Postnatal services
If you give birth at home, the midwife caring for you will stay for a couple of hours after the birth to ensure you and your baby are both well. Then they will leave you to bond as a family, having arranged a time to come and see you again.
If you give birth at one of our midwifery-led units (MLU), you and your baby are both well and there are no issues, you can expect to go home after a few hours.
Care at the JR
If you give birth on Delivery Suite at the John Radcliffe Hospital Women's Centre, you and your baby are both well and there are no issues, you can go home shortly after giving birth.
Sometimes you or your baby may need some further monitoring, or you may choose to stay longer for support.
If you stay in hospital after giving birth at the Women's Centre, we will transfer you to postnatal areas on Level 5 or Level 7.
Level 5: 01865 221880 / 1
Level 7: 01865 221663
You may spend some time on Observation Area, a ward to the side of Delivery Suite, before transfer.
Most of our wards have bays with four beds each: we will do our best to maintain your privacy and dignity at all times but if you have any concerns please speak to a member of staff.
Visiting hours
Please see:
Visitor FAQs
Breastfeeding
Midwives, maternity and breastfeeding support workers provide breastfeeding support while you are in hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After you go home, we visit and offer feeding support when necessary.
Staff in our midwifery-led units are happy to help with feeding problems during the night that cannot wait until the morning, so please contact your local unit if you feel you need their support.
For more information please visit:
Infant feeding
Birth Reflections Service
Please see our page for more information on this service:
Birth Reflections Service
Registering the birth
For information about who can register a birth please visit:
Car seats
If you are going home by car, you must have an approved baby's car seat available: a car seat for a baby is a legal requirement and necessary for their safety. Car seats that cannot be removed from the car are acceptable.
Maternity staff are unable to physically check car seats but are happy to offer verbal advice.
Community Care
Midwives from your community midwifery team will provide postnatal care once you are home.
First new patient visit - day after discharge from hospital
When you and your baby are discharged from hospital, MLU or home you will receive a face to face appointment the next day (day one).
Day five
- Face to face appointment with the community team
- Newborn Bloodspot Screening
- Baby's weight is checked
- Full postnatal check
Day ten
- Face to face appointment with the community team
- Discharge from Maternity Services (around day 10-14)
- Baby's weight is checked (if required)
- Full postnatal check
Your community midwife can arrange additional appointments for extra support if this is needed.
We may offer to see you in your local maternity unit or community setting, however, if you need to be seen at home, please discuss this with your community team as soon as possible.
If you need advice outside office hours and cannot speak to your community midwife please contact our Maternity Assessment Unit (MAU):
Tel: 01865 220221
We will usually transfer your care to the Health Visitors on, or around, day 10.
You will need to make an appointment with your GP for both yourself and your baby to have a check-up at around six to eight weeks after the birth.
Oxford Newborn Care Unit
Oxford Newborn Care Unit provides specialist medical, surgical and cardiology care to newborn babies if needed.
Oxford Newborn Care Unit
Last reviewed:11 September 2023