Staying in the maternity ward
You may need to remain in the Maternity Unit for a bit longer if there has been any complication in labour, if either you or your baby requires medical treatment or if you need extra support to recover.
If this is the case you may be transferred to the maternity ward where our team of midwives, nursery nurses and maternity care assistants will care for you and your baby until you are ready to go home. Sometimes birth partners may wish to stay overnight to support their partners and we can accommodate this by providing recliner chairs or foldaway beds at the bedside to facilitate periods of rest.
Birth partners can help with:
- changing baby’s nappies.
- helping mum with feeding baby.
- settling baby by cuddling skin-to-skin.
- assisting mum with her own personal care.
- looking after baby to allow mum to rest.
- helping with baby to allow mum to eat her meals.
Transitional Care
Transitional care can be accommodated within any of the inpatient maternity departments however, four rooms have been specially designed within the maternity ward to support this.
Transitional Care is available for babies requiring extra care but not admission to the neonatal unit
- Babies born prematurely (4- 6 weeks early)
- Babies who are small or may need support to maintain their temperature
- Babies who require treatment for jaundice
- Babies who require additional nursing needs
Babies remain with their mothers - who are actively involved in their baby’s care – a senior Paediatrician or Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (ANNP) visits the ward daily to assess progress and discuss any concerns.
