If you live in Soweto and you’re looking for a midwife who offers real continuity of care, not just a name on a hospital roster, PMBcare has supported families across Johannesburg for years from our birth centre in Fordsburg. Many of the moms we speak with are tired of rotating hospital staff, rushed appointments, and having to repeat their history to someone new every visit. This guide covers what midwifery care looks like for Soweto moms, what’s included at each stage of pregnancy, and how to book your first visit.
Looking for a Midwife Near Soweto? Here’s What PMBcare Offers
Many Soweto families want a birth experience that feels personal: the same midwife across your antenatal visits, labour, and postnatal checks, in a calm setting rather than a busy hospital ward where you might see a different doctor at every appointment. That continuity is the core of what PMBcare does.
We support pregnant women and families from Soweto, Randburg, Sandton, Roodepoort, Alexandra, and across greater Johannesburg with:
- Antenatal and prenatal check-ups
- Midwife-led natural birth support
- Postnatal (fourth trimester) care for mom and baby
- Health education throughout pregnancy
- A clear referral pathway to hospital care if it’s ever needed
We’re proud to be the longest-standing midwifery practice in Johannesburg, and we built our approach around one idea: you should be involved in every decision about your own care, not just informed of it after the fact.
Where Soweto Families Are Cared For: Our Fordsburg Birth Centre
To be upfront: PMBcare does not have a branch inside Soweto itself. We operate from a single, purpose-built birth centre at 81 Mint Road, corner Gillies Street, Fordsburg, Johannesburg, near Oriental Plaza.
Families travel to us from all over Gauteng, including Soweto, Randburg, Sandton, Roodepoort, and Alexandra, for antenatal visits, labour support, and postnatal follow-ups. Our Fordsburg birth centre is designed to feel like a home rather than a hospital, with a calm, private space for labour and birth rather than a shared ward.
We’re open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 15:00, with emergency birth support available 24/7 for clients already in our care. Many Soweto moms plan their antenatal visits around a single weekly or fortnightly trip, and we work with you to schedule appointments that fit your routine.
What Midwifery Care Includes at PMBcare
Antenatal and Prenatal Visits
Your antenatal visits cover vitals checks, fetal heartbeat monitoring, and first trimester screening between 15 and 20 weeks. Visits generally become more frequent as your due date approaches, so we can track your baby’s growth and your own wellbeing closely in the final stretch.
We also talk through the physical symptoms that come up during pregnancy, from morning sickness and fatigue to anxiety, and what you can do about them. Every visit includes health education on danger signs and healthy lifestyle choices, so you always know what’s normal and when to call us.
Labour and Natural Birth Support
Our focus is non-complicated labour with minimal intervention, guided by experienced midwives who stay with you throughout rather than checking in periodically. You’re free to labour and give birth in the way that feels right for you, whether that’s moving around freely, using water for pain relief, or having your partner close by the entire time.
If complications arise that need a higher level of care, we refer you to hospital doctors immediately. That referral pathway is built into every birth plan from your very first visit, so you’re never without a safety net, and you’ll know in advance exactly what that process looks like.
Postnatal (Fourth Trimester) Care
Care doesn’t stop once your baby arrives. We check in with you in the days immediately after birth, and again in the weeks that follow, to support recovery, feeding, and adjusting to life with a newborn. This includes checking in on your emotional wellbeing, not just the physical side of recovery. Many first-time moms tell us this is the stage they felt least prepared for, which is exactly why we build it into your care plan from the start rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Your Pregnancy Journey With PMBcare: Trimester by Trimester
First Trimester (Weeks 1 to 12)
Your first visit sets the foundation for everything that follows: a full health history, an initial check-up, and time to talk through your hopes and concerns for the pregnancy. Early visits are typically spaced a few weeks apart, giving us time to confirm dates, monitor early symptoms, and answer the questions that tend to come up first, like what’s safe to eat, how much rest you need, and what early warning signs to watch for.
Second Trimester (Weeks 13 to 27)
This is often the most settled stretch of pregnancy, and visits continue on a steady schedule. We monitor your baby’s growth, check in on how you’re feeling physically and emotionally, and start talking through what your birth plan might look like. It’s also a good time to bring your partner along, if you haven’t already, so they’re part of the conversation from early on.
Third Trimester and Labour (Week 28 Onward)
Visits become more frequent as your due date nears, so we can track final growth checks and make sure everything is progressing as expected. By this stage, your birth plan is fully in place, and you and your midwife team know exactly what to expect from each other when labour begins. When it does, the same team that’s followed your pregnancy from the start is who supports you through it.
Why Choose a Midwife-Led Natural Birth
A Calm, Home-Like Environment
Hospitals are built for medical efficiency, not comfort. Our birth centre is built the other way around: a private, home-like space where you set the pace, supported by a team who knows your birth plan by heart because they helped you write it.
Continuity of Care From One Midwife Team
You won’t meet a different doctor at every appointment. The same midwifery team that sees you through your antenatal visits is the team supporting you in labour and afterward. Read more about why families choose natural birth at PMBcare.
This model isn’t just our preference. The World Health Organization recognises midwife-led continuity of care as a safe, effective approach for low-risk pregnancies, which is exactly what our birth centre is built around.
Do You Have to Visit the Birth Centre? Home Birth Options
Not every family wants to travel to Fordsburg for the birth itself. If you’re a good candidate, our midwives can support you through a home birth instead, following the same continuity-of-care model: the same team you saw for your antenatal visits attends your labour at home.
Home birth isn’t right for every pregnancy, and our midwives assess this with you well before your due date, based on your health history and how your pregnancy is progressing. You can read more about who is a good candidate for a home birth to see whether this path fits your situation.
Whichever setting you choose, the same referral pathway applies: if anything changes that calls for hospital-level care, we act on it immediately and stay involved in your care throughout the transfer.
Why Experience Matters When Choosing a Midwife
Not all midwifery care looks the same. As the longest-standing midwifery practice in Johannesburg, our team has supported hundreds of families through pregnancy, birth, and the months after, which means we’ve seen a wide range of what a normal, healthy pregnancy can look like. That experience shapes how early we catch small concerns, how clearly we explain your options, and how calm we’re able to stay when you need us most.
When you’re choosing who will support you through one of the biggest experiences of your life, that depth of experience is worth asking about, whichever practice you choose. It’s also worth asking how involved you’ll be in decisions about your own care, and whether you’ll see the same team from your first visit through to your last.
What Happens If You Need to Transfer to Hospital
A midwife-led birth centre isn’t the right setting for every pregnancy, and part of our job is recognising early when a higher level of care is needed. Before your due date, we assess your health history and pregnancy progress to flag anything that might need hospital-based delivery instead.
If something unexpected comes up during labour, our midwives are trained to recognise the signs early and refer you to a hospital doctor without delay. You’ll always know who that referral goes to and what the process looks like, because we walk through it with you well before your due date, not in the middle of an emergency.
How to Prepare for Your First Visit
Your first appointment is as much about you getting to know us as it is about a check-up. To make the most of it, it helps to bring:
- Any previous pregnancy or medical records you have on hand
- A list of current medications or supplements you’re taking
- Your questions, written down, about labour, pain relief, or what to expect
- Your partner or support person, if you’d like them involved from the start
There’s no need to prepare anything else. Our midwives will guide the rest of the conversation and make sure you leave with a clear picture of what your care will look like, whether this is your first pregnancy or your third.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your first prenatal visit costs R650. It’s the best way to see whether our birth centre and approach to care suit your pregnancy, and it gives our midwives the chance to understand your health history and answer your questions in person.
Emergency and night callouts are available at R700 each, for concerns that can’t wait until your next scheduled visit. There are no hidden fees beyond what we quote you directly, and every cost is explained upfront before you commit to anything.
For more on our full range of midwife services in Johannesburg, including what’s included at each stage of care, see our services and pricing guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PMBcare have a branch in Soweto?
No. PMBcare operates from one birth centre, located in Fordsburg, Johannesburg. We welcome families from Soweto and surrounding areas to visit us there for antenatal care, birth support, and postnatal follow-ups.
What does a first midwife visit cost?
Your first prenatal visit costs R650. This covers your initial consultation, health history review, and a chance to ask our midwives anything about your pregnancy and birth options.
Do you offer emergency support outside office hours?
Yes. Emergency and night callouts are available at R700 each for clients already in our care, for concerns that can’t wait until your next scheduled visit.
Can my partner be involved throughout my care?
Yes. Partners and support people are welcome at antenatal visits and during labour and birth. Many of our clients say having a familiar, consistent midwife team makes it easier for their partner to feel involved too, not just present.
How many antenatal visits will I have?
This depends on your individual pregnancy, but visits typically start a few weeks apart in the first trimester and become more frequent as your due date approaches, so we can track your baby’s growth closely in the final weeks.
What if this is my first pregnancy and I’m not sure what to expect?
That’s exactly what your first visit is for. Our midwives will walk you through each stage of pregnancy at your own pace, answer every question without judgment, and make sure you always know what’s coming next.
Who is a good fit for midwife-led natural birth?
Not every pregnancy suits a midwife-led birth centre setting. Our team walks through your health history and how your pregnancy is progressing before recommending this path, so you can make an informed decision early.
Book Your Midwife Visit at PMBcare
If you’re in Soweto and searching for a midwife who will know your name, your history, and your birth plan by heart, we’d love to meet you. Get in touch with PMBcare to book your first visit and see our Fordsburg birth centre for yourself.