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Patients & Visitors

Maternity

Care after Birth

Click here to see our joint website for the RUH, Greate Western and Salisbury Trusts, supporting throughout your pregnancy journey We offer individualised care plans for all woman and their babies in the postnatal period taking into account their medical, emotional, social and physical needs:

If you have an uncomplicated birth, you can expect to go home three to six hours following the birth. Once home, your community team will continue to give you care and postnatal support in several community settings, including home, birth centres, and BBC, visiting in line with your family's needs for up to a maximum of 3 to 4 weeks.

Postnatal care includes advice on infant feeding and management of common and more serious health problems in women and babies after birth. We provide 24-hour advice and support either by telephone or inviting you into your nearest birth centre or maternity unit.

We will also provide, when required, an individualised feeding support plan and offer various methods to support feeding and help you continue breastfeeding for as long as possible. You will receive care throughout this postnatal period from Midwives, Maternity Support Workers and your Health Visitor.

Staying in hospital

There are some reasons why you may need to stay in the hospital unexpectedly after you give birth. If this is the case you will be transferred to Mary Ward where you will be offered a bed to continue your postnatal care until you and your baby are fit to go home. A transfer could be necessary because:

  • You had meconium in your waters (your baby opened their bowels inside you)
  • You required emergency interventions requiring extra recovery time
  • You needed/wanted an epidural

It will be discussed with you on an individual basis why we recommend you to stay longer in hospital as the reasons can vary.

If you have given birth at home or one of the freestanding Birth Centres (Chippenham or Frome) and if you require ongoing postnatal care you will be transferred to Mary Ward at the RUH either by Ambulance or by other means of transport depending on the urgency of your circumstances.

If, during your pregnancy, it is already known that you are likely to need postnatal care for longer than 3-6 hours, due to medical reasons or complications, we will recommend that you give birth at Bath Birth Centre.

Please continue to read the different sections here for further information about the postnatal care available from the RUH Maternity team.

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