The Rosie offers three locations for labour and birth - home, Rosie birth centre (RBC) or delivery unit.
If you have no health or pregnancy complications, the usual place to birth your baby is the Rosie birth centre or at home.
If you chose to have your baby at home, your birth will be supported by midwives who take the lead in care for low risk pregnancy and childbirth.
If you chose to have your baby in the birth centre you will be supported at the birth by midwives who take the lead in the care of low risk births. Each room in the birth centre is designed to offer a calm environment and has its own pool and en-suite facilities. Your partner may stay with you throughout your stay here, and it is anticipated that you will return home within a few hours after the birth.
If you have any medical conditions or pregnancy complications that would indicate the need for obstetric led care, then the safest place for you to have your baby is on the delivery unit, where your birth will be supported by a maternity team which will include midwives and doctors. The delivery unit also has rooms with en suite facilities and there is a newly refurbished pool room.
Talk to your midwife about any risk factors in your pregnancy and the most appropriate option for you.
Your Choices booklet
The booklet has been developed with feedback and support from staff, patients and our partners and is available from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System website (opens in a new tab).
Home Births
The maternity service at the Rosie supports home births however it is acknowledged that at times this will not possible due to staffing and/or workload both within the hospital and/ or community.
Should it not be possible to support a home birth then a woman in labour will be asked to attend the Rosie (or if on divert to a neighbouring unit) where there is a midwife available to care for her.
In the event of a labouring woman being unable to make her way in or declining to attend and the unit is unable to attend the birth at home then an ambulance will be sent to facilitate transfer to a unit where a midwife is available to provide care.
Non-urgent advice: Home births: Medications
Your medications will be available for collection at the hospital outpatient pharmacy between 34 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, with the exception of Entonox and Vitamin K. If you are unable to collect your medication from the hospital outpatient pharmacy, a courier can be arranged.
Medications will be clearly labelled with instructions on how to store them safely. At your 36-week appointment, your community midwife will confirm that you have received your medication.
When you call the birth centre to notify them that labour has started, please confirm that you have your medication.
If you do not proceed with a home birth, please return your medication to your community midwife at your first post-natal appointment.
Non-urgent advice: Diverts at the Rosie Hospital
What is a divert?
Diverts happen when the hospital needs the help of other hospitals to meet the needs of its patients. In maternity services, this may be because there are not enough staff, or enough beds, or space in Neonatal Intensive Care.
How often does this happen?
Diverts may be for an hour, or for a day or more, until it is safe to accept more patients onto the wards.
Does everyone get diverted at once?
No, even when a hospital is on divert, they may accept and safely care for patients in certain areas of the hospital, whilst diverting others. Decisions are made about where is best for each individual to receive their care. You should always ring the Rosie if you need maternity support.
Please see below diverts data from February and March 2024
