Please either complete the online self referral form or visit us in person at the Antenatal Clinic on the 5th floor of the Kenwood Wing.
FAQs

How can I find medical information and advice about my pregnancy?
The NHS Choices website has comprehensive information relating to pregnancy. It includes information of the food and drink you can eat during pregnancy, symptoms during pregnancy and medications you can take.
Who do I phone if I am pregnant and have a concern?
- Pain and/or bleeding
- Pelvic pain
- Hyperemesis (severe vomiting)
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage
Walk-in service (women's diagnostic unit)
- Home if there are no concerns after the assessment
- Emergency department for non-pregnancy related issues
- Admission to the maternity ward for observation
- Birth centre or the labour ward if in labour
What should I do if I think I am in labour?
How do I arrange for a home birth?
Please contact your named midwife from our team who coordinates and tailors their maternity care. Your named midwife will be your key point of contact during your pregnancy.
What antenatal workshops are there and when are they held?
How can I receive complementary therapy such as acupuncture?
- Birth preparation
- Serious musculoskeletal pain e.g. back pain, sciatic nerve pain and pelvic pain
- Turning babies from breech to head down presentation
- Severe vomiting (hyperemesis)
Location: Fetal Medicine Service, Level 5, Kenwood Wing, To book an appointment please call 07824 864455 and leave a message on our voicemail. We will contact you within 24 hours to offer you an appointment.
What pain management is available in the birth centre and labour ward?
- Birthing pool
- Gas and air (Entonox - a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide gas)
- Massage
- Complementary therapies such as hypnobirthing and acupuncture
- TENS machine (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
- Intramuscular injection (into the muscle of your thigh or buttock)
On the Labour Ward, pain relief therapies include all of the above, plus:
- Epidural
Is there a birth ball in every room in the birth centre and on the labour ward or should I bring my own?
There are birth balls all rooms, but bring your own if you prefer.
How many birthing pools are there on the labour ward?
There are four birthing pools in the birth centre and two on the labour ward.
Do we have to have a car seat with when taking baby home?
Tips for buying a baby car seat.
Can partners stay overnight - or another family member instead of a partner?
Partners or another nominated adult can stay overnight on the postnatal ward. A recliner seat is provided. They should bring their own food.
What about visitors?
Is there car parking available?
What can we do if we are not comfortable with our midwife (in labour or antenatally)?
Please ask to speak to the lead midwife to discuss
How do I discuss an issue with my care or my birth experience?
Please contact your midwife who will give you the various options.
Which entrance do I use out of hours at night?
There is 24 hour access via the Labour Ward entrance. The best way to get there is via Gordon Close or Dartmouth Park Hill.
Do I get to keep my notes when I go home?
As your notes are a legal document, the hospital will store them for 25 years. We will provide you with an electronic summary of your pregnancy journey.
FAQ: Have you implemented the 7 immediate and essential actions outlined in the Ockenden Review?
Have you implemented the 7 immediate and essential actions outlined in the Ockenden Review?
- Enhanced Safety: Trusts must work collaboratively to ensure serious incidents are investigated thoroughly and Trust Board must have oversight of these.
- Listening to Women and their Families: Maternity Services must ensure women and their families have their voices heard.
- Staff Training and working together: Staff who work together must train together and Multi-Disciplinary Team ward round twice daily.
- Managing complex pregnancy: There must be robust pathways in place for managing women with complex pregnancies
- Risk Assessment throughout pregnancy: Staff must ensure that women undergo risk assessments in pregnancy at each contact.
- Monitoring Fetal Wellbeing: Dedicated leads for Fetal Monitoring who champion best practice in fetal surveillance.
- Informed consent: Women must have access to accurate information to enable informed choice.
The safety of people giving birth with us and their babies is our top priority. You can be assured that we have taken time and put considerable effort into ensuring that we have taken all possible learning form the Ockenden Review.
We have a close working relationship with the Whittington Maternity Voices Partnership and value contribution that parents to be and families can bring when reviewing and developing our maternity services. It is important that we listen to all women and put their voice at the centre of our care.