Your health and wellbeing

Doncaster and Bassetlaw have developed specialist midwifery services in the following areas:

• Clinical specialist midwives for labour and care during birth
• Antenatal and newborn screening midwives
• Specialist midwife for Diabetes and Weight Management
• Teenage pregnancy support
• Infant feeding support
• Substance misuse
• Domestic abuse
• Mental health services
• Bereavement support.

Pre-existing diabetes and pregnancy

Please visit this page, for options on registering your pregnancy at out Hospitals.  You can also notify our Lead Midwives for Diabetes on 01302 642897 or 07971 148726.

Smoking Cessation Service

Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is one the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life. There are over 4,000 chemicals in every cigarette you smoke and these chemicals pass through the placenta and directly to your unborn child.  This restricts the essential oxygen supply to your baby making their tiny heart work harder. Stopping smoking will benefit both you and your baby immediately, so it is never too late to stop. Some of the benefits include:

• Reduced risk of complications in pregnancy
• Reduced risk of stillbirth
• You will feel more physically healthy and able to cope with the birth
• There is less chance your baby will be born premature
• Your baby is less likely to be born small and have trouble maintaining their temperature
• There is less chance of infection for you and your baby after the birth
• You will reduce  the risk of cot death
•  Your child is less likely to suffer from asthma or other illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia as they grow.

If your partner or family members smoke, their passive smoke can also affect you and your baby and you may find it more difficult to stop.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can be used during pregnancy if it will help you stop smoking, where you would find it difficult to stop without it. However, stop smoking tablets are not recommended.

We have a proactive approach to supporting women and their families with smoking cessation. Carbon Monoxide readings are offered to all women at booking and are continued during pregnancy. All women who smoke, or have high cabon monoxide readings, are offered referral to the Smoking Cessation Service for advice and support.

For more information call the NHS Pregnancy Stop Smoking advice line on 0300 123 1044or visit here.