Breathing During Labour
What affects my breathing in labour?
- Excitement
- Pain
- Tiredness
- Worries/anxiety
- Fear
- Contractions.
Listening to your Baby's Heartbeat
A major part of midwifery care during labour is listening to and recording your baby’s heartbeat to help identify if there are any problems.
Meeting an Anaesthetist in Maternity
An anaesthetist is a fully qualified doctor with specialist training who you may meet at various points throughout your pregnancy and birth.
Caesarean Section
A caesarean section, or C-section, is an operation to deliver your baby through a cut made in your tummy and womb.
Umbilical Cord Blood Collection
Commercial umbilical cord blood collection refers to a service offered by commercial companies to harvest and store stem cells following family requests even though there may be no medical indication.
Assisted vaginal birth
A series of videos about assisted vaginal birth including what to expect, and how to decide if it is right for you.
Read information about labour and birth on NHS.uk and RCOG.org.uk
When to go to the hospital or birth centre
If it's your first pregnancy, you may feel unsure about when you should go into hospital or a midwifery unit. The best thing to do is to call your hospital or unit for advice.
Pack your bag for labour
What you'll need for labour and birth. Get a few things ready at least 3 weeks before your due date.
Spontaneous Rupture of the Membranes (SRM)
Signs that labour has begun - Know the signs.
Call your midwife or maternity unit if:
- your waters break
- you have vaginal bleeding
- your baby is moving less than usual
- you're less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labour
Membrane sweep
Before inducing labour, you'll be offered a membrane sweep, also known as a cervical sweep, to bring on labour.
Inducing labour
An induced labour is one that's started artificially. Sometimes labour can be induced if your baby is overdue or there's any risk to you or your baby's health.
The stages of labour and birth
- Latent stage of labour
- Established labour (1st stage of labour)
- 2nd stage of labour
- 3rd stage of labour
Forceps or vacuum delivery
Assisted delivery. An assisted birth (also known as an instrumental delivery) is when forceps or a ventouse suction cup are used to help deliver the baby.
Umbilical Cord Prolapse
An umbilical cord prolapse usually happens during labour but can occur when the waters break before labour starts. Please read the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) guidelines on Umbilical cord prolapse in late pregnancy.
Contact North Bristol NHS Trust Maternity
Contact a midwife to book for antenatal care or leave a message on 0117 4146743
Antenatal Clinic (Appointments)
Telephone: 0117 4146924
Antenatal Clinic Midwives (Monday - Friday)
Telephone: 0117 4146929
Gestational Diabetic Team
Telephone: 0117 4141072
Percy Phillips Ward (Postnatal Ward)
Telephone: 0117 4146821 or 0117 4146822
Transitional Care Ward
Telephone: 01174145730
Maternity Triage Line
Telephone: 0117 414 6900
The Maternity Triage Line is available 24/7, 365 days a year for all contact from women and birthing people from 20 weeks pregnant through to 6 weeks postnatal, including if you are in labour. This replaces any numbers that were in use before 27 January 2026.
Southmead Hospital Switchboard: 0117 9505050