Who to contact if you think you are in labour or your waters have broken
If you think you are in labour or think your waters have gone, please call the hospital where you are booked to have your baby for advice. You will be asked for your details and a brief account of your present situation and given advice as to what to do next.
If you are booked to give birth at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh or the Lothian Birth Centre, please call the Labour Line: 0131 242 2672.
If you are booked to give birth at St John’s Hospital, in Livingston, please call the Labour Ward: 01506 524 125.
The above telephone numbers are answered by midwives 24hrs each day.
For other medical enquiries, please contact your GP surgery or out of hours call NHS 24 on 111.
If you have an emergency of a life threatening nature, call 999 for an emergency ambulance.
Units addresses and phone numbers
Ward 211, Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA
Tel: 0131 242 2111
Ward 119, Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA
Tel: 0131 242 1194
Ward 11, St John’s Hospital, St John’s Howden Road West, Howden, Livingston EH54 6PP
Tel: 01506 524111
What do I need to bring with me to the hospital?
Sometimes women are not sure what they need to bring and what the hospital will provide them with.
If you have prescribed medicine, please bring it with you to the hospital.
If you bring your own prescribed medication with you, this helps us in the following ways:
-Financial Savings and Waste Reduction
-Improving Discharge Planning
-Reducing Delays in the supply of medications
-Saving time spent on medicine ward rounds
-Reducing errors and incidents
Please give any prescribed medication to your midwife on admission to hospital.
Did you know? There are things you can do in the antenatal period to prepare for your discharge home. Please have a supply of simple pain relief medicine (paracetamol and ibuprofen) at home for the early postnatal period. This helps with improving discharge planning and reducing delays in the supply of medication.
For more information on what to bring to the hospital, see Ready, Steady, Baby information on getting organised. NOTE: You will need to bring a car seat if you are driving your baby home.
Where can I get food and drink in the hospital?
Mothers will receive meals from the hospital. There are a number of options for partners to buy food and refreshments.
In the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Food is available in the main dining hall and there are shops in the main Mall on the ground floor. There are also some vending machines in clinic area and waiting areas.
In St John’s Hospital
There is a cafe in the main entrance area and meals are available in the main dining room on the top floor. There is a vending machine on ward 11.
Where can I get parked at the hospital?
Parking at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
There is currently no charge for parking at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. There is a drop off point outside of triage and outside the Lothian Birth Centre. Once you have dropped off your passenger, you can park in car park A.
Parking at St John’s Hospital
There is currently no charge for parking at St John’s Hospital. There is a drop off point at the Maternity entrance then you should move your car to the main car park.
What is the mobile phone policy?
Mobile phones are used widely on the wards. Phone conversations should not disturb other mums who are trying to rest (for example, late at night) and they should not be used to take pictures of staff or others mums and babies
What is the WIFI Policy?
There is free WIFI available in the wards.
Can I listen to music in the hospital?
In a single room, you can listen to music but otherwise the four bedded bays are busy areas with mums, babies and visitors so if you want to listen to music, please use headphones
Is there a separate unit where my baby might be cared for if I have a complex childbirth or my baby has complications related to being born early?
The Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is the regional centre for complex pregnancy and childbirth and has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on site.
There is a Special Care Baby Unit at St John’s Hospital. Your baby may be cared for there or if they have more complex needs, they will be transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Simpson Centre in Edinburgh.
