Pregnant? What next?

Birth Centre

As soon as you know you are pregnant, please get in touch with us to book your first appointment. This is called your 'booking appointment', where you will meet one of our friendly midwives for the first time.

The quickest and easiest option for booking your first appointment is to refer yourself online using our simple  Maternity self-referral form.

You can also contact our maternity team directly by calling 020 8836 4491.

Ideally you should be seen by a midwife by the time you are 10 weeks pregnant, or as early into your pregnancy as possible. You can make your first appointment quickly and easily using any of the options above. There is no need to see your GP before getting in touch with us.


Other ways to make your first appointment

There are lots of other ways to make your first appointment. We are very happy for you to choose the option that is most convenient for you:

  • You can ask your GP to refer you to us
  • You can visit the antenatal clinic at any of the three hospitals where we provide maternity care (University Hospital Lewisham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital) and complete an appointment form (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm)
  • You can contact your local Children’s Centre, who can inform you of the midwifery services that are available in your area


Take a tour of our facilities and preparing for your birth 

You can take a virtual tour of our facilities and we encourage you to talk to your midwife to find out more about your choices for the birth of your baby. 

Birth preparation talk

Join us for a talk about how you can prepare for birthing your baby. You’re welcome to bring one birth partner.

Our Birth Centre midwives run regular talks that are open to everyone who has booked to give birth with our Trust, whether in our hospital labour wards, birth centres or at home.

What we will cover:

  • When to call up in labour
  • Reasons to call the midwife
  • Coping strategies for early labour
  • Perineal massage
  • Active birth positions to try
  • Colostrum harvesting
  • Plus time to answer your questions.

When? Every other Wednesday 1pm to 2pm and 6pm to 7pm

Where? Birth Centre, Ground Floor Pink Zone, University Hospital Lewisham

To book: To book a place please call the Lewisham Birth Centre on 020 3192 6863

 

Antenatal classes

We offer a full range of antenatal classes which can help to prepare for your baby's birth and learn to look after and feed your baby. They can help you to stay healthy during pregnancy, and give you confidence and information. You can learn about the different choices for labour and birth, which can help you to make your own birth plan. You will be able to discuss your plans and any worries with our midwives and other parents.

We encourage you to book our online antenatal classes. You can book Birth, Baby and You using Eventbrite.

Giving birth again after a previous caesarean birth

We also offer a workshop for women and birthing people who are having a baby, who have previously had a caesarean birth: Birth after caesarean birth. Please ask your midwife if you would like to be booked into this workshop. 
 

Face to face antenatal breastfeeding workshops

You can also book to attend face-to-face Antenatal Breastfeeding Workshops using the Eventbrite links below. If you wish to bring your birthing partner, please book two tickets. 

 

NHS resources

Some fantastic resources are available to help inform you about your options during pregnancy and birth. We recommend you take a look at nhs.uk/pregnancy, and the Mum and Baby App (scan the QR code below).

Mum and Baby App QR code

LabourPains.org provides free information from UK doctors, midwives and mothers on pain relief and anaesthesia choices for your baby's birth.

 

Information about future appointments

If you would like more information about the appointments you will have later on in your pregnancy, please see the antenatal care section.

 

Vaccinations in pregnancy

NHS vaccinations and when to have them

Vaccination clinics are available at University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to give you easy access to flu and whooping cough vaccinations, which are strongly recommended during pregnancy.

Peak flu season is between September and March. During this period the flu vaccination will be available at any time during your pregnancy.

The whooping cough vaccination is offered to everyone from 16 weeks of pregnancy. This vaccination protects your baby in the first few weeks of life, before being given their own vaccinations, at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of life. When this vaccination is given during pregnancy, we know that it passes via the placenta to the baby, to give them that extra protection.

Vaccination clinic times 

Queen Elizabeth Hospital  
Mondays and Wednesdays, 9am to 4pm in Antenatal Clinic, 1st Floor, Maternity Department

University Hospital Lewisham  
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9am to 4pm in Antenatal Clinic, Ground Floor, Green Zone.

To book an appointment, please email: lh.immunisation@nhs.net or phone: 020 3049 1237. You can also just 'pop in' without having an appointment arranged. 

We recommend that if you have not already been vaccinated against Covid-19, you will be offered Covid-19 vaccination in pregnancy. You can find up to date advice about COVID vaccinations on the South East London COVID vaccination in pregnancy website.