Our team can support you to give birth at home, or in our delivery suite at Royal Bolton Hospital.

Your midwife will help you explore what feels right for you and your family. You can change where you choose to give birth at any point during your pregnancy.

As you approach 36 weeks of pregnancy, we encourage you to start packing a bag ready for you and your baby regardless of where you are planning to give birth. This is a useful checklist for what to bring with you.

Your midwife will discuss with you the important signs and symptoms during pregnancy.

If you think you are in labour, ring maternity triage as soon as possible. A midwife will assess your symptoms and guide you on when to come in. Every labour is different, and you’ll be supported throughout, whether your labour progresses naturally, requires induction, or if an emergency caesarean becomes necessary.

You can understand more about the signs of labour and when to call us here.

Call the unit urgently if your baby is moving less than usual, if you have any vaginal bleeding or if you think your waters may have gone. If something doesn’t feel right to you, or you are concerned, call us at any time. We are here to reassure and help you, no matter what your concern is.

Call 999 immediately if you have any urgent concerns such as sudden heavy bleeding, severe continuous abdominal pain or if the baby's cord is visible. Please also call 999 for any maternal breathing difficulties, severe chest pain or any form of seizure.

Every birth is different, and your baby’s arrival may happen in a few ways.

It is sometimes necessary to start the process of labour artificially, known as induction of labour. You can find out more about that here.

Sometimes a caesarean section may be needed in an emergency if it's thought a vaginal birth is too risky.

Labour can be painful – it can help to learn about all the ways you can relieve the pain. If you need extra support during pregnancy or labour, our consultant team is always available for you.