Visiting times and information

You can have two named birth partners who can be with you at any time.

You are able to bring one person with you if you need to visit these areas. These areas are busy and there is only a small seating area. The rooms where you will have your pregnancy scans are small with large equipment. Please note that children are not able to attend these areas for these reasons.

• You are able to have one chosen birth partner with you between 9am and midnight
• Second birth partner and siblings of the baby between 9am to 8pm
• Siblings of the baby must be with an adult visitor at all times
• Two more visitors between 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm. There can be no more than three people at a bed space at any one time. Siblings of the baby do not count in these numbers but the adult who is looking after them will be
• If you are having/had a planned caesarean section and are on the enhanced recovery programme, during your minimum 4 hours enhanced recovery period, only one birth partner will be able to be with you during this time

Following feedback from families, Leicester Hospitals are able to offer the option for one named birth partner to stay overnight on our maternity wards.

Please read this information to make sure that patients and new parents safety, privacy and dignity is kept. If you cannot meet the following requests, Leicester Hospitals will not be able to support you to stay overnight. The team will ask you to leave.

If you would like to stay overnight with your partner/ relative, Leicester Hospitals politely ask:

• Please wash your hands regularly. Use the hand gel provided
• Please do not bring camp beds, sleep on the floor, or in any hospital beds. This is due to space limits. Staff will need to get to your partner/relative and baby safely. There are chairs in all rooms where you are able to rest
• Please stay in the room/ bay space you have been allocated
• Please stay fully dressed at all times
• Please use the visitors toilets only. We cannot offer showers, food (including storage of food) and bedding. You are welcome to bring your own blanket
• Please support your partner/ relative with baby cares such as changing nappies and holding/ passing baby for feeding
• Please help to offer care to your relative such as helping them to eat or drink. Please let them sleep and rest

It is asked that noise is kept to a minimum particularly at night. This will help make sure patients, new parents and babies get the rest they need. Between 11pm and 6am, we ask that all electronic devices are kept on silent. Do not use the loudspeaker for phone calls. Phone calls need to be kept to a minimum and answered quietly.

Click here for  further information.

Parents/Guardians are able to be with their baby at any time on the Neonatal Unit. You will be asked to decide on four named visitors. Two named visitors can visit your baby between 12pm and 8pm each day. One parent must be present when there is a visitor present.

St Mary’s Birth Centre

Please note from 7 July 2025, births and inpatient postnatal services at St Mary’s Birth Centre will be paused due to safe staffing challenges and low birth numbers.

Home births and community-based antenatal and postnatal care in the area will continue uninterrupted. Midwifery-led units are available at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and the Leicester General Hospital. Information about the changes is available on the UHL website. If you have any concerns regarding your pregnancy, please speak with your named midwife.

At both hospitals, personal situations will be reviewed. If you have a specific request, please speak to the Ward Manager or Midwife in Charge. You may also wish to put this into your personalised care and support plan, which your community midwife will be able to advise you on.

If a visitor or support partner has a positive test or have symptoms of COVID, they should not visit the hospital. Please use hand gels or wash hands. If you have any concerns, please speak to your midwife.

Guidance is subject to change depending on local levels of COVID infections.