Who Can Give birth on Malden Suite?
The Malden Suite is a midwifery-led unit, and is an option for women who could have their baby at home but would feel more comfortable in a hospital setting. You and your family are placed at the centre of care and involved in all decision-making regarding your labour and birth.
If you are a first-time mum or have given birth before with no serious complications, you can have your baby on Malden Suite. As long as you are healthy and are expected to have a vaginal birth, go into labour yourself between 37 and 42 weeks you can come to the Malden Suite.
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What Happens when I go into Labour?
Contact our Midwives on Malden Suite on the Direct Line: 0208 546 6384. A Midwife will ask you some questions about your labour and advise you what to do next.
Malden Suite Facilities
4 birthing rooms
2 pools for labour and birth
5 postnatal beds
Bean bags, floor mats and birthing balls to support active labour
What Happens if my Labour or Birth doesn’t go to Plan?
Malden Suite is situated within close proximity to our Labour Ward and theatres, where a team of doctors including Obstetricians, Paediatricians, Anaesthetists are situated.
Possible reasons for transfer include:
- Slow progress of labour
- Vaginal bleeding
- Baby pooing inside you
- Signs of infection in you or your baby
- Baby showing sign of distress
What pain relief is available?
Active birth is promoted, you will be supported in your chosen method of pain relief and enabled to use your own coping mechanisms for labour and birth. There is no epidural service on Malden Suite, transfer to Labour Ward would occur if you requested an epidural.
Options include:
- Breathing
- Mats/balls
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS)
- Entonox
- Pethidine
- 2 Birthing Pools are available for hydrotherapy and birth.
Discharge Home
Early discharge is encouraged for women using Malden Suite as promoted by Maternity Matters, where it has been found that healthy women and babies are better are at home. Discharge may occur from 2 hours of a normal birth.
If you or your baby develop complications and need a longer stay there are postnatal beds available for you on the Maternity Unit.