You’re pregnant, what next?
Your pregnancy journey is an important and exciting experience and we would like to ensure that your maternity care and support is right for you.
Once you have referred yourself to receive care from us we will inform you of your first appointment within two weeks. In the majority of cases women receive care from their midwives and GP. Should there be any complications or need for advice, care is also received from an obstetrician.
Our expert team of midwives and doctors work hard to give you the care and support you need, to have for a safe and satisfying birth. Every woman has her own ideas about how she would like her baby to be born – whether at home or in hospital – we do our best to help you achieve this.
The maternity services at Bedford Hospital are located in Cygnet Wing, our dedicated Women and Children’s unit. Our friendly midwifery and obstetric team are always on hand to ensure our patients always have the best possible experience before, during and after pregnancy.
Making an appointment
Congratulations on finding out that you are pregnant, now you will need to fill in our online early self-referral form.
Once this form has been completed it will be sent to the Community Midwifery Services who will arrange your initial booking appointment with you.
If you need to get in touch please call 01234 795747 (Monday-Friday 9-4pm) for none urgent queries.
If you require translation services please inform your community midwife as these can be available at each appointment.
Your choices
- birth at home (a home birth)
- birth in the Acorn Suite, our midwifery led unit
- birth in the Delivery Suite, our labour ward, which is staffed by obstetricians, midwives and specialists including anaesthetists.
We are proud of our maternity services and the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital Maternity team strives to deliver the highest standards of care to all women and their families. Women’s choice is at the top of our agenda and we support mothers deliver their babies in a range of ways.
We care for more than 5,000 mothers and babies each year and provide all aspects of obstetric and midwifery care, from before birth (antenatal) to birth and after delivery (postnatal).
Our expert team of midwives and doctors work hard to give you the care and support you need, to have for a safe and satisfying birth. Every woman has her own ideas about how she would like her baby to be born – whether at home or in hospital – we do our best to help you achieve this.
There are many reasons to have your baby at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital including:
- Our delivery suite is staffed by medical and midwifery teams at all times.
Delivery suite’s offer consultant led labour care and we now also have a pool room for women who are unable to use the birth centre. - Our MBLU (Midwife Led Birthing Unit) includes one birthing pool and home-from-home amenities.
- A midwife emergency telephone helpline linked to our Triage (Ward 31) – a midwife is available 24 hours a day to answer any questions.
- A community midwifery service that provides antenatal, home birth and postnatal care for women within the local region.
- A highly specialist neonatal intensive care service providing care for sick and extremely premature babies. Our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the only Level 3 in our region. (Level 3 units provide specialist care for the sickest and most premature babies).
- Breast feeding care rounds have been introduced on the post-natal ward to allow women to receive breastfeeding support.
- A specialist Fetal Medicine Unit (FMU) that provides innovative systems of care for women in multiple births and complex fetal abnormalities.
- Luton and Dunstable University Hospital has received Stage 2 accreditation in UNICEF’S prestigious Baby Friendly Award, recognising our work to ensure mothers and babies receive high quality support to enable breastfeeding.
- A comprehensive postnatal (after-birth) service for women who require additional care.
- Birth Options to support you with your choices and help you in planning your birth.
- A designated Birth Reflections Clinic to offer support after your birth and to answer any ‘missing pieces’.
Are you pregnant and wanting to have your baby at the L&D?
You’ll need to complete our online antental self-referral form. Once this form has been completed it will be sent to the Community Midwifery Services who will arrange your initial booking appointment with you.