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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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BLOOD TESTING DUE TO COVID-19
Shielding Patients in very high risk for COVID Group
All people who have been identified as very high risk (requiring shielding) for COVID are in the process of being contacted by their clinician regarding their ongoing care. If you require a blood test whilst shielding as part of your care, appointment details including when and where your blood test will be carried out will be sent to you via a text message from SwiftQueue who manage our blood test bookings.
If you have regular blood tests and have been asked to have these, please ensure you have blood forms at home available; if you haven’t please contact your specialty to have some sent to you in advance of your blood tests.
Older People and Vulnerable Adults
People who are in the groups identified by the government as higher risk e.g are over 70 or receive a yearly flu jab, but are not in the very high risk (requiring shielding) group, can attend our normal blood test clinics. The blood test clinics and waiting areas have been adapted so that social distancing can be maintained.
Please check the locations on the map below.
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Booking an appointment 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.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test, click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. 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-4:45pm Appointment only
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Suspended due to COVID
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Suspended due to COVID
April 2020 NEW - This Clinic is now by appointment. Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above.
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
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.