'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…

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…

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…

Mindfulness Do you feel that you are in a daily battle with your pain? Is your mind full of thoughts, fears, frustrations or muddle? Do you feel like you are always rushing? Do you hate the idea of “accepting your pain” or “coming to terms with it”? Mindfulness can help you find a calmer way to live life despite having pain. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is merely paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.  It is based on meditation practice which helps you Allow your mind to settle more in the present moment…

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…

Welcome to our breast surgery website page. We hope you find this information helpful.   The Breast Surgery Department specialises in diagnosing and managing breast disorders, and where necessary breast surgery is conducted to remove cancerous tumours and lymph nodes.  If breast surgery is required this is currently being carried out at the County Hospital in Hereford. The County Hospital offers 10 new patient clinics every week allowing excellent access to the breast services. These are specialist ‘one stop’ clinics where full diagnostics, including ultrasound, mammograms and biopsies are carried out in one visit, wherever possible. Breast abscesses can usually be…

Temporary suspension of home birth service: Frequently asked questions 1.      Why has the home birth service been temporarily suspended? The Trust has temporarily paused the service following a national request for all NHS Trusts to assess the sustainability and safety of their home birth provision. Although no recent safety concerns about the Trust’s home birth service have been noted, in light of the national directive, we have reviewed the service and have identified areas in which we need to improve to ensure that we have a safe and sustainable service. In response to the national and local increase in the…

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…

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.…

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