Maternity visiting guidance
For the safety of our babies, patients, visitors and staff restrictions may be introduced at short notice. To request further information on how we assess maternity visiting arrangements, you can get in touch here.
Birth
Up to two birth partners can be present during active labour.
Maternity inpatient visiting
Open visiting
A single birth partner or other nominated person if the birth partner is unable to attend, can visit the antenatal/ postnatal wards at any time between 9am to 8pm daily, no booking is required. Siblings of the baby are also welcome to attend along with the single birth partner or other nominated person during this time to meet their new family member(s).
Rest time
Between 12pm to 2pm we aim to give mums and babies time to rest and we ask that single birth partners and nominated persons who are in attendance, respect this time.
General visiting
General visiting is from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm (no booking is required), for up to two visitors at any one time at the bedside unless there are special circumstances. The limit on the number of people allowed at the bedside remains to protect our patients, babies, staff and other visitors .
Visitors are not permitted in areas whereby there are suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, except in exceptional circumstances. Facemasks must be worn with additional PPE measures for visiting a COVID red area or as a nominated birth partner to a COVID positive patient. Staff will guide visitors through this process.
Visitors should not attend if they, or members of their household, have symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or other infections, for example Influenza, Norovirus etc.
Established labour, attending theatre and emergency caesarean sections
Up to two birth partners can attend with their partner when they are in active labour. Only a single birth partner can attend theatre for an elective or emergency caesarean section.
Visitors must comply at all times with the following safety measures that are in place:
- Adhere to instructions and information on keeping a safe distance from others
- Good hand hygiene and washing of hands, including the use of the alcohol gel provided on the ward/ unit
- Good respiratory hygiene – ‘Catch it, bin it, kill it approach’
- Keep personal items to a minimum and on person at all times
- Children under the age of 16 will not be permitted in the inpatient area unless they are a sibling of the new baby.
Appointments
A single birth partner or nominated other can attend the following appointments:
- Antenatal Clinics in a hospital setting
- Consultant Antenatal Clinics in hospitals and other community health care settings
- All Obstetrics scan appointments (ultrasounds) also in hospitals and other community health care settings
- The Maternity Outpatient Assessment Unit and Early Labour Assessment Unit
Home birth
Update – April 2024
We are resuming actively offering home births. we have worked closely with the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) to proactively reinstate the service after it was temporarily halted due to ongoing pressures on the system.
If you are expecting and have any questions or concerns about home births please contact your community midwifery team. They will provide support, answer your questions, and guide you through your birth choices to help you make the right decision for you and your baby.
Keeping in touch with family and friends
We encourage family and friends of patients under our care to consider alternative ways of keeping in touch. This includes the use of our hospitals’ free WiFi to use FaceTime or video calling. We can help make this happen and inpatients can loan an IPAD from our can Patient Advice and Liaison Support Service (PALS) to use on the ward.
Patient Advice and Liaison Support Service (PALS)
They are here to help you and will do their best to resolve issues quickly and directly with those concerned. If you have an enquiry about visiting restrictions or a concern about a friend or relative who has been admitted, please contact PALS, 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday except Bank holidays).