The Role of a Midwife During Pregnancy and Postnatal Period

If you have never worked with a midwife before, it is easy to think of the role in narrow terms: someone who checks your bump and turns up for the birth. In reality, the role of a midwife during pregnancy and postnatal period is much broader than that, and understanding it can help you get more out of your care, whichever type of midwife you choose to work with.

As an independent midwife supporting families across London, Essex and Hertfordshire, I want to walk you through what the role actually involves, from your first booking appointment right through to the weeks after your baby arrives.

What Does a Midwife Do During Pregnancy?

Clinical care and monitoring

A midwife's core responsibility during pregnancy is monitoring the wellbeing of both you and your baby. This includes checking blood pressure, urine, and growth measurements, listening to your baby's heartbeat, and identifying any signs that extra input from an obstetrician or specialist team might be needed. With independent midwifery, these checks happen at home, at times that suit you, rather than being fitted around a clinic schedule.

Informed choice and decision-making

A significant part of the role is making sure you understand your options and the evidence behind them, so that any decision you make, about screening, place of birth, or pain relief, is genuinely yours. This is where continuity of care matters. When you see the same midwife throughout your pregnancy, those conversations build on each other rather than starting from scratch every appointment.

Emotional and practical support

Pregnancy raises questions that have nothing to do with blood pressure readings: birth plans, previous birth experiences, family dynamics, work, finances, and simply how you are coping. A midwife who knows your history is better placed to notice when something feels off and to support you through it, rather than treating each visit as an isolated clinical event.

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What Does a Midwife Do During Labour and Birth?

Whether you are planning a home birth or a hospital birth, the midwife's role is to support physiological birth where possible, monitor you and your baby closely, and recognise early if anything needs escalating.

For families working with an independent midwife, this typically means one-to-one care from someone you already know and trust, attending you at home or accompanying you into hospital, at trusts including Northwick Park, Barnet, Whittington, St Mary's, St Thomas', UCLH, Guy's, Royal London, Chelsea and Westminster, Whipps Cross, Homerton and Newham in London, Princess Alexandra, Broomfield, Southend, Basildon and Queen's Romford in Essex, and Lister Stevenage and Watford General in Hertfordshire.

What Does a Midwife Do After Birth?

Postnatal checks

In the days and weeks after birth, a midwife checks on your physical recovery, your baby's weight and feeding, and any signs of complications for either of you. These checks are as important as the antenatal ones, though they often get less attention.

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Infant feeding support

Feeding, whichever way you choose to feed your baby, tends to be one of the steepest learning curves of early parenthood. Midwives support breastfeeding with positioning, attachment, and problem-solving in those first days, and can pick up on issues early because they know what is normal for you and your baby.

Emotional wellbeing

The postnatal period is also when mood changes, anxiety, and birth processing tend to surface. A midwife who was present for your pregnancy and birth is often the first person to notice a shift in how you are coping, and can guide you toward the right support.

How Continuity of Care Shapes the Role of a Midwife During Pregnancy and Postnatal Period

Continuity of care means the same midwife supports you through pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period, rather than a rotating team. This is the model I work within as an independent midwife across London, Essex and Hertfordshire.

Every appointment happens in your home, at a time that suits you, with partners, family, and siblings always welcome. It means the person supporting your labour already knows your history, your preferences, and what matters to you, and the same holds true for your postnatal care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a midwife's role change between pregnancy and after birth? The focus shifts, from monitoring pregnancy and preparing for birth, to supporting recovery and feeding, but the underlying role stays the same: clinical monitoring, informed choice, and continuity of support.

Do I need a midwife if I am having a hospital birth? Yes. Every birth in the UK, whether at home or in hospital, is supported by a midwife. With independent midwifery, that midwife is one you already know, attending you at the hospital of your choice to advocate for you and support your choices.

How long does postnatal midwifery support last? NHS postnatal care typically runs for the first two weeks. Independent midwifery postnatal support can be tailored to your needs, with continuity from the same midwife who supported your pregnancy and birth.

Can a midwife support pregnancies outside standard low-risk guidelines? Yes, I support a range of pregnancies, not only those classed as low-risk.

Get in touch to discuss your individual circumstances and see how I can support your pregnancy journey.