Your pregnancy journey

Finding out you are pregnant can be exciting and sometimes overwhelming. In Oxfordshire, maternity care is free on the NHS and designed to support you and your baby throughout your pregnancy.

Your local maternity team, including your midwife, will help you understand what to expect, answer your questions and make sure you have access to the support you need.  

What you need know

What to do when you find out you're pregnant

Tell your doctor or self refer to maternity services as soon as you know or believe you may be pregnant.

• your local maternity team will then contact you to book your first appointment with a midwife
• you will attend regular antenatal appointments

Your antenatal appointments 

These are to check both the baby's and your health. 

Appointments are also an opportunity to:

discuss how you are feeling physically

• talk about your emotional wellbeing
• ask questions and get advice
• prepare for the arrival of your baby

Your maternity notes

Oxford University Hospitals uses the BadgerNotes - ouh.nhs. 

With BadgerNotes, you can:

• view your maternity record
• update information securely
• access your notes from your phone, tablet or computer

What to expect

Around 8 weeks – booking appointment

• your first appointment with a midwife
• health checks, screening tests and information
• a chance to talk about how you are feeling and ask questions

10-14 weeks – dating scan

An ultrasound scan to: 

• check your baby's development
• estimate your due date

16 weeks

• routine midwife appointment
• review results and discuss your pregnancy 

18-20 weeks – mid pregnancy scan

• a detailed scan to check how your baby is growing
• you can choose whether or not to find out the sex of your baby 

25 weeks (first baby)

• extra antenatal check if this is your first baby

Later pregnancy (28 weeks onwards)

Regular antenatal appointments to: 

• measure your baby's growth
• check your health
• get blood tests

For a week by week guide on how your baby is developing, visit the best start in life website.

Resources and support

• the NHS pregnancy guide includes all you need to know about trying for a baby, pregnancy, labour and birth
• the NCT weekly email guide to pregnancy, your baby's development and life as a parent
• Baby Buddy app is a free parenting app
• the DadPad app is useful to help dads prepare for parenthood
• CBeebies parenting has lots of pregnancy tips and advice

Health visitors in Oxfordshire 

In Oxfordshire, the health visiting service does not routinely offer antenatal visits to everyone, but they do have lots of great resources online. Read more about becoming a parent on their antenatal pages. 

Health visitors can help with: 

• preparing for parenthood
• safe sleep advice
• child development
• bonding and relationships

Pregnancy can affect your emotional health. It is really important to speak up because there are people who can help. Learn more about emotional wellbeing on our taking care of you in pregnancy page.

Pop into one of our family hubs 

Family hubs are there to support you and your family as it grows in any aspect of family life, starting with feeling well during pregnancy. 

Want to find out more about what comes next? 

Newborns and the first few months. My baby and me.