Maternity
Maternity Reception: 01202 442319
How to find St Mary's Maternity Hospital from the main hospital - click here for map
The maternity service based at St Mary's Maternity Unit, Poole Hospital, provides a comprehensive service offering women as much choice as possible in their maternity care. Care is shared between midwifery and medical staff and undertaken in community settings and within the Maternity Unit according to clinical needs.
St Mary's Maternity Unit is the centre for all high risk care in East Dorset and is fully equipped to meet the needs of women and babies with complications as well as women with normal pregnancies and births. Annual deliveries are on average 5,000.
Women may access care directly via our Self Referral Telephone Line – 01202 442310.
Following delivery, and if there are no complications, the normal length of stay in the maternity unit is 6 hours.
Women with babies in the Neonatal Unit or on Transitional Care Ward may stay longer as will women who have undergone assisted delivery or Caesarean section.
Women with an uncomplicated pregnancy are cared for by a named midwife and may choose to give birth at home, in the Haven Birthing Suite at Poole or in the Central Delivery Suite at Poole Maternity Unit.
Women are then cared for following the birth of their baby by the team of Community Midwives.
SELF REFERRAL SERVICE
If you are more than 6 weeks pregnant you can now book your maternity care directly with Poole Maternity Services, by calling the self referral line on: 01202 442310 between 09.30 and 16.30 from Monday to Friday.
When you call our self-referral line we will ask you questions yourself, your family and your medical background.This will enable us to ensure that you receive the most appropriate care.
A midwife will then call you back to arrange a booking appointment prior to your 12 week scan.
This number is for Maternity Referrals only.
For queries regarding your Maternity care, you should call the Community Midwifery Dept on 01202 442692 in the first instance.
VISITING
Postnatal Visiting: 9am to 9pm for partners and the mothers’ own children. Other visitors are welcome between 2 and 4 pm, and 7 and 8 pm. For reasons of infection control, only the mothers own children should come to the Postnatal Ward
ANTENATAL EDUCATION
Antenatal education sessions are held at various venues across the district and in the maternity unit. Women may book themselves on to these courses by ringing the maternity unit receptionist on 01202 442319 Monday to Friday. These run at weekends and some evening sessions at which partners are very welcome.