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Congratulations on your pregnancy.
Did you know you can self-refer into the maternity service by clicking the following link:
If you can’t access the link, and live in Sandwell, please contact your local children’s centre (family hubs) by clicking the following link sandwell.gov.uk/kb5/sandwell or your GP. If you live in Birmingham, please contact your GP.
The Maternity Department at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital is now open.
If you’re under our care and in labour or need emergency treatment please go to the Midland Met.
City Hospital Maternity Department is now closed.
Below is some information about the Maternity Department at Midland Met.
Security
For the safety of you and your baby, we have security on entrances to areas of maternity and neonatal.
In maternity, birth partners will be issued with a blue wristband – you will need to show this to security to gain access.
In neonatal, parents will be issued with photo ID which will need to be shown to security to gain access.
Visiting
There will be some changes to our usual pattern of visiting whilst we settle into our new environment.
| Ward/Area | Visiting arrangements |
| Delivery Suite | 2 birth partners – anytime visiting |
| Serenity | 2 birth partners – anytime visiting |
| A4 – postnatal ward | 9am – 8pm
1 birth partner 2pm – 8pm 1 additional birth partner and siblings |
| C4 – antenatal ward | 9am – 8pm
1 birth partner 2pm – 8pm 1 additional birth partner and siblings |
| Neonatal Unit | 24/7 visiting
Parents or support person 9am – 9pm Siblings accompanied by parents |
Refreshments
The Winter Garden at Midland Met is located on level 5. This space has lots of seating and access to refreshments should you need it.
There is a Costa Coffee (open 7.30am – 7.30pm) and also the Winter Garden Restaurant.
In addition, there is another Costa Coffee and a Greggs (open 7am – 6pm) at the front of the hospital. Please access these by taking lift core B to level 0.
Directions to Maternity Department
The address is
Midland Metropolitan University Hospital
Grove Lane
Smethwick
B66 2QT
Parking for visitors is available at Midland Met and is accessed from Grove Lane.
For further information about how to get to Midland Met, including using public transport, please visit swbh.nhs.uk/midlandmet
Entry to Midland Met is via level 0 and then taking the lifts or stairs to level 5 – here you will find the Welcome Centre and the Winter Garden, which has seating areas and food and drink options.
Entry to Maternity is detailed below:
From level 5
A4 – Postnatal Ward
Visitors access this by taking lift core A to level 4
C4 – Antenatal Ward
Visitors access this by taking lift core C to level 4
Delivery Suite
Visitors access this by taking lift core E to level 3
Attending your appointment at Midland Met
If you are attending Midland Met for a scan or appointment, please use the main hospital entrance, off Grove Lane. You should head to level 5 and then take lift core A to level 3.
If you are attending Antenatal Day Assessment Unit or Fetal Medicine, you will use lift core C to level 3.
If you are attending triage, please use the main maternity entrance.
You can watch this video for more information about how to navigate Midland Met:
You're pregnant - congratulations!
Having a baby can be an exciting and scary time. No matter what the circumstances of your pregnancy, you can be assured of the very best of care. Our maternity services help women reach informed decisions about their care throughout their pregnancy.
Maternity care is generally divided into two categories:
- Low risk care is offered where any previous births and general health have been problem-free. Expecting mothers are managed throughout their pregnancies by midwives.
- Combined care is provided where a medical condition exists that may need additional monitoring. Care is shared between a midwife and a consultant obstetrician (a doctor who specialises in pregnancy and childbirth).
All women and their families will be treated with kindness, respect and dignity. The views, beliefs and values of women, their partners and family in relation to their care and that of their babies will be sought and respected at all times.
We offer a wide range of services to meet individual needs. This includes interpreters for women whose first language is not English.
Choosing where to have your baby
Having a baby is a natural event in life, and you should consider giving birth where you feel most comfortable and in control. You may find it helpful to talk to your midwife, or to other parents and support groups.
It’s important that you feel as relaxed as possible when you give birth, as the pain can feel worse if you are tense or anxious. When you have your baby in hospital you may use rooms with home-like surroundings or bring pillows or other items to make you feel more comfortable.
Patient Information
We are providing a single point of access for all maternity referrals in the in Sandwell and West Birmingham area. The aim is to make sure you have access to the right care from day one. We will triage your referral based on the information you provide and the hospital will contact you to start your antenatal care. In the meantime if you are worried about your pregnancy, please tell your GP straight away.
Patient Information Leaflets
- After the birth of your baby ML7363
- Change Lives Save Lives – Your passport to a smoke free journey (ML6577)
- Choosing where to give birth to your baby ML5963
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in pregnancy
- Dietary advice for the management ML6731
- Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit – Methotrexate treatment for ectopic pregnancy (ML6283)
- Elective Caesarean Section Pre-Op Reminder ML7513
- Giving birth by caesarean section ML5103
- Giving birth after a previous caesarean section ML5106
- Giving birth when your baby is in breech position at the end of your pregnancy
- Hand Expression
- How to use the Breast Pump Equipment
- How to Sterilise feeding equipment
- Induction of labour ML5962
- Keeping healthy during pregnancy ML5947
- Large for Gestational Age Baby (ML6447)
- Low dose Aspirin 150 mg in pregnancy (ML6411)
- Maternity Care Guide
- Membrane Sweep ML5104
- Microwave steam steriliser bags
- Monitoring your Baby’s Heartbeat in Labour
- Protecting your baby from low blood glucose
- Staying with your partner overnight M8373
- Vitamin K supplement for newborns
- Welcome to the Fetal Medicine Unit M8096
- Welcome to theatres ML6531
- What is BadgerNet?
- What to do if your baby is struggling to breastfeed in the first few days of life
- Your antenatal appointments ML5946
- Your waters have broken but your labour hasn’t started yet ML5102
Screening tests for you and your baby (STFYAYB) – via GOV.UK
This discusses which tests are available during pregnancy and after your baby has been born. Screening tests are always a choice.
English version – English video, hardcoded subtitles version and British Sign Language video.
Also available in: Arabic (video), Bengali (video), Chinese (video), French (video), Latvian (video), Lithuanian (video), Polish (video), Portuguese (video), Punjabi (video), Romanian (video), Somali (video), Urdu (video)
Our leaflets are now available in other languages, please click on the links provided below to read the leaflets in your preferred language:
Bengali Translation
Polish Translation
Punjabi Translation
Urdu Translation
Audio Translated Patient Information
National Maternity Investigation
Contact Us
If you experience bleeding whilst pregnant, under 16 weeks of pregnancy please call your GP or 111 if out of hours. In an emergency attend A&E.
After 16 weeks of pregnancy you can call delivery suite triage on 0121 507 4181.
To contact a midwife for any other urgent advice call:
Maternity Triage, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital: 0121 507 4181 (open 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
See below for all other enquiries:
- Community midwifery: 0121 507 3774
- Self-referrals: 0121 507 3675/4918
- Midland Metropolitan University Hospital switchboard: 0121 554 3801
For general advice about your care, contact your named community midwife. You will be given their contact details early in your pregnancy.
Maternity
- 2025 Stillbirth Thematic Review
- Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP)
- Community Midwifery
- Antenatal Classes
- The Delivery Suite
- The Serenity Birth Centre
- Induction of Labour
- Postnatal Services
- Day Assessment Unit
- Screening and Blood Tests
- Our Services
For more information about disabled access for this service