We believe that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby and we recognise the important benefits that breastfeeding provides for both you and your child. We therefore encourage you to breastfeed your baby. However we support the right of all parents to make informed choices about infant feeding.
Download our patient information leaflet on breastfeeding
We also have information for those on our wards around breastfeeding.
We can help you to ensure you breastfeed successfully, our staff have been specially trained to help you breastfeed your baby.
We think it is a good idea that your baby is with you at all times. This enables you respond to your babies needs, as well as giving you the opportunity to become more confident with comforting and handling your baby.
It is also enables demand feeding or baby-led and gives you the opportunity to learn baby’s feeding cues. Baby-led feeding is important to ensure baby feeds when they want to so they take what they want when they want it. In the first few days this is very often, as your baby is settling up the milk production for the next 6 months.
Feeding cues are how the baby “asks” for a feed. The baby will do this by rooting, licking or sucking fingers, wriggling and restlessness. We will give you advice on how to recognise that baby is feeding correctly. Good signs to look for are that baby is having wet and dirty nappies as colostrum (the first breastmilk) has a laxative effect so will help clear the babies gut by making it easier for the baby to pass the meconium (first stool).
When you are discharged, you will be given information about support groups within your area. You will also be referred to an infant feeding team, who, along with the community midwifery team can support you with any breastfeeding issues you may have whilst you are at home.
Infant Feeding Team can be reached on 07904 984620.
Coventry City Council are positive about breastfeeding.
Download the leaflet
Wondering what breastfeeding is really like? How do people breastfeed when they’re out and about? What should you do if breastfeeding hurts? From bump to breastfeeding is a series of films from Best Beginnings that follow four mums who decide to breastfeed. The clips will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding and how to do it successfully.
Watch the films.
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There are over 30 blood test service locations in and around Coventry. Most clinics have appointments to book in advance online. Click on the map for details of the clinic most convenient for you.
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
You can also download a leaflet at this link.
We strongly advise all patients use our new online appointment system before attending for a blood test to avoid any disappointment. The new service helps patients, their carers and family members to plan their hospital visit better, helping to reduce clinic waiting times and enabling patients to be seen much more quickly.
Walk-in appointments remain available dependent on availability, however you may have to wait for the next available appointment time. Please note that walk-in patients will be given an approximate time slot and this may vary.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Based on demand we are only able to see a set amount of patients per day so, once we have filled all allocated slots we can no longer accept walk-ins. This may mean you will need to revisit the site to have your blood test on another occasion or book online for another site.
Patients from Rugby and the surrounding areas are able to access the Friends Blood Taking Unit at the Hospital of St Cross.
Referrals for blood tests can be from GP's, practice nurses or from hospital consultants. Patients are also able to leave other samples, such as urine, which have been collected at home, at the hospital's Pathology Reception.
Location: Near Brookfield House, just off North Road - map here. Opening hours: The blood taking clinic sessions for adults and children are listed below:
Monday -Friday 7am-8am Appointment only
Monday – Friday 8am-4.45pm *Appointments and walk-in available
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Appointment only
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Appointments only
* While we offer a walk in service, we highly recommend booking an appointment to save patients from waiting. If all walk in slots are filled, we may need to ask patients to attend again on another day, or to book online for another site.
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Address: Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS Location: Access is via the main doors, the Phlebotomy team are in Area A. Opening hours: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 8am–4.45pm - Based on demand we are only able to see a set amount of patients per day so, once we have filled all allocated slots we can no longer accept walk-ins. This may mean you will need to revisit the site to have your blood test on another occasion or book online for another site.
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Specialist Tests - There are a small number of specialist tests where blood needs to be taken on a hospital site as the sample must be transferred to the laboratory rapidly for the test to be undertaken. Click here for a list of these specialist tests and to find out more.