Guidance for birthing partner staying overnight

We will ask you to respect our principles to enable us to provide the most suitable environment we can these include:

  • While you are staying with us, please refrain from sleeping in any of the beds, these are for service users only. This includes co-sleeping with your partner or sleeping in another bed which may be empty on the ward.
  • Please use the hand gel and wash your hands when entering and leaving the ward.
  • If you have been ill or in close contact with someone who has diarrhoea or vomiting, a flu-like or contagious illness in the last 48 hours, please do not come into the maternity unit.
  • This Trust operates a zero tolerance for aggressive and disruptive behaviour. We will ask you to leave if you make anyone within the maternity unit feel unsafe or if we consider you to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. We have an onsite security team who will be asked to attend if we require support.

Additional ‘Night Mode’ principles operate between the hours of 10.00pm and 6.00am to enable us to provide the most suitable environment we can, to permit rest, including:

  • Noise to be kept to a minimum.
  • Please try to avoid going on and off the ward.
  • All tablets and mobile phones must be on silent mode.
  • Headphones to be used with electronic devices.
  • Loudspeaker function is not used for phone calls.
  • Video calls must be taken in the Day Room.

Please be aware there is limited space around the bed area and access will be required to perform care duties by staff at all times.

We are unable to provide facilities such as beds, pillows or blankets, showers or regular meals for a birth partners who choose to stay overnight. The facilities which are available include: 

  • Use of the dedicated toilet, which is located on the antenatal side of Maple Ward.
  • A recliner chair within each bay space for you to rest in (while you are staying with us, please do not sleep in any of the beds, these are for service users only).
  • Refreshments and snack, which are available from the family day room.