Maternity

Mew mum holds her baby while a midwife checks the baby's heartbeat

Maternity

Maternity services (obstetrics)

Visiting our maternity units

Women and birthing people may have two birth partners in labour. One designated partner may visit at any time on the postnatal ward, with visiting for others, including siblings of the new baby between 3pm and 8pm.

We provide maternity care for around 5,000 mothers and their babies every year. Our maternity services are provided at both the Epsom and St Helier hospitals. Both hospitals have inpatient antenatal (during pregnancy) and postnatal (after the birth) facilities along with midwifery-led birth centre and obstetric-led labour wards.

We provide a full range of maternity services from the start of your pregnancy, through the birth and the early days with your baby, for all women living in our local area. Although every woman’s pregnancy is different, all mothers to be will receive midwifery-led care, usually shared with your GP. Our experienced midwifery teams are here to help you have as an enjoyable pregnancy and birth experience as possible, and to guide you in making the choices that best fit your needs. For those who have any medical or pregnancy complications, there is a team of obstetricians available 24 hours a day.

We take great pride in providing maternity care which is centered on your personal needs and circumstances.

People you know. Care you trust.

In this section you'll find information on:

Maternity services

We are an accredited Gold Baby Friendly Service

We are proud to be an accredited Gold Baby Friendly Service, recognising our high standards in encouraging and supporting new mums to bond with their babies and make the best personal choice in how to feed their newborn. For more about the benefits this brings, please visit
www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly (opens in a new window).

Flu information and resources

Flu occurs every year, usually in the winter, which is why it’s sometimes called seasonal flu. It’s a highly infectious disease with symptoms that come on very quickly. Colds are much less serious and usually start gradually with a stuffy or runny nose and a sore throat. A bad bout of flu can be much worse than a heavy cold. The most common symptoms of flu are fever, chills, headache, aches and pains in the joints and muscles, and extreme tiredness. Healthy individuals usually recover within two to seven days, but for some the disease can lead to hospitalisation, permanent disability or even death.

Please read the below information leaflet about the flu vaccination and why it is so important to patients of our maternity services.

Flu vaccination - who needs it and why? [pdf] 651KB

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes

As a Baby Friendly unit, we adhere to the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (opens in a new window). The code states that there should be no display or distribution of any materials produced by the manufacturers of breast milk substitutes, bottles, teats or dummies in any part of the healthcare facility.

This requirement is intended to restrict the influence of commercial interests around infant feeding and so protect breastfeeding and bottle-feeding mothers from inaccurate or misleading information.

Virtual tours

Please watch the video below for a neonatal virtual tour of St Helier Hospital.

Please watch the videos below for a virtual tour of our maternity departments at Epsom and St Helier.

Key staff

Key Operational Staff:

Kathryn Hughes, Divisional Director of Operations – Women and Children’s Services

Hazel Gleed, General Manager Paediatrics/Deputy Divisional Manager Women and Children’s Services

Yasmin Ashrafi, Women’s Health Service Manager

Carol Erzen, Division Co-ordinator

Key Midwifery Staff:

Dr Benedicta Agbagwara-Osuji, Director of Midwifery and Gynaecology Nursing

Elizabeth Cullen, Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology Nursing

Louse Emmett, Consultant Midwife for Normality

Julia Lidderdale, Consultant Midwife Public Health

Michelle Knight, Consultant Midwife

Suzanne Powroznyk, Lead Midwife for Inpatient Services St Helier

Mary Willocks, Interim Lead Midwife for Inpatient Services Epsom

Patience Ohikhena, Lead Midwife for Antenatal and Community Services

Diane Weir, Service Improvement and Transformation Lead Midwife

Alison Parker, Named Midwife for Safeguarding

Sue Taylor, Infant Feeding Lead

Infant Feeding Team (07975 232374 or email esth.infantfeedingteam2@nhs.net)

Maria Mills-Shaw, Home Birth Lead Midwife

Key Obstetric Staff:

Mr Ramesh Ganapathy, Divisional Medical Director

Mr Haider Jan, Clinical Director

Radhi Viswanatha, Clinical Lead for Obstetrics

Jennifer Loudon, Labour Ward Clinical Lead

Key Neonatal Staff:

Dr Arun Kundu, Clinical Director for Paediatrics

Dr Salim Yasin, Clinical Lead for Paediatrics (St Helier Hospital/QMHC)

Dr Tim Marr/Dr Stephanie Kirk, Clinical Lead for Paediatrics (joint role, Epsom)

Dr Aileen Alston, Quality Lead Paediatrics (Trust-wide)

Nadine Mitchell, Head of Nursing (Paediatrics and Neonatal)

Julia Sinclair, Service Manager Paediatrics

Mary Shewell, Quality Manager for Paediatrics

Complementary Therapies

We also offer a number of complementary therapies at our Trust for our maternity patients. Please see the following leaflet for more information: Complementary therapies - information leaflet[pdf] 293KB

Local and national support groups and resources

Below are a list of local and national support groups and other resources which may be of use to pregnant women and new families.

Public Health England Screening tests for you and your baby [pdf] 4MB - explains the screening tests offered during and after pregnancy
ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) (opens in a new window) - a national charity helping parents and healthcare professionals through antenatal screening and its consequences
Down Syndrome Association (opens in a new window) - a national charity which aims is to help people with Down’s syndrome live full and rewarding lives.
- Down Syndrome Association Looking forward to your baby leaflet [pdf] 2MB
Positive about Down Syndrome (opens in a new window) - a website for parents and parents to be about Down syndrome
Baby Buddy app - Baby Buddy is the go-to app for new parents, and it’s now available for free in Surrey and South West London! If you're expecting a baby or have recently had one, @BabyBuddyApp has everything you need with daily bite size information and over 300 videos from parents and health care professionals. Look after yourself and give your child the best start in life with Baby Buddy. Watch this short video to find out more and go to your app store to download. https://bit.ly/VideoBabyBuddy2
Get on Downs (opens in a new window) - a parent lead support group in the London Borough of Sutton and surrounding areas. The support group meets weekly for coffee, chat and cake. Children of all ages are welcome to play with stimulating toys, in the sensory room or outdoors (weather permitting). They offer support and advice for new families, arrange useful speakers for informal discussions, social events, pamper sessions and spa days.
- Get on Downs leaflet [pdf] 1MB
SOFT (opens in a new window) - a support group for Trisomy 13 (Patau’s syndrome) and 18 (Edwards’ syndrome):
Shine (opens in a new window) - specialist advice and support for spina bifida and hydrocephalus
Miscarriage Association (opens in a new window) - information about pregnancy loss and support
Tamba (opens in a new window) - Twins and Multiple Births Association.