Conditions treated
We offer services to suit all pregnant women and their families.
Midwifery and obstetric services work side by side to ensure all women and unborn babies receive a rapid and seamless transition to senior medical or midwifery care should the need arise.
Service statistics
5,200 women gave birth at UCLH in 2009. Approximately 1,000 women chose to have their babies at home or in our midwife-led birth centre.
Patient support services
Each pregnant woman is assigned a named midwife throughout her pregnancy.
Patient aftercare
Our postnatal booklet (click here to download a copy) covers the main issues you may need to know about after the birth of your baby.
After the birth of your baby, you will be encouraged to go home soon if you and your baby are well and you have no complications. The community midwifery team willl continue to provide midwifery care at home. If you are not going straight home from the labour ward or birth centre, you and your baby will be cared for in one of the following areas:
Postnatal wards
Most women and their babies are admitted to the postnatal wards. Women who have had a straightforward birth and whose babies are well can expect to stay between six and 24 hours. If you have had a caesarean section your stay in hospital will be a bit longer (usually between 24 and 48 hours).
Transfer lounge
On the day you transfer home will endeavour to discharge you by 11am. Sometimes this can be delayed so you may be asked to wait in our lounge ready to go home.
Transitional care
This is for babies who require extra care but are well enough not to be admitted to the neonatal unit. Care is provided for mothers and babies together by our midwives and neonatal staff.
Neonatal unit
Some babies (approximately one in ten) require care in the neonatal unit after birth. Often parents are aware of this before birth, however sometimes it can be unexpected. Babies admitted to the neonatal unit are cared for by a team of highly specialised neonatal doctors and nurses.
As well as being a the local referral centre for the North Central London Perinatal Network, the neonatal unit at UCLH cares for many babies with complex problems who are referred from further afield.
Vitamin K
We all require Vitamin K so that we won’t bleed too easily. Babies are born with small amounts of vitamin K compared to adults and older children. We recommend that babies receive a dose of Vitamin K, so you will be offered this. There are two ways of giving vitamin K: by intramuscular injection or orally. Click here for more information.
Screening
Your baby will be offered a series of routine health checks in the first few weeks of life, including:
- Newborn examination
- Hearing test
- Blood spot screening
Click here for further information.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding gives your baby the best possible start in life. Almost all women can breastfeed successfully. It can sometimes be hard work to begin with but for many it is a wonderful and enjoyable experience.
The staff at UCLH have been trained to help in this area and will support all women who try to breastfeed. Here at UCLH we are actively implementing the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (www.babyfriendly.org.uk) to facilitate practices that are supportive and protective of breastfeeding.