We’re looking forward to caring for you and your family at George Eliot Hospital. We hope that the following few months are a happy and healthy time for you and your baby. Our experienced team are here to help and support you during this exciting but sometimes anxious time. Our website explains the many ways in which we can care for you.
More than 2,000 women give birth at the George Eliot every year and are looked after by our specialist teams who support families from the early stages of pregnancy, through birth and after delivery, in a high quality, safe and friendly environment.
We offer both midwife and consultant led care, depending on your own personal needs. We place an emphasis on providing individualised care in a friendly and welcoming environment.
Birth preparation classes
All birth preparation classes are currently online. For more information, visit the Antenatal Education page.
Delivery Suite
This area has ten modern delivery rooms and an obstetric theatre. A variety of different pain relief is offered including gas and air, pethidine and epidural.
Birthing Pools
We have two state-of-the-art birthing pools. Many mums report that water has helped them to relax during labour.
Our birthing rooms have a calm, relaxing environment with interactive mood lighting and a music system which allows you to play your own choice of music via Bluetooth. This helps to make your birth experience as comfortable and personalised as possible.
Special Care Baby Unit
Our Special Care Baby Unit has 12 cots for babies who require some extra help from 32 weeks of gestation.
Drayton Ward
Drayton is a 23 bedded ward offering antenatal and postnatal care, with a dedicated bay for any women having their labour induced. This is where you and your baby go following delivery.
Women are advised to bring a warm dressing gown as part of their bag to wear during their stay on the ward, this will be especially important to mothers due to have a caesarean section.
Free parking for birth partners during labour
We offer 24 hours free parking and a meal voucher for our restaurant for birth partners during labour.
Financial advice and support during your pregnancy
We have a dedicated advice page with useful links during your pregnancy including travel support, and information about the maternity exemption certificate. Further information can be found here.
Feeling unwell during your pregnancy
If you find yourself feeling unwell during your pregnancy find out more
Consenting to treatment advice
Our team in the community
George Eliot Hospital Community Midwives are passionate, committed and strive to deliver high standards of care for our women and their babies.
Our Community midwives work in partnership with other agencies such as GPs, Health Visitors, Children's Centres and many other services to provide care in a variety of settings.
They provide antenatal care to expectant mums to ensure the welllbeing of mum and baby. If an expectant mum chooses to deliver her baby at home she will be looked after by a community midwife.
Community midwives also provide postnatal care and offer valuable support including infant feeding. They also have a team of breastfeeding support workers who can offer extra support after delivery for mums who may be having difficulties or just need some reassurance, either in the home setting or over the telephone.
Community Midwives office 024 7686 5022
Lead Community Midwife- Michelle Baxter
Our dynamic team of doctors, midwives, healthcare support workers and sonographers pride ourselves in ensuring the care you receive here at George Eliot Hospital is tailored to meet your individual needs.
We endeavour to support your informed decisions and assert the NHS patient partnership principle of ‘No decision about me without me’
Pregnancy and birth is a profoundly normal, physiological experience. Sometimes pregnancy requires enhanced care and everyone within the Antenatal clinic team have the privilege of advocating this service for you and your family.
Our aim is to ensure your safety and provide a positive empowering experience.
Our clinics run Monday to Friday. 8:30 to 5:30pm.
We have consultant led clinics for women who require enhanced care. We also midwifery led clinics for low risk women
We would like to hear your views about how to improve our services to meet your needs. We have recently started our clinics earlier following feedback from our patients. You can either complete a friends and family test when you visit the clinic or call us on 024 7686 5049
Midwifery Leads
- Matron (Maternity Outpatients and Community Midwifery Services) - Rebecca Cadman
- Antenatal Clinic, MAU & Triage Manager - Sam Nightingale
This department is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am - 1pm, please note that after 1pm the EPAU phone automatically diverts to maternity reception. The Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit is for anyone having problems such as bleeding before 16 weeks pregnancy.
The Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit has now moved to Outpatients C in the main hospital from 1st floor maternity. The phone number is 02476 86 5570.
Did you know you can now get your Whooping Cough Vaccine (Pertussis Vaccine) in the George Eliot Hospital Maternity Unit at the same time as your 20 week scan.
Act now to protect your baby from whooping cough from birth. You can request the vaccination from your midwife after your 20 week scan at your antenatal appointment or you can just turn up to Floor 1, Maternity between Monday – Friday 9am -5pm.
The best time to get vaccinated to protect your baby is from 16 weeks up to 32 weeks of pregnancy. This maximises the chance that your baby will be protected from birth, through the transfer of your antibodies before he or she is born.
If for any reason you miss having the vaccine, you can still have it up until you go into labour. However, this is not ideal, as your baby is less likely to get protection from you. At this stage of pregnancy, having the vaccination may not directly protect your baby, but would help protect you from whooping cough and from passing it on to your baby.
The best way to protect babies against RSV infection is for the mother to have the vaccine during pregnancy. This will be available from September 2024.
Vaccination reduces the risk of severe RSV lung infection by around 70% in the first six months of life.
The vaccine boosts the pregnant woman’s immune system to make antibodies that can fight RSV infection. These antibodies then pass through the placenta to help protect the baby from birth.
The vaccine will be offered from week 28 of pregnancy, by our maternity service. If you haven’t been offered the vaccine around the time of your 28-week antenatal appointment, contact your maternity service to make an appointment.
Having the RSV vaccine in week 28 or within a few weeks of this gives the best protection for the baby, including if they are born early. Having the vaccine later in the pregnancy will still provide some protection from infection and reduce the risk of spreading infection to the newborn baby. If it wasn’t possible to have a dose earlier, it can be given right up until you have the baby.
Click here to find out more about the vaccination or speak to your midwife.
Homebirth advice at George Eliot Hospital
Pregnant women can find out about the option of having a baby at home from our Community midwives or by attending our specialist information sessions at George Eliot Hospital Maternity hospital.
George Eliot Hospital’s experienced team of midwives now offer the chance for families to find out if homebirth could be a choice for their own pregnancy.
Community midwives with experience of homebirth are able to share valuable advice and families and can also meet parents who have enjoyed birthing their baby at home too at our information sessions..
Dates for homebirth sessions are advertised here and on facebook page @GEHMaternity.
Pregnant women have a number of options available to them when they are pregnant, a home birth is often considered to be no longer an option when actually many women would benefit from the relaxed and familiar environment having your baby at home offers them.
Homebirth is not advised for all pregnancies. This will depend on your needs and any risk factors you may have. These can all be discussed at one of our homebirth evenings or with your community midwife.
George Eliot Hospital website provides a wealth of information to support parents who choose to give birth through George Eliot Hospital maternity services.
COVID-19 Vaccinations for Pregnant Women
George Eliot Hospital is now offering COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant women.
Please note that the walk in sessions are for anyone requiring Booster vaccinations or dose 1 or dose 2 vaccinations. You must have had your second dose at least three months ago to qualify for a Booster vaccination.
Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Coronavirus information for parents (geh.nhs.uk)
Advice for Pregnant Women
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, fertility and coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have created a document which aims to support women make a personal informed choice about whether to accept a COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy, in discussion with a healthcare professional https://www.rcog.org.uk/covid-vaccine
Public Health England have also created a guide to COVID-19 vaccination for all women of childbearing age, those currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
https://
I am pregnant. Do I need a flu vaccination this year?
All pregnant women should have the flu vaccine to help protect themselves and their babies. The flu vaccine can be given safely at any stage of pregnancy, from conception onwards.
Pregnant women benefit from the flu vaccine because it helps:
- reduce their risk of serious complications such as pneumonia, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy
- reduce the risk of miscarriage or having a baby born too soon or with a low birth weight, which can be complications of flu
- help protect their baby who will continue to have some immunity to flu during the first few months of its life
- reduce the chance of the mother passing flu to her new baby
Free flu vaccinations for mums-to-be are offered to pregnant women at George Eliot Hospital Maternity Unit each Autumn.
For more information contact your midwife or speak to any member of staff during your hospital appointment.
Call us on 024 7686 5445 for further information or visit our website www.
George Eliot Hospital PIPPS Team - Providing Information and Positive Parenting Support
PIPPS Team contacts
Sam Baxter 07789935429
Steph Rawden 07785541559
Katy Mcginty 07796941510
Our email is PIPPS
At George Eliot Hospital we also have a dedicated community team called PIPPS (Providing Information & Positive Parenting Support) to look after women who need extra support. The team support and care for all women aged 19 and under at the time of conception.
Children centres where we are based:
Atherstone children and family centre
Riversley Park children centre
Stockingford Early years and library
St Michael's children's centre
Camp hill children and family centre
Anyone who wants to stop smoking can contact NHS Warwickshire Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Service-text or call 07917 227004 (you may be charged for this text/call– check with your service provider), email ssip
The Warwickshire stop smoking in pregnancy service has specially advisors to help pregnant women stop smoking. Free Nicotine replacement products and regular support is available.
Advice for pregnant mums
George Eliot Hospital Maternity Services recommends that all smokers including pregnant mums consider using the free specialist stop smoking services.
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of harm to babies. Carbon monoxide from burning cigarettes enters the mum's lungs and then quickly enters the baby's bloodstream via the placenta, leaving less oxygen for baby to develop and grow properly. Each cigarette smoked deprives babies of oxygen for around 20 minutes, increasing their heart rate.
Stopping smoking during pregnancy can reduce the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, having smaller , weaker and underdeveloped babies. it can also reduce the risk of pre term deaths, cot death and breathing problems after birth.
Midwives can refer pregnant women to the Warwickshire Stop Smoking Service and a local Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Advisor will ring pregnant women to discuss all the options available. Smokers can also visit www.
The stop smoking in pregnancy service provides access to a local specialist stop smoking in pregnancy advisor, either at home or in a local pharmacy, regular appointments for support and advice throughout the pregnancy and free Nicotine Replacement Therapy
George Eliot Hospital became a Smoke Free Site from 1 January 2016. This move to a totally smoke-free site is based on guidance from NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and George Eliot Hospital’s own commitment to lead the way and set an example in providing a totally smoke free environment.
Are you pregnant or have given birth in the last 12 months? You are entitled to free NHS dental treatment and NHS prescriptions with a valid maternity exemption certificate.
Ask your midwife about the digital maternity exemption service
https:/
Maternity exemption certificates
A maternity exemption certificate entitles you to free NHS prescriptions.
You can also use the certificate as proof that you are entitled to free NHS dental treatment while you are pregnant.
Find out if you're entitled to help with other health costs using the NHS eligibility checker.
Who is entitled
You’re entitled to a maternity exemption certificate if, at the time of your application, you are pregnant or have given birth in the last 12 months.
How you can apply
Speak to your midwife, doctor or health visitor. They'll complete the application for you. They can do this as soon as they confirm that you’re pregnant.
If they use the digital maternity exemption service you can get your certificate by email as soon as they have completed the application.
Otherwise, you'll get a paper certificate in the post within 10 working days of us receiving your application
Further information about support or financial support for pregnant women can be found here.