UHSussex Maternity Services

16/07/2025

✨ Calling all UHSussex parents! ✨

💙 Our Infant Feeding Team would love for you to share your short videos (new or old) capturing your special moments with your children.

🎥 The aim of this video is to celebrate the every day ways that parents bond with their babies and young children.

💌 To take part, please send your videos to: uhsussex.infantfeeding@nhs.net and the team will contact you with further information

05/07/2025

🥳 NEW!

We have a dedicated fundraising page for maternity! We have so many people asking to donate to our service to improve the experience of families and staff, that we decided to set up a direct link for you.

Any donation however small means the world to us.

Who will be the first to donate? 🤩

❤️ Charity donations to UHSussex Maternity will directly support services at:

🔹Royal County Hospital (Brighton)
🔹Princess Royal Hospital (Haywards Heath)
🔹Worthing Hospital (Worthing)
🔹St Richard’s Hospital (Chichester)

This includes community and outpatient settings for those accessing maternity care.

❓Where would your donations go?

Some things that we need:

🙏 More equipment for checking jaundice levels in newborn babies

🙏 Extra training for staff to help us enhance the experience of those using our services

🙏Comfort facilities for partners, such as recliner chairs on the postnatal ward

🙏 Resources to continue improving the birthing environment for staff and families

👉Donate via the QR code or link in comments

or search: “uhsussex maternity JustGiving”

❤️ Please like and share this post!

🙏 Thank you so much for everything you do to support us.

❤️ When you support birthing families you make a real difference.

03/07/2025

🍎 The Healthy Pregnancy Programme offers friendly and supportive group sessions, led by community midwives, to help pregnant women and people optimise their health and wellbeing. This enhanced care is offered to those starting their pregnancies with a higher BMI.

🍎 At the first session we provide specialist clinical advice on the nutritional needs of pregnancy, diet and safe physical activity. This helps women and babies grow and develop well together; giving the best chance of a smooth pregnancy.

📍Our weekly social sessions also give information on a variety of different lifestyle and health topics relevant to pregnancy such as breastfeeding, meal planning and hospital bags. Those who attend the groups benefit from an opportunity to socialise and share their pregnancy journey with others.

👉These groups are available to those who are receiving care through the Royal Sussex County and Princes Royal hospitals. If you are receiving care through Worthing or St Richards hospitals, then there is an identical service, just with a slightly different name, called The Wellbeing in Pregnancy service.

🔹Interested in attending these free Midwife led groups?

They are every week and you can see the different topics on the link provided.

👉Please ask your community midwife for a referral.

See in the comments links to cathy’s story and the schedule of upcoming topics on our website.

30/06/2025

Please note: our TT triage/MAU number is closed for maintenance tomorrow morning 6am - 8am.

Please use the number below at this time.

📍 Notice of Phone systems maintenance across UHSussex Trust.

If you have any urgent concerns about yourself or your baby, please call the Maternity Triage or Maternity Assessment Unit (MAU) as usual on:

☎️ 01903 285269

📍Please note:

1st July, between 6am and 8am, call

☎️ 01903 205111 instead.

If you’re unsure which number to use, or if you’re away from home, call the switchboard at your nearest hospital and ask to be put through to maternity triage.

*Always call 999 in an emergency.*

26/06/2025

📍 Notice of Phone systems maintenance across UHSussex Trust.

If you have any urgent concerns about yourself or your baby, please call the Maternity Triage or Maternity Assessment Unit (MAU) as usual on:

☎️ 01903 285269

📍Please note:

1st July, between 6am and 8am, call

☎️ 01903 205111 instead.

If you’re unsure which number to use, or if you’re away from home, call the switchboard at your nearest hospital and ask to be put through to maternity triage.

*Always call 999 in an emergency.*

25/06/2025

Please call our Midwives to ask for advice and care if you need us.

❓unsure about whether your baby’s movements are normal

❓feeling unwell

❓think you are in labour

❓bleeding or think your waters have released/broken

❓any other urgent concerns.

Don’t wait until tomorrow please call us. 🙏

📌 MAU our 24/7 urgent care hospital based services are still open for you if you have any concerns about you or your baby please call straight away and Midwives will support you.

📱 ☎️ 01903 285269

❤️ We support all birthing women and people

25/06/2025

Today at 11am!

Gentle walk with an experienced UHSussex Midwife.

Get some fresh air, meet new people and have time time out to take a breath.

🚶‍♀️ New dates added!

Hoping Wednesday is a beautiful day for a walk! Come and join us. 🙏🥰

📍Wednesday 11th June 2025: wellbeing walk with UHSussex Midwife Becky for PRH Haywards Heath area.

When?
👉 11:00am

Where?
👉The Harvester

📌 Save the dates

🤰🏽 Bumps and Buggies Wellbeing Walks are led by UHSussex Midwives.

Walking, especially with a supportive group, is a fantastic mental health tool as well as improving physical wellbeing.

Join us for some fresh air and a chance to chat to a Midwife as well as other pregnant women and people and new parents.

Please do keep an eye on our social media in case of any last minute cancellations or changes.

[Image description: pregnant and birthing people and parents pushing a baby in a buggy outside in a park on a clear day, the sky is blue and there are clouds in the sky]

17/06/2025

🥳 Birth stories are back! We have had lots of you asking us to share your birth stories so we are delighted to restart this.

❤️ Thank you so much for sharing your birth story with us and a huge congratulations from us all at UHSussex maternity.

“I was recommended by my midwife to consider a home birth, something I wasn’t that comfortable with.

Concern about needing medical attention or even just the mess worried me. The team were so supportive to myself and my partner and explained all possible outcomes and routes to take if anything did happen. After deciding we would go for it, we rented a birth pool (very easy) and awaited the time. My first birth was very straight forward and low risk so everyone was happy.

9 days before my due date, I finished work. That night I went to bed exhausted and awoke half an hour later to my waters breaking! We called triage straight away and they connected us to the home birth team. We talked over the phone and decided that it was the right time for them to head over. As soon as my midwife arrived, I was offered gas and air and everyone got to their positions. It was so calm, and I was kept relaxed by the team.

At one point, I asked how much longer, expecting an internal examination but was told everything I was doing showed that all was progressing well and therefore would not want to be disappointed. Within minutes I was in the pool. It was as if any of my moves, noises, comments and frustrations in labour was used as a progress point by the team and they knew how far along I was without any interruption or intervention to disrupt the process - it was amazing!

I hopped in the pool in my kitchen, opting to keep it as dark as possible and my little boy arrived safe and sound! I had so much verbal support and encouragement from the team and so grateful the let me do it all by myself.

3:55am Oscar was born and we were helped into the living room and onto the sofa where we stayed. My eldest had woken with the noise but was given the opportunity to be involved in all the post birth checks and felt really included. We were looked after in such a holistic way. The team stayed for a couple of hours after ensuring that all was ok and left us to it. We had plenty of reassurance that people would call and stop in over the next few days.

We then got to enjoy time as a new family of four when our new arrival was only a few hours old. It was so magical and to be in the comfort of your own home so quickly after meant for a calm experience.

The whole team were so supportive in the days following. I would definitely have a home birth again!”

(Want to share your birth or feeding story with us?

Email: uhsussex.mybirthstory@nhs.net)

17/06/2025

Did you use our new birthing pool in Brighton this year?? Please come to our hospital charities lunch celebration!

They would love to hear about your experience of using it in labour.

📍RSVP to rachael.helfgott-bates@nhs.net

Did you use our new birthing pool at our Brighton site this year? We are REALLY excited to share with you this invitation from our wonderful hospital’s charity

“We would be delighted if you could join us for a reception celebrating the opening of the new birthing pool suite at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

This event marks a significant collaboration between the Dervia Foundation and My University Hospitals Sussex, highlighting our joint commitment to enhancing maternity services in Brighton & Hove.

The new birthing pool suite, located in the Thomas Kemp Tower, offers a contemporary and calming environment for birthing people. It was made possible through a generous £41k charity investment, which met the costs of the birthing pool, a water birth-suitable floor, LED lighting, and bluetooth speakers for the room.

This birthing suite empowers our midwives to further uphold the Trust’s ‘Patient First’ strategy by providing greater choice in birthing plans, ensuring excellent care for every service user and their baby.

We will be joined by the Trust’s Executive Team, Grant Funders, staff from our maternity services team and service users to celebrate this wonderful new facility. We do hope you will be able to join us.

Date: Tuesday, 24th June.
Time: 2:30pm – 3:45pm
Location: Louisa Martindale Building, Eastern Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 5BE.

Please reply to Rae Helfgott-Bates at rachael.helfgott-bates@nhs.net by return.

We look forward to celebrating with you”.
 
Yours sincerely,

Sam O’Mahoney from

09/06/2025

🚶‍♀️ New dates added!

Hoping Wednesday is a beautiful day for a walk! Come and join us. 🙏🥰

📍Wednesday 11th June 2025: wellbeing walk with UHSussex Midwife Becky for PRH Haywards Heath area.

When?
👉 11:00am

Where?
👉The Harvester

📌 Save the dates

🤰🏽 Bumps and Buggies Wellbeing Walks are led by UHSussex Midwives.

Walking, especially with a supportive group, is a fantastic mental health tool as well as improving physical wellbeing.

Join us for some fresh air and a chance to chat to a Midwife as well as other pregnant women and people and new parents.

Please do keep an eye on our social media in case of any last minute cancellations or changes.

[Image description: pregnant and birthing people and parents pushing a baby in a buggy outside in a park on a clear day, the sky is blue and there are clouds in the sky]

06/06/2025

Did you use our new birthing pool at our Brighton site this year? We are REALLY excited to share with you this invitation from our wonderful hospital’s charity

“We would be delighted if you could join us for a reception celebrating the opening of the new birthing pool suite at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

This event marks a significant collaboration between the Dervia Foundation and My University Hospitals Sussex, highlighting our joint commitment to enhancing maternity services in Brighton & Hove.

The new birthing pool suite, located in the Thomas Kemp Tower, offers a contemporary and calming environment for birthing people. It was made possible through a generous £41k charity investment, which met the costs of the birthing pool, a water birth-suitable floor, LED lighting, and bluetooth speakers for the room.

This birthing suite empowers our midwives to further uphold the Trust’s ‘Patient First’ strategy by providing greater choice in birthing plans, ensuring excellent care for every service user and their baby.

We will be joined by the Trust’s Executive Team, Grant Funders, staff from our maternity services team and service users to celebrate this wonderful new facility. We do hope you will be able to join us.

Date: Tuesday, 24th June.
Time: 2:30pm – 3:45pm
Location: Louisa Martindale Building, Eastern Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 5BE.

Please reply to Rae Helfgott-Bates at rachael.helfgott-bates@nhs.net by return.

We look forward to celebrating with you”.
 
Yours sincerely,

Sam O’Mahoney from

06/06/2025

Did you use our new birthing pool at our Brighton site this year? We are REALLY excited to share with you this invitation from our wonderful hospital’s charity My University Hospitals Sussex

“We would be delighted if you could join us for a reception celebrating the opening of the new birthing pool suite at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

This event marks a significant collaboration between the Dervia Foundation and My University Hospitals Sussex, highlighting our joint commitment to enhancing maternity services in Brighton & Hove.

The new birthing pool suite, located in the Thomas Kemp Tower, offers a contemporary and calming environment for birthing people. It was made possible through a generous £41k charity investment, which met the costs of the birthing pool, a water birth-suitable floor, LED lighting, and bluetooth speakers for the room.

This birthing suite empowers our midwives to further uphold the Trust’s ‘Patient First’ strategy by providing greater choice in birthing plans, ensuring excellent care for every service user and their baby.

We will be joined by the Trust’s Executive Team, Grant Funders, staff from our maternity services team and service users to celebrate this wonderful new facility. We do hope you will be able to join us.

Date: Tuesday, 24th June.
Time: 2:30pm – 3:45pm
Location: Louisa Martindale Building, Eastern Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 5BE.

Please reply to Rae Helfgott-Bates at rachael.helfgott-bates@nhs.net by return.

We look forward to celebrating with you”.

Yours sincerely,

Sam O’Mahoney from