Team QEH Maternity

23/09/2025

ICON Week 2025

All babies cry, and at times this can be tough - please remember
crying is normal and it will stop.

5 tips to soothe a crying baby:
👶Talk calmly, hum or sing to your baby
👶Let them hear a repeating or soothing sound
👶Hold them close, skin to skin
👶Take baby for a walk outside
👶Give them a warm bath

For advice and support visit: https://iconcope.org/

15/09/2025

Prof Lesley Dwyer, CEO of Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group: “We welcome the national maternity and neonatal investigation led by Baroness Amos and we are committed to playing a full and open part in it.

The QEH maternity service was rated Good by the Care Quality Commission in March 2024, and many families continue to tell us about the safe and compassionate care they receive. However, we also know that there are times when we have not met the high standards we set ourselves and when that happens, we must apologise, learn and improve.

Being included in this national investigation is not something we shy away from. It is an opportunity to look honestly at what we do well and where we must do better, alongside other hospitals, so that every woman, baby and family receives the best possible care.

We would like to reassure mothers and families that they should not delay seeking care from our maternity and neonatal teams. Our staff are dedicated, skilled and caring, and they are here to support families through pregnancy, birth and beyond. We will work openly with Baroness Amos and her team and share learning quickly, so we can accelerate any improvements for the women and babies in our care.”

02/09/2025

👶 New support for dads – all in one place! 💙

Whether you're expecting your first child or you're already deep in the world of nappies and night feeds, our new Just One Norfolk webpages are packed with support and advice for dads.

🧠 Mental health
👪 Supporting your partner
🎓 Getting ready to be a dad
🗣️ Finding local support
❤️ Bonding with your baby

And more!

👉Follow this link to Just One Norfolk: https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/pregnancy-early-days/support-for-dads/

29/08/2025

✨If you wish to join one of our tours, please speak to your community midwife who will be able to book this through Badgernet for you from 32 weeks✨

26/08/2025

20/08/2025

You can buy folic acid from most supermarkets and pharmacies.

You'll usually take 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. Some people may require a higher dose (usually 5 mg). If you are unsure of what dose to take, or have any questions, please speak to your midwife or doctor.

It's OK to take folic acid while you're breastfeeding.

There's no evidence that folic acid reduces fertility in either men or women.

You can find out more about taking folic acid here: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/folic-acid/pregnancy-breastfeeding-and-fertility-while-taking-folic-acid/

15/08/2025

Antenatal Colostrum~

Colostrum is the first milk and is adapted to be just right for your new baby, and especially valuable if your baby is born early or is poorly after birth.

Even if you do not plan to breastfeed, you could give colostrum as baby’s first feed to line your baby’s stomach to help prevent illnesses.

We encouraged this from 36wks- ask your Midwife about this and make sure you get an Antenatal hand expressing pack!

It will only be very small amounts of colostrum, however breast massage, and feeling calm and relaxed whilst hand expressing will help in stimulating your milk.

13/08/2025

Epidural~

This may be offered to you during labour to help ease any pain. Like all pain relief options there are benefits and some limitations.

Please speak to your midwife to discuss pain relief options during birth further.

11/08/2025

Pre-Eclampsia~

Pre-eclampsia is a condition of pregnancy. It is defined as a new episode of hypertension (High blood pressure), after 20 weeks, with one or more of the following:
- Significant Protein
- Abnormal Kidney or Liver function Neurological dysfunction (Severe Headache)
- Placental dysfunction

If you experience any symptoms of Pre-eclampsia please contact maternity triage
Telephone: 01553 214829

08/08/2025

FEEDING FRIDAY

First Feed~

Your baby will naturally display feeding cues, and staff will support you with baby’s first feed. All our maternity and neonatal staff have infant feeding training- Use your call bell and ask for help!

Sometimes babies do not always feed enthusiastically after birth, perhaps because of a stressful birth, separation of you and your baby for whatever reason, illness or the influence of certain drugs given in labour. Sometimes there is no obvious reason why.
If your baby is not breastfeeding, ask for support, keep calm, keep baby skin-to-skin, and try some hand expressing. Any colostrum collected can be given to baby via a syringe by a staff member.

Remember- Baby's tummy size on day 0-1 is the size of a cherry, capacity is 5-7mls.
Your midwife will give you a feeding chart to keep at your bedside and fill in with details of baby’s feeds and their nappy output.

07/08/2025

What is the Squeezy maternity app? Good question!

Squeezy is the multi-award winning app supporting people with their pelvic floor muscle exercise programmes. It is designed by physiotherapists specialising in women’s and men’s pelvic health.
Squeezy maternity allows you to share exercise plans and records, securely with a clinician should you be referred to the Perinatal Pelvic Health Service or specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist. This enables clinicians to monitor your activity and progress, to support your treatment plan.

In Norfolk & Waveney, you will be provided free access to the Squeezy connect app during pregnancy to support you with pelvic floor muscle exercises. We know that doing daily pelvic floor muscle exercises during and after pregnancy can help you to prevent and treat pelvic health problems such as stress urinary incontinence (leaking when you cough, sneeze or exercise) which can affect 1 in 3 during and after pregnancy.
How can I get the App for free?
1. You can register yourself via completing this online registration form: https://livingwith.health/.../qeh-perinatal-pelvic-health/
2. After your dating scan you should automatically receive an email containing details of how to download the app. Please make sure you have provided an email address and mobile number to your maternity team for this to happen.
If you have any issues, please do not hesitate to contact the Perinatal Pelvic Health team at your maternity provider via the following;
Queen Elizabeth Hospital: pphs.admin@qehkl.nhs.uk or 24/7 voicemail on 01553 613292.
Pelvic floor exercises may feel like another thing to add on to your list of to do's, but remember, your pelvic floor will be grateful when your children are asking you to jump on the trampoline with them in a few years.

05/08/2025

Did you know your baby begins to hear sounds in the womb at around 18 weeks and by 26-28 weeks they will respond to voices they know and tunes they hear.

Talking to your bump and touching your bump when baby is moving will help your baby’s brain to develop and help you and your family to form a bond with your baby.