Postnatal Care - Postnatal Ward (Cellier Ward)

In the postnatal care booklet you will find the schedule of care on the postnatal ward, a description of the healthcare professionals involved in your care, an overview of what to expect after your baby is born, and explanations of some of the words we use. A printed copy of this booklet is available on the ward.

 

Within the postnatal ward there are 18 beds which mainly care for postnatal mothers and babies; we also care for transitional care babies.

 

Almost all the babies delivered on our labour ward or theatre are admitted with their mothers to the postnatal ward for care. The exceptions are babies who are receiving treatment in the neonatal unit. We also aim to discuss possible date of discharge home on admission to the ward provided mother and baby are fit to be discharged home.

 

As with the other wards, the postnatal ward is staffed by a team of core midwives, nursery nurses, health care assistants, maternity support workers, breastfeeding specialists, clerical staff and house keepers, with further assistance given by student midwives. We also have obstetric team on a ward round in the morning and are called at any time of the day, if a woman requires medical attention.

 

Midwives care for women and their babies, including support with breastfeeding. We also have a hearing screening co-ordinator who carries out hearing tests for babies on a daily basis.

 

Babies are seen by a midwife who has an additional training in carrying out Newborn Infant Physical Examination (NIPE), this can also be performed by paediatrician. A NIPE is a holistic assessment of the health and wellbeing of the new born baby. The baby is examined from top to toe by a qualified healthcare professional. It also includes: a screening examination of the heart, hips, eyes and testes in male infants. NIPE should be carried where ever the baby is in the maternity unit before the baby leaves the hospital and should be within 72 hours of birth.

 

Our nursery nurses have been trained to support midwives in caring for transitional care babies and also have the skills in providing infant feeding support to you and your baby. Transitional care babies are considered to be any baby requiring observations or medications which are additional to routine midwifery care of the well neonate with the support of midwives and the paediatricians. We also have neonatal doctors ward rounds to review transitional care babies and make a plan for their care.

 

 

We encourage partners and companions to be fully involved in postnatal care and have introduced an award-winning programme enabling them to stay overnight on Cellier ward. This programme is the first of its kind in inner London.

 

We provide reclining chairs enabling partners and companions to support women with the care of their baby. Partners and companions should bring comfortable clothes with them as well as food.

 

 

Visiting times are 3pm - 6pm every day for visitors other than partners and companions.

 

Please note that only children of women staying on the ward can visit and preferably visit from 3pm. Women and their partners should not be opening doors for other visitors and should not take their baby out of the ward unless they have been discharged.

 

You can chose to have one person  visit you - for example, your partner, a parent etc. The siblings of the newborn baby are welcome too.

 

At night time, the person you nominate can swap over with someone else.  

 

Partners who are staying overnight are also advised not to leave the ward between 10pm and 6am, with the exceptions of families whose babies are admitted in NICU.

  

We also have health education group or midwifery discharge talk for women at around 10am and partners are also invited. Once we are satisfied that you can be discharged home we will also transfer your care to the community midwives who will usually visit you at home or see you in a children's centre.

 

 

Chika Okonkwo, ward manager

 

 

Cellier Ward, Level 4, Kenwood Wing, The Whittington Hospital, Magdala Avenue, London N19 5NF

 

 

Call the ward managers on 020 7288 3111.