection your baby is recommended to have
- ask about your baby's movements
From 28 weeks, you'll be offered the RSV vaccine . This will help protect your baby from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for the first few months after they're born.
It's best to have this as soon as possible from 28 weeks, but it can be given later if needed, including up until you go into labour.
You'll have an appointment at 31 weeks if this is your first baby.
- review, discuss and record the results of any screening tests from the last appointment
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about preparing for labour and birth, including how to recognise active labour, ways of coping with pain in labour, and your birth plan.
- offer your second anti-D treatment if you're rhesus negative
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about caesarean section. This discussion may take place at the 34-week appointment, or at another time during your pregnancy.
They'll discuss with you the reasons why a caesarean might be offered, what the procedure involves, the risks and benefits, and the implications for future pregnancies and births.
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about:
- breastfeeding
- caring for your newborn baby
- vitamin K and screening tests for your newborn baby
- your own health after your baby is born
- the "baby blues" and postnatal depression
Your midwife or doctor will also:
- check the position of your baby
- offer external cephalic version (ECV) if your baby is in the breech position
Your midwife or doctor will discuss the options and choices about what happens if your pregnancy lasts longer than 41 weeks.
- continue to discuss your labour and birth options with you
- ask about your baby’s movements
You'll have an appointment at 40 weeks if this is your first baby.
Your midwife or doctor should give you more information about what happens if your pregnancy lasts longer than 41 weeks.
- offer a membrane sweep
- discuss the options and choices for induction of labour
If you have not had your baby by 42 weeks and have chosen not to have an induction, you should be offered increased monitoring of the baby.
Time off for antenatal appointments
Find out more about pregnant employees' rights .
Page last reviewed: 21 April 2023 Next review due: 21 April 2026
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25 week midwife appointment
Firstpregnancy2014 · 12/08/2014 15:24
What happens at this? My apppointment was booked for next thursday when ill be 25+5 but i cant make it so i have had to change it to this thursday where ill be 24+5 .. is this going to be a problem? Will midwife measure my bump? Thanks !
There won't be any problem doing it at 24+5. I never had this appt because you only have it with your first baby and when I had my first the midwife got confused and thought it was my 2nd so only booked me for a 28wk appt. Anyway. They should measure your bump, dip your wee and ask how you're feeling.
I just had mine today at 25+3 (second baby). My midwife took my BP, took my urine sample, gave me the MatB1 cert for work, had a listen of the heartbeat with a Doppler and sent me on my way till next appt at 31 weeks.
No bump measuring this time at mine by the way, but she said they will next time.
Great thanks ! I was really hoping they would measure my bump.. has anyone ever measured themselves for a rough guide?
I haven't tried, I heard it's very easy to do it wrong unless you have had training and know what you are doing. I would probably panic myself. TBH I probably would hold off till your next appt. if I were you rather than trying myself.
I have my appointment this week and it's my 5th so it's not just first time mams. I haven't seen anyone since about 15 weeks though.
Hello, I've just had one of those. Im 30 weeks now. She didn't measure my bump until 28 week appointment when she also did a blood test. At 25 weeks she did my blood pressure and listened to the baby's heart and that was pretty much it!
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I was measured at 25weeks, I measured 25cms from belly button down to pubic bone. Apparently thats perfect measurement for the gestation.
25 weeks I had my Bump measured and plotted on personal GROW chart, BP checked, urine dipped, chat about whooping cough and Anti-D. Checked I'd booked some antenatal care. No listening for heart beat. Bump was 24.5cm so slightly under but not anything to worry about - pretty much what I'd measured it as (looked it up on internet beforehand just to see). Supposed to be 1cm for each week you are PG from now on.
Antenatal classes even.
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
Usually the midwife will visit you for the first few days but not every day and then the health visitor takes over from day 11. You wouldn't be expected to go to the surgery at all until your 6w post birth doctor check.
Midwife came here day after we got home Went to midwife at clinic on day 5 Midwife came here a week later HV came here week after birth then back couple of days later and again a week later I had some complications I won't go into which is why we had the second midwife home visit and the HV came one extra visit to monitor baby's weight.
Had one midwife visit at home the day after we got home, was then expected to attend local children's centre every 3-5 days (couldn't drive due to c section) so took the bus! These continued until she was signed off monitoring at 3.5 weeks. One follow up appointment with GP (at the surgery) at 6 weeks to check my scar.
Midwife home visit day 5. Can I just ask what happens my midwife came and weighed baby and did his heel prick test. She did no checks on me asked how my scar was I said ok but I have pain in my groin she said oh ok keep an eye on it . I feel like crap I'm in pain I haven't been able to go for a bowel movement yet anyway she just left she ...
Around five days to eight days after your baby's birth, your midwife will carry out a heel-prick test. This is where a tiny amount of blood is taken from your baby's heel to be tested for certain deficiencies and congenital conditions. If you had a caesarean section, you may need your stitches removed.
I had a midwife visit on day 5 for the heal prick test. Then the rest of my midwife apps where at the local walk in centre. Health visitor did 2 home visits as well one on day 14 and she also come back on day 28. I prefer not having home visits less time wasted waiting around for them to turn up.
Questions to ask midwife at 34 weeks: During your third trimester, keeping yourself healthy and preparing for your baby's impending arrival will be your main priorities. Your 34-week midwife appointment is an excellent opportunity to ask any questions you may have at this last stage of pregnancy relating to the birth of your baby and the ...
In the early days, the midwife will check your baby for signs of: On day 5 to 8 after the birth, you'll be offered the blood spot (heel prick) test for your baby. Before you baby is 5 weeks old you should be offered a newborn hearing screening test. If your baby is in special care, these tests may be done there.
The programme includes home visits from a family nurse while you're pregnant, and after your baby's born. These visits help: to have a healthy pregnancy. you and your baby grow and develop together. you to be the best parent you can be. Your health visitor will take over from your family nurse when your baby is two until they go to school.
Indith · 08/05/2012 20:25. You should get a visit the day after you get home then other visits will depend on what you want/need until the MW discharges you and passes you on to the HV. Visits are to check you and baby over and make sure all is ok so a couple are pretty fixed for standard checks, others depend on how you feel.
I promise the midwives don't mind what state you're in but I know that doesn't make it any more comfortable. It's obviously a big thing to have any stranger waltzing into your house let alone in those super vulnerable postnatal days. I cried buckets during my day 5 midwife visit and really struggled not knowing the time too.
Your antenatal appointments. You'll have a number of antenatal appointments during your pregnancy, and you'll see a midwife or sometimes an obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy). They'll check the health of you and your baby, give you useful information and answer any questions. Pregnant employees have the right to paid time off for ...
Midwifery staffing crisis100. 30/10/2021 21:17Madwife123. For those of you who are not aware there is currently a huge midwifery staffing crisis in the U.K. We are losing staff faster than we can train them and almost half of midwives currently in practice are looking for ways out. Sadly myself included.
But you should get your appointment at some point between 8 and 12 weeks into your pregnancy (you won't get an appointment earlier than 8 weeks because, sadly, if you're going to miscarry, it's most likely to happen in your first 8 weeks). The appointment will be to see a midwife and will be held at your local hospital or maternity unit, your ...
So you'll be lucky to get any visits at all. In my area, the midwifes are now only funded to do 3 visits - day after you get home, day 5 for heel-prick and discharge visit. In other areas they don't come out at all and its up to you to get to the surgery. So I'd check what the situation is in your new area. Quote.
Ideally, your booking appointment should take place by 10 weeks of pregnancy, so there's plenty of time to arrange any first-trimester screening tests. However, most women have their appointment at some point between eight weeks and 12 weeks. Your midwife or GP won't book your booking appointment before eight weeks, because, sadly, the chance ...
Commonly you will see midwife visit within 2 days of discharge then be seen at home or in clinic on day 5-8 and 10-14 for discharge. Obviously if there are concerns things will be different but this is basic. You don't need to tell community midwives, that will be done when you leave the hospital. Quote.
My DH and I are just home from hospital with our wonderful new baby boy, DC1 born 3 days ago. We got home last night; I had an EMCS after a long...
The community midwives have no way of knowing at 5pm the previous day how many visits they will have for the next day. All these women need a visit on the first day home from hospital. Women are discharged until late, some have discharges over night if they are having a 2/4/6 hour etc discharge.
I have my first home visit from the midwife on the 3rd of January. At work my boss is aware I'm pregnancy and she's got me working that day, I've asked for it off because of the appointment. She according to the maternity side of things I have to present her a written note from the midwife about my appointment. Now..
Had a beautiful baby boy on Friday. Home yesterday and am I right in saying the midwife visits today and if so do they let you know a timeor just turn...
Hi I'm 33+5 with my second and have received a letter saying I will be having a visit from the midwife next week at home, I never had this with my fir...
I just had mine today at 25+3 (second baby). My midwife took my BP, took my urine sample, gave me the MatB1 cert for work, had a listen of the heartbeat with a Doppler and sent me on my way till next appt at 31 weeks. No bump measuring this time at mine by the way, but she said they will next time.