Maternity and Neonatal Services

You no longer need to see a GP and can refer yourself for maternity care by filling out our online form.

We’re happy to help if you have any difficulties completing the form or any other issues. You can speak to us in the Bluebell Birth Centre by calling 01926 495321 ext 6977.

Please note we do not take out-of-area referrals via this route. Please speak to the midwifery team in your local area to complete the specific referral we require.

To refer yourself for maternity care, please use the maternity care referral form.

We will then be in touch by email with some useful advice about keeping well in pregnancy and the details of your appointments. If you don’t receive any emails from us, please check your junk folder.

The NHS advises that you take a 400 micrograms or 5mg folic acid tablet every day before you’re pregnant and until you’re 12 weeks pregnant. Folic acid can help prevent birth defects known as neural tube defects, including spina bifida. If you did not take folic acid before you conceived, you should start as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. More information about the right amount for you can be found here.

Screening tests

Screening tests are used to find people at higher chance of a health condition. We offer all pregnant women and birthing people screening tests during pregnancy to look for certain health conditions that could affect them or their baby. Screening tests are also offered for babies soon after they are born, so they can be given appropriate treatment as quickly as possible if needed.

Whether you decide to have each test is a personal choice that only you can make. You can decide which tests are right for you and your baby.

Watch a video showing the screening tests available during pregnancy and for newborn babies.

The GOV.UK website provides further information. This is available in a number of languages and in easy read guides. It may be helpful to look at this before your booking appointment (first appointment) with your midwife. They will be happy to talk to you about any concerns or questions that you have.

If you’d like a printed copy of this information, your midwife can arrange this.

Cervical screening 

You will not usually need to have cervical screening if you’re pregnant, or could be pregnant, until at least 12 weeks after you’ve given birth. This is because pregnancy can make it harder to get clear results.

If you’re already pregnant and due for a cervical screening test then tell your GP or clinic. You will usually be advised to reschedule the test for a date around 12 weeks after your baby is born.

If you’ve previously had an abnormal result from a cervical screening test, you may need to be screened while you’re pregnant. Your GP or midwife may ask you to have a cervical screening test at your first antenatal appointment. This test will not affect your pregnancy.

Planning where to give birth is a very important decision that you will need to consider during your pregnancy. You can choose to have your baby at our maternity unit, either in the Bluebell Birth Centre or the Labour Ward, or in the comfort of your own home supported by our community midwifery team.

We will work with you to support your birth choices.

Watch a tour of our maternity services.

Home

A home birth is an option for you if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy.

Home is an ideal place to have your baby. Birthing in a comfortable, familiar setting will help you to feel more in control and relaxed. Having your baby at home will also increase your chances of having a vaginal birth. Your family will also be able to see the baby straight away and remain together after the birth.

Women and birthing people often decide to labour and give birth at home because they are in a familiar environment where they can move around more freely. This can reduce the need for strong pain relief, although gas and air (Entonox) and aromatherapy can still be used. A birth pool can also be hired which is an excellent form of pain relief and can help you move more easily in to the positions required in labour.

If you give birth at home, you'll be supported by a midwife who is experienced and confident in delivering care in the community. The midwife will be with you while you are in labour and stay with you until after your baby has been born and had a successful feed. A second midwife will join you before the birth to give extra help and support.

If you need any additional help or your labour is not progressing as it should, your midwife will plan for you to travel to a hospital. If this situation arises, the midwife will request the level of urgency that is required from the ambulance service. It’s important that you have either a good Wi-Fi connection or telephone service when choosing to give birth at home. The community midwives would continue to provide care for you throughout your time at home and during any transfer to hospital.

The advantages of giving birth at home include:

• Being in familiar surroundings where you may feel more relaxed and better able to cope.
• Not having to interrupt your labour to go into hospital which enables your labour hormones to progress better.
• Not needing to leave your other children, if you have any, although childcare arrangements should be made. Your children and family members can be part of the process when your baby joins the family.
• Not being separated from your partner after the birth and able to relax in your own bed.
• Increased likelihood of being looked after by a midwife you have gotten to know during your pregnancy.
• You will need less pain relief in labour because of the support of the midwife and the environment you are in.
• You are more likely to be upright during labour and birth as you will be encouraged to walk and move around. This helps in progressing your labour, as lying on a bed is usually uncomfortable and doesn’t make the most of gravity to aid your progress.
• You are more likely to have a vaginal birth because you will need less pain relief and you’re more likely to be upright and mobile.
• You are more likely to have a water birth, if you chose to hire one, as it is only for your use. Being in water assists with the discomfort of labour and in adopting better positions for labour and birth.
• You are less likely to need an episiotomy (cut to perineum). We know that women and birthing people who are active in labour, are more likely to push their baby out naturally without much help. This can reduce the pressure on the tissue and make a cut less likely.
• You are more likely to start breastfeeding successfully if you have a positive birth experience. Women and birthing people who’ve had a home birth almost always describe their birth experiences positively.
• You can have more than one birth supporter if you wish. It’s your home and you can have who you want present. We suggest you only have people that are helpful to you though.

We can’t guarantee that our community midwives will be able to support your home birth and you may be asked to attend the hospital. This is dependent on how busy our services are and the number of staff we have available at the time you go in to labour.

Talk to your midwife if you are considering a home birth, they can give you more information and discuss whether a home birth is suitable for you and your baby.

Bluebell Birth Centre

Bluebell Birth Centre is our midwifery-led birthing unit at Warwick Hospital. If both you and your baby are well, you might choose to give birth here. Bluebell provides a calm and relaxing atmosphere. There are four birthing suites, all with birth pools and en-suite bathrooms, as well as comfy beds for after your baby is born.

You will find the approach to your labour and the birth is not medical. Midwives are highly trained to offer support and encouragement, and care for you when you have an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth. They will advise you on the different ways to cope in labour such as using alternative positions, relaxation and water for labour. You will be in an environment that does not look like a hospital and feels more homely.

The advantages of giving birth in the Bluebell Birth Centre include:

• You will need less pain relief in labour because of the support of the midwife, and the environment and facilities available to you during labour.
• You are more likely to be upright during labour and birth as you will be encouraged to walk and move around. This helps in progressing your labour, as lying on a bed is usually uncomfortable and doesn’t make the most of gravity to aid your progress.
• You are more likely to have a vaginal birth because you will need less pain relief and you’re more likely to be upright and mobile.
• You are more likely to have a water birth as there is a birth pool in each suite. Being in water helps you to be in comfortable positions for labour.
• You are less likely to need an episiotomy (cut to perineum). We know that women and birthing people who are active in labour, are more likely to push their baby out naturally without much help. This can reduce the pressure on the tissue and make a cut less likely.
• The environment of a birth centre helps women and birthing people to have positive birth experiences.
• You are more likely to establish breastfeeding successfully if you have had a positive birth experience.
• You can have more than one birth supporter if you wish. Your family can be with you throughout the birth but please check with the midwife first.
• Your birth supporter can stay with you after the birth of your baby and until you’re ready to go home.

If there is a complication during your pregnancy you will be seen by an obstetrician. If this happens, you might be advised to give birth in the Labour Ward.

Most women and birthing people who give birth in Bluebell do so without any problems, however a small percentage experience difficulties and will be transferred to the Labour Ward to receive care from the obstetric team. If your baby experiences any complications, we will perform all the necessary emergency procedures and ask for the help of the Paediatric Department.

It’s important to know that Bluebell doesn’t have obstetricians; they are based in the Labour Ward. We don’t provide epidurals, continuous fetal monitoring or provide caesarean sections in Bluebell; these are provided in Labour Ward.

Talk to your midwife if you are considering giving birth in Bluebell, they can give you more information and discuss whether this is a suitable option for you and your baby.

Labour Ward

Our Labour Ward at Warwick Hospital has seven birthing rooms, all with an en-suite shower room. We have one room with a birth pool. Every effort will be made for you to use the birth pool if appropriate but there may be occasions when it’s already in use.

The Labour Ward provides a relaxing birthing environment, however, should you or your baby require additional care and support, obstetric, paediatric and anaesthetists are available in addition to the midwifery team.

Anyone can choose to give birth in the Labour Ward, however, if you have a complex pregnancy, you may be advised to give birth in this setting.

The advantages of giving birth in the Labour Ward include:

• An obstetrician will be close at hand, if your labour becomes complicated.
• If you have certain medical conditions, it might be recommended that you have your baby in hospital where there are specialists available.
• You can be offered a wider range of options to help you manage your contractions and labour. Pain relief options include epidural, gas and air (Entonox), pethidine and Remifentanil. For more information, the following website might be helpful: Labour Pains: pain relief and anaesthesia choices during labour
• Both intermittent and continuous fetal monitoring are available in the Labour Ward. If continuous monitoring is necessary, this can be performed using a wireless device which allows you to move around during your labour.
• You may find it reassuring to know extra help is available.

Talk to your midwife or obstetrician about your birth options, they can give you more information and answer any questions you might have.

Obstetric Theatres

At Warwick Hospital we have two obstetric theatres that are integrated into our Labour Ward. This is so we can transfer you quickly and safely in to theatre if needed. Our obstetric theatres are used for planned and emergency caesarean sections, as well as some assisted births (also known as instrumental births) and perineal repairs. We have a dedicated obstetric theatre team who will support you throughout your procedure. Your birth supporter can be with you throughout your time in theatre.

Useful links

The following websites may be helpful if you’d like to find out more about your birth options including the advantages and risks:

• NHS: where to give birth
• Tommy's: where can I give birth
• NCT: birth options
• Birth Rights: choice of place of birth

If you have your baby in hospital

We offer inpatient postnatal care in both the Bluebell Birth Centre and on Swan Ward. Following the birth of your baby, you will be made comfortable and you will meet the team who will co-ordinate the care of you both.

When will you go home?

We support women and birthing people and their new babies to return home as soon as possible. When you go home will depend on your individual clinical needs and those of your baby, and when you feel ready to do so.

Vaginal birth

In the event of an uncomplicated birth, you will be able to go home from about six hours after you’ve given birth. The average length of stay in the unit is one day following a vaginal birth and one to two days after an instrumental vaginal delivery.

Caesarean section

You can expect to go home one to two days after your caesarean section providing all is well. If you have an elective/planned caesarean section, the recovery care aims to have you fit and well enough to go home the day after.

If you or your baby require a longer stay due to any additional care or arising complications, the postnatal ward midwife or doctor who is involved in your care will discuss this with you.

Before you leave

We will:

• Support you to feed and care for your baby
• Complete a postnatal assessment for you to ensure you are recovering well and are ready to leave
• Complete a full, detailed physical check of your baby, and arrange a hearing screening test
• Give you information, details of follow-up visits from your midwifery team in the community and any medication you may need
• Give you a wave goodbye (or a hug!) and check if you have any more questions before you go

You will:

• Need to ensure you know how you are travelling home with your baby, including bringing an appropriate car seat if taking your baby home in a vehicle

If you have a home birth

If you have your baby at home and there are no complications you will stay at home. Your midwife will make you comfortable, examine your baby, complete documentation and give you emergency numbers to call before leaving. A midwife will return to visit you the next day.

The next day your baby will have a more detailed check, either at home or you may be asked to bring your baby to the Bluebell Birth Centre. You will be sent an appointment for your baby to have a hearing screening test as an outpatient appointment at Warwick Hospital.

If your baby needs additional support

Transitional care

Transitional care is the extra support given to babies who are well enough to be cared for at the bedside with their parents, but who need a little extra assistance beyond the usual postnatal care. By looking after babies in this way it builds the relationship between parent and child and reduces admissions to the neonatal unit.

Transitional care is delivered on Swan Ward at Warwick Hospital. Your baby may require transitional care directly after they’re born or following some time on the SCBU. There are several reasons why your baby may need transitional care, for example:

• Your baby is born five to seven weeks early
• Your baby is small
• Your baby needs help keeping warm or with feeding
• Your baby needs phototherapy (light treatment) for jaundice
• Your baby needs treatment with antibiotics

If your baby requires transitional care, SWFT has a leaflet containing further information:

SWH 06238 Maternity transitional care unit.

SCBU

Sometimes babies are born requiring specialist care and attention. Our SCBU cares for babies born unwell or premature who may need extra support with breathing, feeding and keeping warm. 

Specialist nurses and doctors are available to answer any questions you may have whilst your baby receives the treatment they need. During this time parental involvement in decision making and care is fully encouraged and supported.

For further information visit: NHS Special Care for Unwell or Premature Babies

If your baby is being cared for on SCBU, SWFT has a leaflet containing lots of useful information:

SWH 00537 Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).

You can also view the interactive Neonatal Unit tour which has been designed to help you understand what to expect before you arrive on the unit. The 3D tour will enable you to explore the unit, get to know your way around, and includes useful information such as:

• Directions and facilities
• Commonly used equipment
• Educational videos
• Support available
• Useful website links

Interactive neonatal unit tour resources:

• Tips on exploring the unit tour
• User guide for neonatal virtual tours

If your baby needs a higher level of medical and nursing support, they might be transferred to a local neonatal unit (level two unit) or a neonatal intensive care unit (level three unit).

We are proud that that our maternity services have been awarded UNICEF Baby Friendly accreditation for our standard of care. This accreditation indicates that we provide parents with the best possible care to build close and loving relationships with their baby and to feed their baby in ways which will support optimum health and development.

The Infant Feeding Team has created a resource on a platform called Padlet which contains lots of evidence based information to support you with feeding your baby.

To access this, please scan the below QR code using the camera on your phone or tablet, or go to SWFT Infant Feeding Padlet.

Contact details:

The Infant Feeding Team are generally available Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:00.

You can contact them on 01926 495321 ext 8584. Outside of these times, they have a voicemail available for non-urgent queries.

For more urgent queries, please contact:

Bluebell Birth Centre on 01926 495321 ext 6977
Swan Ward on 01926 495321 ext 4547

Maternity:

• The SWFT maternity team

Maternity Tour videos:

• Maternity Services Tour
• How to find the Bluebell Birth Centre

Postnatal Discharge Video:

• Maternity Postnatal care

Physio videos:

• Postnatal Physio Class

All patient information leaflets relating to our maternity and neonatal services can be found here.

Family Health, Maternity, and Neonatal Research at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

The Research Team is committed to improving women and birthing people's health, maternity care, and neonatal wellbeing through thorough research with practical outcomes.

Our research aims to:

• Find effective treatments for women and birthing people during pregnancy and childbirth.
• Expand our knowledge to improve the care and guidance we offer.
• Understand patient choices and identify areas for specialised support.

All our research studies go through detailed approval from the Research Ethics Committees (REC) within the Health Research Authority, ensuring the highest standards. Funding for most studies comes from the National Institute of Health Research, with additional support from commercial companies or grant funding in some cases.

Thinking about joining our research? It's completely voluntary and as an organisation we respect your healthcare choices. SWFT welcomes diverse perspectives, where your input helps shape better healthcare practices. Participating in research not only helps us but also benefits you. Your involvement contributes to refining practical approaches for women and birthing people, and families, actively shaping the future of healthcare.

If you're offered participation in a research project, you'll receive information about the study and have the chance to discuss this with your care provider. Here you can ask any questions you might have before deciding whether to take part or not.

Family health, maternity, and neonatal research at SWFT align with NHS values – practical, inclusive, and dedicated to advancing healthcare for all. Explore ongoing projects offered at Warwick Hospital below.

BaBi Warwick 

Born and Bred in (BaBi) Warwick is a large-scale data collection project. ALL women and birthing people who have received maternity care at Warwick Hospital since October 2023, can join the project for themselves and their baby. The study aims to find answers to questions that will help our local community and make things better for families in our area. Warwick Hospital, along with the council, local charities, universities, and others, will decide what questions to explore. BaBi Warwick is the first study like this in the Midlands, and as an organisation we're excited to be one of the first hospitals to take part. 

If you choose to be part of BaBi Warwick, the Research Team will collect information from you and your baby to help us find answers to important questions about our local community. Your information will be kept safe and used only for research and planning how to provide better services.

Learn more about this study: BaBi Warwick.

Giant PANDA Trial

The Giant PANDA Trial is a study that looks at how different medicines for high blood pressure affect women and birthing people with pregnancy hypertension (raised blood pressure in pregnancy) and their babies. In this study, people who want to take part are randomly put into one of two medicine groups. Both medicines are already used to treat high blood pressure during pregnancy routinely.

The main goal of the trial is to figure out which medicine works best.

The Research Team at SWFT will follow the participant's pregnancy and birth and share anonymous information with the trial team. If the medicine the participant is allocated does not work well for treating their high blood pressure, they can go back to the other medicine, whilst staying in the trial.

Learn more about this study: Giant PANDA.

Recurrent Gestational Diabetes Study

Women and birthing people who have previously had Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in pregnancy are invited to take part in this observational study. During pregnancy the hormones released from the placenta can make cells in the body respond less well to insulin, and the body has to produce more insulin. Some women and birthing people, however, cannot produce enough insulin, or their body is more resistant to insulin, causing blood glucose levels to remain high. In pregnancy this is called GDM. 

This study will collect data around women and birthing people’s pregnancy, birth and postnatal period, with the aim to help figure out the best time and method for testing gestational diabetes. Women and birthing people who decide to take part are asked to have a call with our research team to answer questions about them and their baby at six weeks after their baby is born.

The Cleft Collective Study

The Cleft Collective is the world’s largest research program about cleft lip and/or palate. Cleft lip and/or palate are common conditions affecting about 1 in 700 births per year in the UK. This research helps find out where support is needed and how to make it the best it can be. The goal is to improve care for those born with a cleft and their families.

If you're a family with a baby diagnosed with a cleft lip and/or palate during pregnancy, SWFT would love you to join our study when you see the specialist team. This research will help us learn more about what causes cleft, the best treatments, and how it affects families and individuals. The Research Team will ask for some saliva samples and ask you to fill out questionnaires when the condition is diagnosed, and again when the baby is 18 months, 36 months, 5 years, 8 years, 10 years, 12 years, and 15 years old.

Learn more about this study: The Cleft Collective.

Obstetric Bleeding Study (OBS) UK

The OBS UK is ongoing at SWFT since February 2024. Heavy bleeding during and after birth is the most common problem when giving birth to a baby. The study has created a new way of managing heavy bleeding during and after childbirth (called the OBS UK care bundle). This care bundle helps to recognise bleeding early and to standardise the treatment of heavy bleeding during childbirth. The care bundle will be introduced as standard care at SWFT from May 2025 until August 2026.

If you are having your baby (or babies) in England, and you do not want your data to be used for this trial, you will need to contact the national data opt-out. This is a service that allows you to ‘opt out’ of all your health information being used for all future research and planning (not just for this study). If you don’t want your birth data included in this study specifically, talk to your midwife or the research team to ‘opt out’.

Learn more about this study: OBSUK Study.

WithHolding Enteral feeds Around packed red cell Transfusions (WHEAT) Trial - 'Continuing Care Site'

WHEAT stands for WithHolding Enteral feeds Around packed red cell Transfusions. The WHEAT International trial is a big research study. The study aims to find out if stopping milk feeds around the time of blood transfusions can help reduce a serious gut disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm babies.

NEC happens to about 1 in 20 very premature babies. Sadly, about 1 in 3 babies with NEC may not survive, and those who do have a higher chance of facing health and developmental issues later on.

Preterm babies get lots of feeds (every 1 - 3 hours) and often need blood transfusions because they become anaemic (not enough red blood cells). Some doctors have concerns that feeding babies during a blood transfusion might make the risk of NEC higher.

The WHEAT Trial wants to figure out what treatment is best. They will compare babies who have feeds stopped with those who keep getting feeds during blood transfusions. Whether feeds stop or continue is randomly allocated by a computer.

Warwick Hospital is a ‘Continuing Care’ site for the WHEAT Trial. This means babies are recruited to the neonatal trial at another unit and when transferred to Warwick Hospital for continuation of their clinical care, the research project will continue at our hospital. Babies born at SWFT will not be recruited.

Learn more about this study: WHEAT.

Find out more 

If you would like more information about any of the studies above, or are interested in taking part in research, please contact our research team:

Research Midwives, Warwick Hospital
Telephone: 01926 495321 ext 8238
Email: researchmidwife@swft.nhs.uk

At SWFT we are committed to ensuring our services are accessible, inclusive and equitable to all who use them regardless of race, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation, social background, disability and age.

Equity means that all women, birthing people and babies achieve the best health outcomes. To ensure this, we will strive to respond to each person’s unique health and social situation – with increasing support as health inequalities increase – so that care is safe and personalised for all.

We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. We will use both 'women' and 'birthing people' to describe our service users and reject any suggestion that respecting non-binary and trans people diminishes women’s rights. Other terminology that we use is reflective of the preference of some individuals for alternative language alongside anatomical terms.  

We will challenge abusive or discriminatory comments or behaviour that are not in line with our inclusive values.

Visit our Equality, diversity and inclusion page on this website for more information about equality, diversity and inclusion at SWFT.

There are currently no restrictions in place within Maternity Services at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust with regard to COVID-19.

If you’re pregnant, you’re at greater risk of becoming seriously ill if you contract COVID-19. If you get COVID-19 later in your pregnancy (more than 28 weeks pregnant), your baby could also be at risk.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and go into labour, you’ll be advised to give birth in the obstetric unit.

Birth partners

If your birth partner has COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19, please consider whether it is essential for them to attend the unit with you or whether you could bring someone else. If you do still wish for them to accompany you, please contact the maternity unit on 01926 495321 ext 4552 prior to arrival. Your birth partner will be asked to wear a mask at all times when in the maternity unit to keep your baby, you, other parents and staff safe and well.

Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for pregnant women and people. Anyone who is pregnant is encouraged to access COVID-19 vaccination during the autumn winter programme, as pregnancy is deemed a clinical risk group for COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccination is available to anyone pregnant irrespective of their previous vaccination history and they should aim to get protected as soon as possible.

The easiest way to access COVID-19 vaccination is by:

• Booking online through the NHS app.
• Contacting your GP to arrange an appointment.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding COVID-19, please contact:

• Bluebell Birth Centre on 01926 495321 ext 6977 or
• Maternity Assessment Suite on 01926 495321 ext 8408

The latest maternity information concerning COVID-19, can be found here:

• NHS - Pregnancy and COVID-19
• RCOG - Pregnancy and COVID-19 FAQs
• GOV UK - COVID-19 Vaccination Guide on Pregnancy and Feeding