After the birth - your hospital stay

A woman sits in bed cradling her newborn baby and smiling up at a maternity department nurse

Our postnatal wards are spaced over two floors to provide new parents and their babies with postnatal care until their discharge into the community.

Marina Ward:  A nine-bedded ward located on the first floor with four-bedded bays and one single occupancy room. The ward has shared bathrooms and is located alongside Day Assessment Unit.

Alexandra Ward:  A 15-bedded ward located on the third floor with a mix of five single occupancy rooms and four-bedded bays. This ward has shared bathrooms and is joined with the Neonatal Transitional Care Unit.

 

8 tips to caring for yourselves

Sometimes, it’s not just your baby that needs taking care of in the early days. Here are some tips about how to take care of yourself after having a baby.

1. Sleep, sleep, sleep

Try to sleep when your baby sleeps. It can be difficult to get uninterrupted sleep when you have a newborn. Sleep when you can, even if it means napping in the day.

"It’s important for new mums to rest and heal after birth."

If you can’t sleep, rest in bed or put your feet up with a book or magazine, watch TV or ring a friend for support and reassurance.

2. Ask for help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, relatives or neighbours. They will be delighted to meet your new baby and help you out. From making you a cuppa, to cooking a meal, washing up or holding your baby while you shower. Ask and you will find plenty of people happy to help.

3. Eat well and keep hydrated

It’s always a good idea to eat healthily but now so more than ever. Try to eat a variety of balanced meals including your recommended five a day of fruit and vegetables. It’s also important to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby.

4. Get a breath of fresh air

Go out for a short walk every day with your baby if you can. Being outdoors can help lift your mood. Even five minutes in a green space can have a positive impact on mental health (MIND, 2018). It’s amazing how fresh air can help when you’ve had a sleepless night.

5. Socialise

Making friends with other new parents in your local area for support and friendship can be really helpful in the early days. See what NCT activities are happening near you or join an NCT Early Days course.

6. Gentle exercise

Getting some light exercise in the early days is good for you too. Walking is a brilliant way to get out and about. Your local NCT group may have a walking group. It’s also important to exercise your pelvic floor muscles.

7. Be kind to yourself

Your baby’s arrival is bound to have an impact on your relationships with your partner, family and friends. Understanding how your relationships might change will help you to adjust confidently and happily to life with a new baby.

8. Be aware

Many new mums experience a mixture of feelings and emotions after they have given birth. It’s normal to feel emotional and upset in the first few days. Usually this passes within a couple of weeks. If it doesn’t this could be a sign of postnatal depression (PND).

It’s good to talk about how you are feeling to your GP or health visitor. Talking to friends and family is also good.

How to look after a newborn baby in those first few days (0 to 12 weeks) (NHS Choices)

Receiving visitors to hospital

One support person able to stay during day and overnight (see below for requirements). 

Additional visiting

2-7pm, a maximum of two people per bedside at any one time. No under 18s, only children of the birthing person are permitted 

Overnight visiting

At our Trust we recognise the importance of family, and we welcome one birth partner/companion to stay overnight on our postnatal wards. 

Having additional support overnight can encourage family bonding and provide practical assistance for mothers with tasks such as baby care, obtaining refreshments and supporting in the early postnatal period.

To help us to keep our women/birthing people, their babies, and our staff safe at all times, we ask that you follow the guidance below. If you are unable to meet the conditions set out, you will not be able to stay overnight and will be asked to leave.

  • One nominated partner or support person may stay overnight on the postnatal ward. There is to be no swapping of named person between the hours of 10pm and 8am.
  • One wristband will be issued to the partner/support person, and this must be worn at all times.
  • Nobody under the age of 18 is permitted to stay overnight as the nominated support person.
  • Support persons are not permitted to use the hospital bed for sleeping/resting. Facilities are limited, and unfortunately, we are not able to provide beds or bedding. A chair is available at each bedside for rest.
  • Please do not sleep on the floor – this poses a considerable health and safety risk to our staff and may delay or prevent care in an emergency.
  • Meals are provided for women and birthing people only, and we do not provide meals to support persons. Unfortunately, we do not have facilities to cook, reheat or store food items and due to Health and Safety regulations, the kitchen is for staff use only.
  • Visitors must not use patient toilets/wash facilities.
  • You must remain appropriately and fully dressed at all times. (Please no pyjamas or night clothes). Shoes must be worn when walking around the ward (no socks/bare feet)
  • Please respect the privacy of other patients, and do not wander around the ward. Do not take your baby off the ward, they must remain with the mother at all times unless separated for medical reasons.
  • We politely request that telephone calls are not made between the hours of 10pm and 8am. Mobile phones should be silenced or switched off during this time.  Loudspeakers should not be used at any time.
  • Partners/support persons are asked to remain on the ward between the hours of 10pm and 8am, only leaving in exceptional circumstances. If you leave the ward between these times, you may not be permitted to return until after 8am.
  • If you are a smoker, please be aware that you will not be permitted to leave the ward to smoke/vape between 10pm and 8am. Please also note that smoking is not permitted anywhere on the site.
  • Please let staff know if you are leaving to go home so that we can update the fire safety log.
  • In the event of an emergency, you may be asked to leave the ward at any time. Please follow the instruction of staff should you be asked to evacuate the ward.
  • Please also be aware that staff must prioritise the care of our women and birthing people, and their babies. Therefore, at times there may be a short wait for the door to be answered or released for exit, however we will endeavour to do so as quickly as possible.
  • The Trust has a zero tolerance approach to violent, disruptive, or aggressive behaviour. Any verbal or physical abuse towards our staff or patients, or behaviours that are deemed to compromise the safety or wellbeing of patients or staff will lead to an immediate request to leave the ward. If you are asked to leave, please do so straight away. Our Security Team can be called to assist at any time.
  • We reserve the right to decline or withdraw permission to stay on the ward at any time. 

Contact details

01895 279459 or 01895 279934. 

Scar massage

You can start to bring blood flow to the area of your scar and therefore oxygen, which helps with healing. The intention is to gently break down the scar with pressure and spread out the scar tissue which has formed.

  1. Gently apply moderate pressure — no more than three out of 10 in intensity — and massage along the scar in and up-and-down motion on your perineum, externally.
  2. Where you feel the most pressure is where you will need to work the most.
  3. If you find it difficult to touch your scar, start with a 'labial pull'. Gently pull the labia up and down and make circular motions to become comfortable with touching.
  4. Place your thumb at the vaginal entrance and make a 'U'-shape to gently stretch the muscles and scar.
  5. Make sure you perform this massage with clean hands. Get into a comfortable position and perform the massage every day for at least two minutes.
  6. You can use an oil such as 100% rose hip oil, almond oil or extra virgin olive oil.

Genital hygiene after birth

Following the birth of your baby:    

  • It is normal to have bleeding and some vaginal discharge. You should keep the area clean and dry by washing at least twice a day and changing your sanitary pad or incontinence underwear every 3-4 hours .  

  • You should use warm water to wash the area . D o not use salt water or soaps .  

  • Use the bath or shower to wash and clean the area then exit immediately - Do not sit and soak in a bath to avoid the stitches dissolving – 10 minutes maximum .  

  • Cl ean your hands first, then , using your hands and water only , spread the big and little labia (vaginal lips) and clean gently in-between the labia and across the stitches to remove any build up that has accumulated . This is important to avoid infection.   

  • Clean your anus too but leave this until last. A ny poo left there can also contribut e to infection in the stitches.  

  • When drying the area, simply pat dry with a clean towel or air dry . Do not apply any creams or other products as this can slow the healing process.  

  • After opening your bowels, wipe yourself from front to back to avoid poo getting into the stitches or near the urinary passage. This will reduce the risk of wound or urinary tract infection.   

  • Always wash your hands after using the bathroom or toilet facilities to avoid spreading bacteria to the wound.  

  • Begin gentle pelvic floor exercises soon after birth to encourage blood flow to the area to help healing.  

  • Once the wound has healed, you can begin gentle scar massage to help the scar tissue to soften and regain elasticity.  

  • If you experience any ongoing pain or discomfort, please do not feel embarrassed to ask questions or seek advice from your Midwife or GP.