Further information about antenatal screening
New website for parents to share views on maternity services
Information to help you decide where you would like to give birth to your baby
Results of our survey.
Stories from mums and midwifes
This information was updated and is correct as of 13 September 2021
Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) we have introduced restrictions guided by NHS England to maintain the safety of all mothers and babies, this includes being able to ensure we can maintain social distancing in our waiting areas, appointment and delivery rooms. Please see the details below.
We understand this is a difficult time for expectant mothers and families. We will continue to keep this guidance under careful review, in line with the national advice from the Chief Midwifery Officer for England to ensure everyone's safety. If you have any questions please speak to your midwife.
Thank you for your understanding during this challenging time.
On this page you can find information about:
Everyone accessing or visiting our healthcare services must continue to wear a face mask and follow social distancing rules from 19 July 2021.
The national guidance for healthcare settings remains unchanged. This means anyone coming into hospital before and after 19 July 2021 must continue to:
These measures are important so that the most vulnerable people can continue to safely attend hospital, and to help protect our staff and patients by reducing the risk of infection.
Thank you for helping us keep our patients, staff and community safe.
You will be able to attend all scans with one non-symptomatic adult from the same household or support bubble (ideally the birth partner) but you must follow the instructions below. For appointments at our day assessment units at St Michael's Hospital and Ashcombe Birth Centre, please continue to attend these on your own to allow for social distancing. Please do not attend an appointment with any children.If you are an accompanying partner coming to St Michael's you must wait outside of the hospital until you are called in (this is to ensure adequate social distancing in the waiting areas).
In Ashcombe Birth Centre in Weston General you can come into Ashcombe and wait with your partner in the waiting area on the unit.
If you believe that you have additional needs that need to be taken into account please contact the Matron by calling switchboard on 0117 923 0000. Further details about scan appointments can be found on the FAQs page.
If you have any questions or additional needs that need to be taken into account please speak to the Matron or your community midwife who will be happy to discuss this with you.
Our home births service is still available where appropriate. Please speak to your midwife to discuss your options.
You can be accompanied by one non-symptomatic person (ideally the birth partner) for all scans and consultant antenatal appointments (except in our day assessment units in St Michael's and Ashcombe Birth Centre in Weston, as space does not allow). Your accompanying partner must wait outside of the hospital until they are called in (this is to ensure adequate social distancing in the waiting areas). Please do not attend with any children.
These measures have been put in place to protect our patients, staff and visitors, which includes being able to ensure we can maintain social distancing in our waiting areas, appointment and delivery rooms. We will continue to keep this guidance under review.
You can be accompanied by one non-symptomatic person (ideally the birth partner) for all scans and consultant antenatal appointments (apart from our day assessment units, as space does not allow this). Please do not attend with any children. Your accompanying partner can come into Ashcombe and wait with you in the waiting area on the unit.
One named non-symptomatic partner/supporter can visit on the wards between 9am and 6pm.
If you believe that you have additional needs that need to be taken into account please contact the matron or your community midwife who will be happy to discuss this with you.
Once transferred to the postnatal ward, free WiFi is available to everyone so patients can make phone or video calls to their family and friends using apps including Facetime, WhatsApp or Skype and mobile reception is available across our site. Please be aware that we do not allow any video calling, photographs or recordings to be carried out during scan appointments due to the concentration required by the sonographer.
If you have any questions, please contact your midwife or the matron by calling switchboard on 0117 923 0000.
If you are from the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire area and require an alternative vaccine to the AstraZeneca vaccine please email bnssg.massvaccination@nhs.net providing your name, date of birth, post code, contact number and eligibility for the vaccine (e.g. you are in an eligible cohort or are a frontline worker).
Patient Laura has also shared her experience of giving birth at the hospital during the restrictions in this video.
This animation sets out what pregnant women should expect from NHS maternity services during the coronavirus. Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwifery Officer, and Dr Matthew Jolly, National Clinical Director for Maternity for the NHS in England explain what might change and why it is important to keep in touch with your maternity team.
Ashcombe Birth Centre is a freestanding birth unit situated on the second floor in the Weston General hospital. Mums-to-be who are having a straightforward pregnancy and would like a natural birth, may be able to choose the homely environment of the free-standing birth centre rather than a traditional hospital setting. It is a purpose built unit with two comfortable birthing rooms. Mothers can give birth in a relaxed, home from home setting.
The birth of your baby is an extraordinary and life-changing event, the memories of which will stay with you forever. We aim to offer a calm and relaxing environment with the support of experienced midwives. Both rooms have ensuite facilities, bean bag and birthing ball and one room has a birth pool, to promote active labour and natural births. After the birth you will return home to the care of your community midwife.
Why should I consider birthing in a midwife led unit?
‘Midwifery units appear to be safe for the baby and offer benefits for the mother’.
Women who planned a birth in a midwifery unit had significantly fewer interventions...and more ‘normal births’ than women who planned birth in an obstetric unit’.
Labour and birth are a natural process, most mums who are fit and well and have had a healthy pregnancy can choose to birth in our midwifery led unit. We do recognise that some women may require the more specialised support provided by the main obstetric unit at St. Michael’s Hospital, Bristol. To help with your decision, your community midwife will discuss options with you at your booking and again when you are 34 weeks pregnant, if you choose the Ashcombe birth centre your individual health and pregnancy will be reviewed to ensure your pregnancy has remained uncomplicated.
Facilities at Ashcombe Birth Centre have been designed to provide comfort and support in labour and include:
Two en-suite birth rooms furnished with floor mats, cushions and birth balls to support you
A water pool in one birth room, should you wish to relax and/or give birth in water
Entonox (gas and air) and aromatherapy to help with labour
Access to tea, coffee and light snacks
In addition to the birth facilities, the Birth Centre is a base for the local community midwives and a venue for Consultant antenatal clinics, postnatal clinics, day assessment unit and the early pregnancy assessment unit.
What happens if there is a problem?
If your pregnancy has been straightforward, and there is no reason to think that you or your baby are likely to need medical support during labour or after the birth, then the Birth Centre could be a good choice for you.
The Ashcombe Birth Centre is staffed and run by midwives. Extra emergency equipment is kept in the Birth Centre, should unforeseen problems arise for a woman or baby. Staff receive regular training to deal with such situations.
If emergency assistance is required from other medical practitioners women will be transferred via ambulance to St. Michael’s Hospital maternity unit, approximately 30 minutes away (22 miles).
Please take a look at further infromation about St Michael's Hospital.
The My Pregnancy @ St Michael's app can be downloaded onto Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. The free app enables people to access more than 60 patient information leaflets produced by our experienced midwives and clinicians. To download the app, type 'St Michael's Bristol' into the app store on your device.
Apple App store
Android App store
Useful links:
National Birth Place Study https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/birthplace
NCT, Where to have my baby?: https://www.nct.org.uk/birth/choosing-where-have-your-baby