Labour and birth

If you have any concerns around your pregnancy please call our Triage Helpline
Tel: 0300 131 5341

Where you give birth to your baby will very much depend upon your individual circumstances as well as your individual preference. Please feel free to discuss this with your midwife, doctor or obstetrician during your pregnancy.

If you are fit and healthy and your pregnancy is uncomplicated throughout, your choices for the birth of your baby are:

  • Your own home – homebirth*
  • Consultant led maternity unit – Conquest Hospital
  • Midwife led maternity unit – Eastbourne DGH

If you have a medical condition, have had a previous pregnancy or birth complications or if complications arise during your current pregnancy you will be advised to give birth in a consultant-led maternity unit.

*Planning a home birth? An update on our midwifery service during this time

Conquest Hospital - consultant-led maternity unit

If you are having your baby at home or Eastbourne Midwifery-led unit and complications arise you will be transferred to hospital (this is usually Conquest Hospital, but may be another hospital).

If you are planning to have your baby at Conquest Hospital, it may occasionally be necessary to transfer you to another hospital (usually if you go into labour very prematurely). You will always be kept fully informed of any plans to transfer.

Transfers to other units

During your pregnancy there may be occasions when your care providers feel it necessary to transfer you to another hospital.

This could be for more specialist care while you are pregnant or after your baby is born. If your baby requires the care of a highly specialised unit you will accompany your baby as soon as you are well enough to do so. These specialised centre’s will provide you with the best care required for you or you and your baby.

For example:

  • If you go into labour before 32 weeks of pregnancy
  • If you are diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia and your baby needs to be born
  • Capacity in the Special Care Baby Unit.

However in any of these instances we aim to return antenatal mothers or mums and baby’s if delivered, back to our units as soon as possible.

My pregnancy and birth choices

This booklet is for you to download and print. It will help you make informed choices around your care and can be used for you to record your thoughts and feelings during this journey.

My choices for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond

Use it to spark conversations with your Midwife and Maternity team. This does not form part of your medical record and is yours to keep. If you don’t have access to a printer speak to your named midwife.