Wye Valley NHS Trust

Before labour starts, the neck of the womb (cervix) is long, firm and closed. Even before labour begins, the cervix can be drawn up and gets thinner.  The ‘latent’ phase of labour is the very first part of your labour – the early part of first stage. During the ‘latent’ phase the neck of the womb thins and opens up to about 3 to 4 cm.  The latent phase can last several days or weeks before active labour starts. This is normal. Some women have bouts of contractions lasting a few hours, which then stop and start again later or…

Please ask your midwife about antenatal colostrum harvesting.  There are many reasons why you might choose to do this, regardless of your feeding goals. It is of particular benefit where your baby is at risk of having low blood sugars after birth for instance, if you are diabetic or taking certain medications.  Your midwife will give you a pack with all you need to get started and explain when it is safe to do so.  Colostrum is the first milk produced by your body.  This starts in pregnancy as your body prepares for the birth of your baby. It is…

This service aims are: For all People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Herefordshire to have access to the MS nurse service within a variety of settings To provide a responsive service to the changing needs of the person with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), their families and carers Provide health promotion for people newly diagnosed with MS Undertake the management of people with MS at and after diagnosis Provide education for carers of the person with MS and also health and social care staff Management and co-ordination of the disease modifying medication Palliative care and management of people throughout the whole of their disease trajectory leading to being severely…

Research regarding people who have persistent pain suggests that the greatest long-term benefits are felt by those who keep practising relaxation, pacing and a gentle fitness programme, but when you have persistent pain, managing these and ‘everyday’ activities can be very difficult. It might feel like the pain is in control. There can be traps to fall into; pushing through pain, avoiding activity, or falling into a ‘boom and bust’ cycle.   For more information, helpful tips and experiences shared by other people dealing with chronic health conditions and/or persistent pain visit the Health Talk website. What is Pacing? Pacing…

Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) patient information leaflet. MRSA is a micro-organism or germ that may be harmlessly carried by many people on their skin and in their noses where it usually causes no problem. If it gets into an area such as sputum, urine or a wound it may cause an infection, particularly in people who are already unwell.

Macmillan cancer information and support service

At your booking appointment your midwife will go through all the screening that you will be offered during pregnancy and for your baby once they are born. The first screening will involve a blood test at your initial appointment, which will be looking for infectious diseases, your rhesus factor, your haemoglobin level, your blood type and if you have any antibodies.  Also at this appointment your midwife will make a referral for you to have a dating scan, which will give you an estimated date of birth for baby.  At this scan they will ask if you would like to…

Welcome to Wye Valley NHS Trust Community Midwifery, our aim is to support you and your family through pregnancy, labour and after the birth. As a team of Community Midwives we aim to provide the highest standard of care support and advice. We offer of range of options where to give birth to your baby, either in hospital, or at home. It is our aim to help you achieve your ideal birth experience, be that in the home or within the hospital. We have five Community Midwifery Teams providing care to the women of Herefordshire. Your named midwife is linked…

A comprehensive guide Induction of labour (IOL) is the attempt to bring on labour when a woman is not showing any signs of being in labour, it is now a commonly used intervention, with 1 in 3 women experiencing it.  As with any intervention offered in pregnancy and birth, you, as the mother have the option to accept or decline. In order to make that decision you will need up-to-date, evidence-based information about that topic. We want all women to have the same information and to empower you to make the right decision for you, your baby and your family.…

Job Title: Consultant Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon Qualifications Mr Oakley studied Medicine at Glasgow University, graduating in 1991. His specialist registrar training was on the Northern Regional Orthopaedic Training Programme whilst living in Durham. In 2001, he passed his FRCS (Tr & Orth) and completed an Arthroplasty Fellowship at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, and a Trauma fellowship in Denver, Colorado, USA. He returned, as a Consultant, to Hereford in 2003. Research interests include hip and knee replacement, and arthroscopic knee surgery. Research papers on: Day Surgery Hernias (BJS) DVT Prophylaxis (BMJ) Hip Fractures (Injury) Fixation of Clavicle Fractures (EFFORT)…