Bringing a baby into the world is an incredibly special time, and our maternity team is here to support you every step of the way. We support more than 5,000 women and families each year, and are here to guide you through pregnancy, birth and the early days with your baby.

We are proud of our friendly team and the personalised care that each woman and family receives. Our midwives will support you to have the birthing experience you wish for wherever possible. If you need more specialised or complex care at any point, our team of doctors will make sure you have the safest and best possible birthing experience.

Whether this is your first baby or you are growing your family, we hope our maternity service helps you feel confident and supported throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

Where we are

We are based at Royal Bolton Hospital and offer both antenatal and postnatal care at health centres and Family Hubs across Bolton, Bury and Salford.

If you live outside of these areas but still wish to have your baby at Royal Bolton Hospital, you will see our midwives at the hospital, and also midwives closer to where you live. 

In early 2027 our new Maternity and Women's Health Unit will open at Royal Bolton Hospital, after a multi-million-pound transformation.

The unit will include a new birthing suite with four brand new, modern birthing rooms with pools, triage area and gynaecology and early pregnancy unit.

When you find out you are pregnant

Congratulations on your pregnancy, we're so pleased to be part of your journey. If you have a positive pregnancy test, you can book your maternity care directly with us without having to go to your GP.

Get in touch with our midwifery team as soon as possible on 01204 390023. They will schedule your first appointment – which is often called a booking appointment.

Your pregnancy (antenatal care)

During pregnancy, you will have several appointments to check your wellbeing and your baby's development. These will usually be with a midwife or sonographer, depending on the care you need.

These appointments could include:

• early pregnancy advice
• routine scans at 12 and 20 weeks
• screening tests
• support with physical and emotional health
• pregnancy vaccinations
• specialist care if needed

Your midwife will help you make a personalised care plan and answer any questions you may have.

At scan appointments, you will be able to purchase printed photographs of your scan for £5 each.

Pregnancy can be an exciting, but also daunting time, and you are likely to have many questions. As well as your midwife and support we provide, we'd also recommend spending some time looking at the NHS pregnancy guide, which has lots of helpful information about every stage of pregnancy.

Support in early pregnancy (16 weeks or under)

Our Early Pregnancy Unit provides urgent care for anyone experiencing problems in early pregnancy (up to 16 weeks), such as pain, bleeding or severe vomiting.

The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can contact our Triage Service on 01204 390510 for immediate advice at any time.

One of our nurses will assess your symptoms and arrange the most appropriate care, which may include attending our Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit or, if your symptoms are severe, the Emergency Department (ED) at the hospital.

If you are unable to access the service and have heavy bleeding or severe pain, please go straight to the ED.

Giving birth and your birth options

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.

After your baby is born (postnatal care)

Whether your baby arrives at home or in hospital, we want you to feel safe, supported, and cared for every step of the way.

If you give birth at home

If everything is well, you'll stay in the comfort of your own home. Your midwife will help you get settled, complete any essential paperwork, and make sure you have important contact numbers before they leave. They'll arrange to visit you again very soon to see how you and your baby are doing.

If you give birth in hospital

After birth, we'll help you get comfortable and make sure you have time to rest and bond with your baby. Your midwife will carry out your baby's first checks.

After about an hour, you and your baby will move to the postnatal ward. If you're planning to go home the same day, this is usually possible after 3–6 hours, depending on the type of birth you've had and the advice of the team looking after you.

If you have a caesarean section or a more complex birth

You'll spend a little time in our recovery area so we can keep an extra close eye on you. Once you're feeling well and comfortable, you'll move to the postnatal ward.

Your care team

You may meet several members of our maternity team during this time, everyone is here to support you, answer your questions, and help you feel confident in caring for your baby.

Skin to skin contact

Skin‑to‑skin contact after birth is a wonderful way to begin bonding with your baby. Wherever possible, your midwife will help lift your baby onto your bare chest straight after they're born, often even before the cord is cut, so you can be close to each other right from the start. This gentle contact helps your baby adjust to life outside the womb and supports the beginning of a calm, loving connection between you both.

You can find out more about skin to skin, including safety information and breastfeeding, here.

Your baby's first checks

During the first 24 hours, your baby will have a full examination to make sure everything is as it should be, including a hearing screen. Our neonatal team is always close by if extra support is needed. Your baby will also be offered a BCG vaccination

Before you go home, we will:

• Carry out a postnatal check of you to make sure you're recovering well
• Check you are comfortable and confident with feeding your baby
• Give you any follow‑up information and details you will need
• Give you information about registering the birth of your baby

Please remember to plan how you'll get home, including having a suitable car seat if travelling by car.

After you leave us

You'll have a named midwife who will check in on you regularly for the first 14 days. Once midwifery care comes to an end, our public health nursing team (health visitors) will continue supporting you and your baby as you move into the next stage together.

Specialist maternity services

Our specialist midwives are an important of our team and they may be involved in your care throughout your pregnancy and birth, depending on your needs.

This includes:

• Bereavement care
• Birth after pregnancy loss – our Rainbow Clinic
• Breastfeeding
• Diabetes
• Mental Health
• Multiple births
• Safeguarding – sometimes we may need to work with local social services to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of you and your baby. This is usually done with your agreement and involvement. We will always make sure you receive the support, compassion and care you need.
• Specialist Cultural Liaison midwife

We're always listening

We're always looking for ways to improve our maternity services, and your experiences play an important part in shaping the care we provide.

Bolton Maternity Voices Partnership is an independent group of women, partners, midwives, doctors and community representatives who work together to improve local maternity care.

You can share your experience, take part in surveys or focus groups, or get more involved in shaping services by visiting their website.

Your feedback helps ensure maternity care in Bolton is kind, safe, and centred around the families who use our services.