The third stage of labour is the time between when your baby has been born and the birth of the placenta. Your womb will continue to contract and will be reducing in size. As your womb becomes smaller the placenta will comes away from the side of the uterus and move down into your vagina. As this happens you will have some blood loss as the blood vessels that were connecting the placenta and the uterus will temporarily bleed. The blood loss reduces once the blood vessels constrict and close up the space where your placenta was attached. Physiological third…

Deep Vein Thrombosis This is when a blood clot forms in the deep vein of the calf, leg or pelvis. Women are more at risk of developing a blood clot during pregnancy and after having a baby and a caesarean section can further increase this risk.  Therefore it is essential to look out for possible symptoms. Symptoms can include: A red, hot swollen leg Your entire leg being swollen or a feeling of heaviness Tenderness or pain in your leg which may only be felt when standing or walking  A DVT can lead to a pulmonary embolism (PE), this is…

The aim of this parents’ guide is to ensure all parents receive information about the Infant Feeding Policy.

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Inflammatory arthritis activity can vary and there will be times when it is manageable and other times when you may experience flare-ups. A flare-up of your inflammatory arthritis may include symptoms such as worsening of joint pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue and general “unwell” feeling. Flare-ups are unpredictable and can start suddenly or after an illness such as a chest or urinary infection or a stressful period (physical or mental). Triggers may not always be identifiable. You must seek urgent medical attention if you have a joint that becomes red, hot, swollen, and painful and a fever, as this may suggest…

Our theatre team undertake more than 13,000 operations every year for inpatients and day surgery patients. We care for our patients by ensuring that operations are carried out in the safest, most modern surroundings, with high quality care and treatment, provided by our expert theatre surgeons and theatre teams. Our dedicated theatre team is always looking for ways to improve the service we provide.  We keep up to date with current research and progress, as well as assessing and review our skills regularly.  We operate on patients from Herefordshire and the surrounding areas, and patients from other areas can choose…

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…

Labour can be categorised into the latent phase of labour and the active/established stage. The pain relief options will be slightly different for each stage. The Latent Phase This is the early phase of labour where your cervix will be softening and getting ready for established labour.  You may experience some period type discomfort and irregular tightening’s, the sensations you feel will most likely be in your lower abdomen and lower back as your cervix softens. For this stage of labour, there are lots of things you can do to help yourself feel more comfortable: Use a hot water bottle…

  Safeguarding adults (7/5/25) Safeguarding adults - means protecting the most vulnerable from abuse and neglect.  Find out more and how to report adult safeguarding concerns.  All adults have the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. Adults have a legal right to make their own decisions, even if they are unwise, as long as they have capacity to make that decision and are free from coercion or undue influence. Abuse and neglect can take many forms. It may be an isolated incident, a series of incidents or a long term pattern of behaviour and could affect…

The ‘Macmillan Renton Unit’ is a purpose built outpatient facility at Wye Valley NHS Trust, in Hereford, which opened in 2011. Macmillan Renton is an outpatient unit caring for patients who have cancer or where cancer is suspected. Haematology outpatient appointments are also held in this unit. Outpatient clinics as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy are held daily (Monday to Friday), as well as other treatments, such as blood transfusions.  The Unit is supported by a broad range of staff. These include Specialist Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists, Radiotherapists, Health Care Assistants, and Support Workers.  Our multidisciplinary team are…