Where to have your baby

Choosing where to have your baby: what is available within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

The law protects your right to decide where you give birth. The legal principle of consent means that you cannot be compelled to give birth in any particular location or medical setting against your will, so long as you have mental capacity to make your own decisions. Your midwife will discuss the options available in your area but if you’re willing to travel, you’re free to choose any maternity services. By envisioning where you would want to be when your baby comes, you’ll ultimately be led to the right hospital.

For more information about birthrights visit: Choice of place of birth – Birthrights

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) – Royal Stoke University Hospital

This service provides high quality, evidence-based care to around 6,500 women and babies from Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire each year and our maternity unit at Royal Stoke includes a consultant-led unit, Midwife Birth Centre and Neonatal Unit.

For more information: UHNM – Royal Stoke University Hospital

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) – New Cross Hospital

New Cross Hospital has a consultant-led care unit, a midwife-led care unit, a home birth service and a birthing pool.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) – Queens Hospital Burton

The labour ward at Queens Hospital Burton provides care to women before, during and after giving birth. There are seven single bed en-suite labour rooms including a pool room. Healthcare professionals work as a multidisciplinary team with midwives, obstetricians, anaesthetists, paediatricians and support workers. Two birthing partners may stay throughout the labour.

For more information: (UHDB) – Queens Hospital Burton

Home birth

A home birth offers women the opportunity to give birth in the comfort of their own home. You will receive one to one care from a midwife in your own home and will have two midwives present for the birth. You are particularly suitable for a home birth if you have no medical conditions, have had an uncomplicated pregnancy, did not experience complications in any previous labours and labour starts spontaneously after 37 weeks.