Birth
If you think you may be in labour or need urgent advice, please contact the triage department on 01392 406616.
Our maternity service helps with around 4,000 births per year, on our labour ward, in our midwife-led birth centre at the RD&E, in Tiverton Birth Centre, or at home, supported by our home birth team.
Your named midwife will discuss your preferred place for birth with you and will help you make informed choices about where to have your baby. Please see the leaflet Where to have your baby for further information.
More about us
Whatever your needs, we are here to provide a high and safe standard of care for mothers and babies.
Our labour ward has 10 individual birthing rooms, one of which has a birthing pool. We have a dedicated obstetric theatre and recovery area. We also work closely with the hospital's highly-specialist neonatal intensive care service, providing care for sick and premature babies. Birth partners are welcome to be with you throughout the duration of a labour.
The Exeter birth unit cares for women who do not have any complications in their pregnancy. They have three birthing rooms, two of which have birthing pools. Last year (2019), about 18% of babies were born on the birth unit.
Our stand-alone birth unit is based at Tiverton hospital. Here, women without any complications in their pregnancy can receive midwife-led care for labour and birth. There are five postnatal beds for women and their babies at Tiverton birth centre. Women are able to transfer from Exeter to Tiverton for postnatal care and breastfeeding support if they wish.
If you decide to give birth at home, the ‘Elder’ team of midwives will be on hand to support you. If you are considering a home birth, please talk to your midwife and ask her to refer you to the team.
Where to find us
RD&E Wonford, Barrack Rd, Exeter EX2 5DW
- Labour ward, Level 2
- Exeter Birth Unit, Level 2
Tiverton Birth Unit, Kennedy Way, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 6NT
Contact us
Maternity Triage: 01392 406616
Tiverton Birth Unit: 01884 235410
Supporting you
Women’s Health Counsellors are part of the team providing care in The Centre for Women’s Health. We offer emotional support for women accessing the services of Maternity.
Pregnancy referrals for counselling support include:-
Ante-natal decision-making when considering whether to:
- continue a pregnancy
- decide between choice of treatments or method of delivery
All pregnancy loss: stillbirth, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and termination. Patients need to contact the service:
- within 4 months of the loss or
- if required during a subsequent pregnancy
Contact 01392 406678 or rde-tr.cwhcounsellors@nhs.net
Patient information leaflets
We produce a wide range of leaflets which provide information about our services and about the treatment you might receive in our clinics or during your stay in hospital.
We also produce these in different formats including large print, please contact the department you are visiting for more information.
Useful videos
We have a wide range of videos which provide information about our services and about the treatment you might receive in our clinics or during your stay in hospital.