Questions to ask your midwife

Appointments can fly by, and it's so easy to remember your most important question the moment you've walked out of the door. Jotting a few down beforehand, and ticking them off as they're answered, helps you make the most of your time and feel properly heard.

There's no such thing as a silly question. Your midwife would always rather you asked. If something doesn't sit right with you, or you don't understand an answer, it's completely fine to say 'can you explain that again?' or 'what does that mean for me?'. You can also ask for things to be written down.

Different stages bring different questions, so this list is grouped loosely by trimester. Pick the ones that matter to you and add your own. If you've had a previous pregnancy, birth or loss, your history matters too, share it, as it can change the care that's right for you.

Knowing the warning signs to act on is one of the most important conversations to have. Ask specifically how a problem might look on your skin, because a lot of standard advice describes signs on white skin. For example, with pre-eclampsia or a serious infection, the textbook 'pale' or 'flushed' look can be hard to read on brown and Black skin, so ask your midwife where to check (lips, gums, inner eyelids, palms) and exactly when to call for help. Make sure you leave every appointment knowing who to phone, day or night.

This is a placeholder list for the Bump Circle team and will be reviewed by our midwife, Dumebi, before launch.