Ensuring mothers, babies and their families are at the centre of the care we provide is the highest priority. We want to ensure you can make informed choices about your pregnancy, place and type of birth.
We encourage women and their families to work in partnership with healthcare professionals to ensure that continuity of care and the needs of each individual and their families are met.
To help you make the best decision on the birth of your baby, the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Maternity System (LMS) have developed a useful resource to provide all birthing options available to you in the local area.
The LMS includes three acute trusts providing maternity services:
Planning on where to give birth is a very important decision that you will need to consider in your pregnancy. You can choose to have your baby at any of our tranquil birthing units, in the comfort of your own home or on one of our Labour Wards. There is more than one hospital care package available in your area. Your midwife can support you to decide which feels right for you and your family.
There is no need to make a firm decision on a place of birth early in your pregnancy. Making a decision on the place of birth later in pregnancy will allow you more time to make an informed decision. You are welcome to change your mind at any point in your pregnancy.
If you choose to have your baby in a maternity unit, a tour is an option for you. At the beginning of your journey a decision of which hospital you plan to start with for scans and plans for antenatal care will be required to progress with making appointments.
To download the Your Birth Options leaflet, please click here.
Home Birth
This is arranged through your community midwife and a supervisor of midwives. The Community Midwife carries out antenatal care at your GP’s surgery or in your home. If complications arise in labour you can be transferred in to hospital.
Low Risk Care
If you are low risk in this pregnancy you can spend the early part of labour at home. Contact your midwife or Maternity Triage to discuss the best time to attend the maternity unit.
Birth Pool
There is a birth pool on the Labour Ward at University Hospital. During your pregnancy you can discuss your suitability for using the birth pool with your midwife. The midwives on the Labour Ward will assist and advise you regarding the use of the pool during your labour and birth.
Water is the first choice for pain relief in a normal labour. Using the birthing pool enables you to move around freely and maintain an upright position to facilitate normal birth. It can help to prevent the use of drugs during labour to enable you to have a more a natural experience.
Consultant/shared care (high risk)
Your antenatal care is shared between the hospital obstetrician, your community midwife and your GP. You give birth to your baby on the labour ward at University Hospital. The antenatal care is provided in the Maternity Unit, in the community or at the Hospital of St Cross. Your clinic time will be on your appointment card. The scanning department is situated in the antenatal clinic.
Lucina Birth Centre
For more information on the Lucina Birth Centre, click here.
Working out whether you are in the early stages of labour (sometimes called the latent phase of labour) or not, can be very confusing for you. Remember that every woman’s labour is different and sometimes it can take a long time. This is perfectly normal. If you think you are in the early stages of labour, the main thing to remember is to stay calm and relaxed.
We encourage you to walk around during your labour. If it is necessary to monitor your baby’s heartbeat, it will be performed in consultation with you and your partner. Your partner is encouraged to stay with you during your labour and to participate in the care of your baby. You are quite welcome to wear your day clothing on the unit if you wish.
Whilst you are in hospital you will have a midwife who is responsible for your care and who will be able to give you all the necessary guidance and support you need. Click here for guidance on what to pack in your hospital bag.
Monitoring in Labour
Most babies come through labour without problems but there are a few who don’t cope so well. During contractions blood can’t get through the placenta (afterbirth) so easily. This is normal and most babies cope without any problems. If a baby is not coping well, this may be reflected in the pattern of their heartbeat.
Your baby’s heart rate can be measured either at regular intervals (intermittently listening to your baby’s heart) or continuously (electronic foetal monitoring). Before starting any monitoring, the midwife or doctor will take your pulse rate as well as listening to your baby’s heart to make sure they can tell them apart.
Read more on monitoring during labour.
Caesarean Sections
Very few people plan on having a caesarean section. The ones that are planned are usually due to the circumstances described below. Caesarean sections that are unplanned are usually done because the baby is in distress or perhaps the baby simply cannot pass through your birth canal.
Even if you have had a caesarean section with your first baby, it is possible for you to have a vaginal birth with a subsequent pregnancy. You can discuss this with your community midwife at your first appointment and they will refer you to the appropriate clinician.
Pain Relief in Labour
Labour is a natural process but it can be very painful so it is important to learn about all the available ways you can relieve pain and how your partner/labour supporter can help you.
Remember to be flexible as you may find you may want more or less pain relief than you had planned and more effective pain relief may be advised to assist with delivery.
Attend parentcraft classes as these may help you to understand the mechanism of labour and instruct you on how you can help yourself. Ask your midwife for our information leaflet of the pain relief that is available at UHCW. It can be helpful if you write your ideas down in a birth plan (an example can be found at the back of your patient held notes)
Information about pain relief during caesarean section can be found here. If you need this information in another language, you can find links here.
More information about pain relief during labour or during a caesarean section can be found here.
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