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Jargon buster
epidural anaesthesia
Pain relief given between vertebrae in the spine to stop sensation in the lower body - a popular method of pain relief during labour and childbirth. Find out more at the National Childbirth Trust or NHS Direct.
View the full jargon busterMaternity Unit
Giving Birth
Contact: (0191) 282 5119 - Maternity Unit Reception
Consultant and Midwifery-led Delivery Suite
No one can predict exactly how your labour will progress however we have the facilities to ensure that your experience is as close to your birth plan as possible.
Every member of the Midwifery Care Team in our Delivery Suite is specially trained and each of our delivery rooms fully equipped to deal with both straightforward and complicated births.
Committed to making your experience as close to your birth plan as possible
Spacious enough for mums and their birth partners to move around, birthing balls, bean bags and mats are also available and parents are welcome to bring their own CDs to create a familiar atmosphere. We also have a unique ‘Snoozelum’ - a specially designed room that combines lighting and sound to offer a wonderfully relaxing environment during labour. And we have two pool rooms where you can experience the benefits of labouring and giving birth in water.
The majority of women choose to give birth naturally and our goal is to support you by making labour as straightforward as possible with the least intervention.
Access to expert care if you need it
No two labours are the same and experience across the UK shows that over one in three women will require the help of a specialist medical team to safely deliver their baby. We have a medical team available 24 hours a day. With two high specification maternity theatres and a well equipped recovery area you can be reassured you will be in the safest hands no matter what situation arises. And we also cater for women who choose to have their baby by elective caesarean section, following discussion with their consultant obstetrician and midwife.
Medication is available to all women. You can choose to use Entonox (gas and air), an opiate injection like Diamorphine or an epidural anaesthetic for pain relief in labour. Our team of midwives and obstetricians work closely with anaesthetic staff to ensure 24 hour availability of pain relief.
