What to Expect During Prenatal Visits with a Midwife
If you're new to midwifery care, you might be wondering: What exactly happens at prenatal visits? Spoiler alert — it's so much more than just blood pressure checks and belly measurements.
With a midwife, prenatal care is a partnership. We center your voice, your body, and your intuition. Whether you're planning a home birth, considering your options, or simply seeking care that aligns with your values, here's what you can expect during your prenatal journey with a midwife:
Warm Welcome & Relationship Building
Your first visit is all about getting to know you — your health history, your hopes, your fears, and your vision for your birth. Each appointment is a chance to build a trusting relationship, not just check boxes.
Expect tea, cozy vibes, and someone who actually listens.
Your partner and family members, or friends, who you choose to bring to your appointments will be involved in the process as well.
🩺 Full-Scope Clinical Care
Yes, we do all the essentials:
Monitor your blood pressure, pulse, and weight
Check baby's heartbeat with a Doppler or fetoscope
Measure fundal height and assess baby’s position
Offer lab work, ultrasounds (as needed), and referrals
Provide nutritional and lifestyle guidance tailored to you
🧠 Education & Informed Choice
We break down what's happening at every stage of pregnancy and make space for all your questions. Want to talk about birth plans, VBACs, water birth, or nutrition? Let’s do it.
You’ll always be offered evidence-based information and your autonomy will be respected in every decision.
Informed choice is at the heart of midwifery care. It means you’re given complete, honest information about any tests, procedures, or recommendations — including the benefits, risks, and alternatives — so you can make the decisions that feel right for you and your family.
We don’t pressure or persuade. Instead, we partner with you, respecting your values, culture, and intuition. Whether you choose every screening available or prefer a more minimal approach, our goal is to support your right to choose every step of the way.
Midwifery care means you’re not just in the room — you’re leading the conversation.
🌿 Emotional & Holistic Support
Pregnancy is a physical transformation — but it’s also emotional, mental, and spiritual. As midwives, we recognize that your experience as a whole person matters just as much as your vitals and lab results.
Midwifery care is grounded in holding space — for your joy, fears, questions, trauma, dreams, and everything in between.
Here’s what that looks like during prenatal visits:
We Ask: “How Are You Really Doing?”
Each visit includes time to check in on your emotional wellbeing, not just your physical body. We make space for you to say:
“I’ve been feeling overwhelmed.”
“I’m afraid I won’t know when I’m in labor.”
“My last birth was traumatic, and I’m scared.”
Whether you’re glowing with excitement or struggling with anxiety, we honor it all — no pressure to be anything but honest.
Creating a Sacred, Grounded Space
Our prenatal visits aren’t held under fluorescent lights with a rushed fifteen-minute window. Instead, we create a calm, grounding environment that might include:
Soft lighting and relaxing music
Herbal tea or aromatherapy
A few minutes of deep breathing or reflection
Touch-based support like belly massage or acupressure suggestions (if welcomed)
Our goal is for you to leave your appointment feeling seen, grounded, and nourished — not just checked and cleared.
Honoring Your Cultural, Spiritual, and Ancestral Needs
We welcome the ways your cultural or spiritual beliefs shape how you view pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Whether that includes prayer, affirmations, ritual practices, or ancestral wisdom — it’s always welcome here.
Want to bring in a birth altar item or process a dream you had about labor? We’ll hold space for that with care.
Tools We May Incorporate:
Herbal recommendations for stress, sleep, or nausea
Affirmations or journaling prompts for emotional processing
Acupressure point education for balance and labor prep
Holistic birth prep plans including bodywork, breathwork, or pelvic alignment tips
Referrals to trauma-informed therapists, doulas, or community healers
“I didn’t expect to feel this supported.”
That’s a phrase we hear often — and it’s our intention every time.
Your prenatal journey with a midwife isn’t just about preparing for birth — it’s about feeling held, validated, and empowered to move through this rite of passage in a way that honors all of you.
📅 Visit Schedule
Here’s the general flow of visits:
Every 4 weeks until 28 weeks
Every 2 weeks until 36 weeks
Weekly or biweekly from 36 weeks until birth
Each visit lasts 30–60 minutes, giving us plenty of time to connect, answer questions, and prepare you for birth.
💜 Midwifery Prenatal Visits Are...
Rooted in respect and consent
Centered around education and empowerment
Tailored to your unique needs, culture, and values
Final Thoughts
Prenatal visits with a midwife are a breath of fresh air in a world of rushed appointments. Whether this is your first baby or your fifth, you deserve care that honors your body, your choices, and your journey.
Ready to feel supported, seen, and heard in pregnancy? We’re here for you.
📅 Visit birthincolormidwifery.com to schedule your prenatal consultation today.
