Maternity Services

Maternity Services at North Bristol NHS Trust provides a full range of maternity care. More than 6,000 babies are born with us every year and our dedicated midwives, doctors, maternity healthcare assistants (MCAs) and support staff are  committed to giving you personalised care of the highest standard.

We have a range of choices for place of birth, including:

• Home birth - a planned birth at home with care provided by midwives during labour and birth.
• Cossham Birth Centre - is a standalone Birth Centre led by midwives, based in Kingswood, and is a birth place option for women without complications who have been assessed antenatally as suitable by their midwife. Cossham Birth Centre's Jade Team can also care for women from anywhere in Bristol throughout the whole Pregnancy, Birth and Postnatal period. Births are currently suspended at Cossham. Appointments and other services continue to be run from the site.
• Mendip Birth Centre - an Alongside Midwifery Unit (AMU) at Southmead Hospital: offering care to women with straightforward pregnancies during labour and birth in which midwives take primary professional responsibility for your care. During labour and birth medical services, including obstetric, neonatal and anaesthetic care are available should they be needed, in the same building. Transfer will normally be by bed or wheelchair.
• Central Delivery Suite - an Obstetric Unit (OU) where care is provided by a team, with obstetricians taking primary professional responsibility for women at high risk of complications during labour and birth. Midwives offer care to all women in an OU, whether or not they are considered at high or low risk, and take primary responsibility for women with straightforward pregnancies during labour and birth. Medical services including obstetric, neonatal and anaesthetic care are available on site, 24 hours a day.

Our maternity facilities offer en-suite birth rooms, birth pools, overnight partner stays if labour is induced and following the birth, full range of complementary therapies and pain management and free parking for women in active labour, and their partners, on the Southmead Hospital site. We also have a 24-hour seven days a week Antenatal Assessment Unit and a family room available at Southmead Hospital. We have a variety of single and shared rooms, if you wish to speak to someone confidentially please speak to a member of staff.

Our Community Midwifery teams are based at a variety of places such as GP surgeries, Health Centres, Clinics or Children’s Centres. They provide care with the assistance of maternity care assistants (MCA) during the antenatal and postnatal period across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG).

We are proud to have Baby Friendly accreditation and support all families in their choice of feeding. We have the Southwest Neonatal Network Donor Milkbank which is a milk donor facility to support pre-term infants. 

Post Partum Contraception 

Contraception may be the last thing on your mind when you're pregnant. But it’s the best time to think about it if you want to delay or avoid another pregnancy. Contraception is now available before you leave hospital. Talk with your midwife, doctor, or healthcare professional about your contraception options. They can help choose the best method for your birth plan.  We now have contraception specialist available to chat with regards your needs.