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Pregnancy journey

Writing a set of birth ambitions

Every family will have different plans and expectations for pregnancy and birth.

By writing down your birth preferences you can express your personal wishes and share it with who you choose.

Your personalised plan can then be discussed with relevant health professionals and supporters and tailored to your individual needs.

Remember that you may need to be flexible as pregnancy and birth might not go completely to plan, but do tell your midwife what matters to you so that they can discuss it with you.

Some of the things you may want to consider are

  • Which setting do I plan for my birth; home, Midwifery Unit, Consultant Unit?
  • Who do I wish to be with me during labour and birth?
  • What plans do I have for my other children during labour, if applicable?
  • Do I wish to discover the sex of the baby myself, from my partner or health professional?
  • Preferences for support from aromatherapy oils, hypnobirthing, massage, music, etc.
  • Who do I want to cut the baby's cord and when? (providing all is normal)
  • Do I want to see or keep my placenta?
  • What is my plan for informing family members about the birth?
  • Does a supporter wish to stay with me overnight in the hospital environment if this is an option?

Your birth preferences are a good thing to discuss and you may want to consider if circumstances change for example you require a caesarean section what your preferences are for this, including if a supporter would wish to come with you to the theatre. The majority of births are vaginal but these thoughts can be useful even if you never need them.

Please follow this link to access a personal care plan document, which is designed to be printed and written in, and includes sections on:

  • Health and wellbeing in pregnancy
  • Personalised birth preferences
  • Dads, partners and co-parents
  • After your baby is born
  • Birth afterthoughts.

2019-07-03 (7)

Your baby is now officially an embryo and is about the size of a poppy seed.

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/4-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (4)

Your baby is now the size of a kidney bean and weighs 1g. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/8-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (6)

Welcome to the second trimester!

Your baby is about the size of a small lime and weighs approximately 14g.

You have hopefully seen your midwife for your 'booking in' appointment, if you have not yet seen a midwife please make an appointment quickly, so you can have all of your choices about screening tests explained and offered to you.

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/12-weeks-pregnant/ for more information. You can also link to the 'Pregnancy Journey' area here.  

2019-07-03

Your baby is about the size of an avocado and weighs approximately 100g. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/16-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (2)

Your baby has grown in length and is now the length of a small banana and weighs approximately 300g. Around this time you will be offered your '20 week' scan, also known as the 'anatomy' or 'anomaly' scan.Click here for more information about screening. 

This is a also a good time to talk and sing to your bump as your baby can now hear sounds. This is great way for you and your partner/family to bond with your baby.

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/20-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (8)

Your baby has grown again to the approximate length of an ear of sweetcorn and weighs about 600g. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/24-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (1)

Welcome to the third trimester!

Your baby is now approximately the weight of an aubergine; about 1kg and approximately 37cm in length. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/28-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (3)

Your baby now weighs approximately the same as a coconut; around 1.5kg. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/32-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (5)

Your baby is now around the same size as a lettuce, approximately 47cm long and weighs around 2.6kg. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/36-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.

2019-07-03 (9)

Your baby is now the weight of a small watermelon which is approximately 3.3kg and around 50cm in length. 

Please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/40-weeks-pregnant/ for more information.