Contact the maternity team
If you need advice and are pregnant and currently receiving care at the PRUH, have just given birth at the PRUH, or have had a home birth with the PRUH:
- to make, change or cancel appointments: use MyChart or contact your community midwifery team
- for urgent clinical advice (for example, if you are feeling unwell, have abdominal pain, bleeding, reduced or altered fetal movements, or signs of labour under 37 weeks pregnant): call the Maternity Assessment Helpline on 01689 863572 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
- if your waters break or you think you might be in labour (and you are over 37 weeks pregnant): call the Labour Line on 01689 864750 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
- for non-urgent advice (for example, about test results, infant feeding or general pregnancy concerns): call the General Maternity Enquiries Telephone Assessment Line (TAL) on 020 3299 8389 (7.30am to 7.30pm, 7 days a week)
Baby movements
You should become aware of your baby’s movements between weeks 16 to 24. However, if this is your first pregnancy, you may not become aware until around 20 weeks.
These movements may feel like a flutter, swish, roll, or kicks. As they grow, the number and type of movements will change, and a pattern may develop. Typically, babies are most active during the afternoon and evenings. They have sleep patterns where they don’t move during both day and night for about 20 to 40 minutes (and rarely up to 90 minutes).
The number of movements tends to increase until 32 weeks and then stay about the same. As you near your due date, movements may change. Even during labour, you should feel your baby moving.
If you notice that your baby is moving less than usual, you cannot feel their movements anymore, or their usual pattern of movement changes, call our Maternity Helpline on 01689 863 572 immediately. Do not wait.
We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and your midwife will advise you if they need to check your baby’s movements and heartbeat. Reduced movements could mean your baby is unwell. Our midwives will be available to help, even in the middle of the night.
More information about fetal movements
- Feeling your baby move is a sign that they are well flyer (Tommy’s Pregnancy Hub) – an audio version or language translation of this flyer is also available
- Your baby’s movements (NHS website)
Other useful contact details
Orpington Hospital
Orpington community administrator: 01689 864 818
Orpington antenatal clinic: 01689 863 560
Queen Mary’s Hospital (QMS)
QMS community appointments: 020 3910 7290
Beckenham Beacon
Beckenham Beacon community administrator: 01689 866 640
Beckenham Beacon receptionist: 01689 866 603
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS offers support, information and assistance to patients, relatives and visitors. They can also provide help and advice if you have a concern or complaint that staff have not been able to resolve for you.
Friends and Family survey
You can tell us what you did and didn’t like about your care by completing the Friends and Family survey, it only takes a couple of minutes and you can comment on your antenatal, birth and postnatal ward or postnatal community care. If you have been given a code, please enter it in the section to the right of the survey page, or you can locate the service you would like to leave feedback for using the search box or expandable sections on the page.