8 to 10 weeks during pregnancy Blood test Haemoglobin anaemia is caused by too little haemoglobin (Hb) in the blood. The Hb is tested as part of the full blood count.  HB carries oxygen and nutrients around the body and to the baby.  Anaemia can make you feel very tired and if you are found to be anaemic you will be offered iron supplements and diet advice.  Blood Group & Antibodies - it is important to find out if you are Rhesus Positive or Negative.  If you are Rhesus Negative you will require extra blood tests and be advised to have…

'Maddie's' story My waters had gone at around 11pm, my partner and I were in bed and I was actually eating profiteroles rolls before going to sleep at the time! It was strange that day…as we had put the car seat into the car, I had sorted all of the babies bottles and had literally got everything ready. After I had realised my waters had gone I phoned maternity triage, the midwife was very helpful and reassured me as I started to get very nervous. I thought I was going to go over my due date. She advised me to…

The advice below is for anyone who is pregnant and needs information about measles. It includes what to do if you have any symptoms of measles, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has measles. If you need to access maternity care and you have measles symptoms or you have been in close contact with someone who has, please phone ahead. This includes if you are coming to hospital in labour, as well as the Maternity Triage or routine appointments in the hospital or community. This will help us to provide care for you in the most…

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.…

  For most pain conditions, pain medication is a choice for symptom relief rather than a necessity to stop a disease process. Any treatment with medicines results in a balance of benefits and harms; if the medicine doesn’t relieve the symptoms then the result of taking the medicine is harm only. Medication can be helpful in acute or short-term pain, and may be used in persistent pain but the latest research shows us that pain medications can become less effective over time and also cause unpleasant side-effects, even increasing sensitivity to pain. That is why it is important to incorporate…

We are committed to reducing the impact on the environment from our activities, wherever possible, whilst at the same time improving the quality of care to our patients and service users and their carers.   We have already taken a number of steps to reduce our carbon footprint at our sites and further steps are underway. These include introducing new technologies to help reduce our carbon emissions at our sites and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for a greener future.   Green Plan The Trust's Green Plan outlines projects, schemes and activities which will lead the Trust  towards its target of…

Birth to 2 hours During this time you will be on Delivery Suite having your well-earned tea and toast and bath while your midwife finishes all of your labour and birth notes. Following the birth of your baby the midwife will conduct an initial top to toe examination of your baby to assess for wellbeing and to identify anything unusual. The check will be performed next to you to provide information and reassurance.  4 hours to 24 hours At this point you will transferred on to Maternity Ward and handover of care will be given from your birth midwife to…

In preparation for your caesarean section Before your elective caesarean section, a couple of pre-operative tests will need to be undertaken. These will include a swab looking for MRSA. MRSA is a bacteria often found on the skin and in the nose of healthy people but can cause infections after surgery. This will be done 4 to 6 weeks prior to your surgery usually at one of your hospital appointments. A blood test needs to be carried out to check that you are not anaemic. A sample will be kept in case you need a blood transfusion during or after…

The maternity ward is located on the second floor at Hereford County Hospital. If you are not wishing for an early discharge from Delivery Suite or if you and your baby need some additional monitoring or support with feeding then you will be transferred to Maternity Ward shortly after birth. When you arrive a midwife will be assigned to care for you and they will come and introduce themselves. There are also Maternity Support Workers and Healthcare Assistants on the ward who can support you and help you with baby cares. Below is some useful information about how the ward…

Eating a healthy diet and being physically active are especially important in pregnancy as your unborn baby has to get everything it needs to grow and develop from its mother. If your weight is higher or lower than the healthy range when you become pregnant, it can affect your pregnancy as well as your general health. Healthy lifestyle and vitamins in pregnancy What is a healthy weight? We use your height and weight to work out your body mass index (BMI). BMI Healthy range 18.5 to 25 Underweight less than 18.5 Overweight 25 to 30 Obese 30 and above During…