Leeds Hospital Birth...
- Julia Kitching
- Sep 6, 2022
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 21
Where To Give Birth In Leeds?
There are various options for you to consider if you are wondering where to give birth in Leeds. You could choose to have a home birth, hospital birth or birth in the Lotus Suite Midwifery Led Unit.
Home Birth in Leeds
For women considered low risk in their pregnancy, a home birth might be a great option. If you are considered high risk or have any medical conditions, you will be advised to have your baby in hospital. However, it is your choice where you have your baby and you can choose to have your baby at home if you wish. Leeds have a specialist home birth team, who will come to your home once you are in labour. Unfortunately the Leeds home birth team can close from time to time and this is often due to staffing issues. However, having a Leeds midwife being available to attend your home birth, can change from day to day and it can even change within a few hours. Click the link, to understand more about having a homebirth in Leeds. Home births are statistically safer than hospital births for women who don't have any medical complications or whose baby's are not expected to need any special care at birth. A home birth can certainly increase your odds of having a physiological birth.
Home birth midwives are specially trained in diagnosing potential issues early and will arrange for a quick transfer to hospital, if they have any concerns. The risk of needing an instrumental birth is 50% less likely in home births v's hospital births. There is no difference in neonatal death rates when compared to hospital births for low risk women. There's a 40% reduction in caesarean section rates at home compared to hospital, 55% are less likely to need an episiotomy at home, 40% are less likely to have a 3rd or 4th degree tear and 75% are less likely to contract an infection. (The Lancet, 2020).
Leeds Hospital Birth & Lotus Suite
If you choose to give birth in hospital, Leeds has two hospitals that you can choose from. There is Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) or St James’s University Hospital (SJUH). In Leeds, we are also incredibly lucky to have The Lotus Midwifery Led Unit (LMU) at LGI. Depending on your medical history, you can opt to birth your baby in hospital, at a maternity unit in either LGI delivery suite, SJUH delivery suite or at the MLU Lotus Suite. Ask your doctor or midwife about the Lotus Suite Midwife Unit (LMU) if this is something that interests you.
What is a hospital birth in a maternity unit?
A birth in a maternity led unit in a hospital, means that you will be looked after by midwives, but doctors will also be available if they are needed. If you experience any complications during labour, obstetricians will be able to care for you too. This includes intervention care such as forceps, ventouse, episiotomy or caesarean section. Once your baby is born, if they are born with any complications, they can easily be transferred to the neonatal team or special care baby unit to receive any care that they require. If you are induced or want an epidural, then you will need to be on the maternity ward of the maternity unit and unfortunately you will not be able to use the Lotus Suite.
A maternity unit can offer you various pain relief options, such as anaesthetics (epidural, general anaesthetics), water birth, gas and air, and pethidine. Midwives will be able to monitor you and your baby if they need to and they will be able to access various kinds of equipment, to assist with complicated births.
After the birth of your baby, midwives and maternity care assistants will be able to help you to care for yourself and your baby. Leeds hospitals support and encourage breastfeeding and are available to offer you any help and support that you require. Leeds Bosom Buddies are a great source of breastfeeding support within the city of Leeds.
What is the Lotus Midwifery Led Unit? (LMU)
The LMU is a birthing centre for pregnant women who are considered “low risk” and who want to give birth in a home from home, less clinical environment. The LMU is situated at the end of the corridor of L45 (delivery suite), so it is easy to be transferred to maternity care if they want an epidural during your labour, need obstetric care, interventions or neonatal care. The Lotus Midwifery Led Unit at Leeds General Infirmary is a separate area to the delivery suite and inside the Lotus suite you will find 3 birthing rooms, all of which are very different. Room 1 has a bed and a bath in the ensuite. Room 2 has a low bed, birth pool and ensuite with a shower. Room 3 is a delivery room with a low bed, but no bath/pool or shower, but it does have a toilet. The LMU has calming colours, low lighting and various types of active birth equipment. There is plenty of space to move around during active labour and you will be looked after and supported by just your named midwife instead of various clinicians.
The room will be mainly free of any medical reminders, but you will find a free-standing K2 electronic screen notes system and Entonox (gas and air).
Watch my video below to see what each room looks like and to get a virtual tour of Leeds Lotus Suite - Midwifery Led Unit.
What happens at a Leeds hospital birth in a maternity unit?
A hospital birth in a maternity unit in Leeds, will most likely mean that you will be cared for by various midwives on shift, as your labour progresses. These midwives will be different to the community midwife who cared for you during your pregnancy.
When you arrive at hospital (LGI or St James's), you will be seen by a midwife in the maternity assessment centre (MAC) or in the antenatal day unit (ANDU). The midwife will determine how advanced your labour is and you will then be either sent home and told to wait until your labour has progressed, sent to the antenatal ward, labour ward or to the delivery suite, where you will then be greeted and cared for by another midwife. Once your baby is born, you may then be moved to the postnatal ward, where another team of midwives will care for you and your baby.
Current rules at time of writing, state that you can have two birth partners with you during labour. You will be able to have one birth partner with you at all times during labour and your 2nd birth partner will be able to join you, once you are in established labour. This means that you are at least 4cm dilated and on the delivery suite or in the LMU. If you are planning to have a Doula as your 2nd birth partner, they will need to wait in the waiting room whilst you are assessed in MAC. Alternatively, you might prefer your Doula to be with you during your assessment and in which case, your other birth partner will need to wait outside until you are transferred to delivery suite.
Postnatal Ward At Leeds Maternity Hospital
At the time of writing, the rules at Leeds maternity Hospital Trust for the postnatal ward, state that 1 birth partner can be with you on the postnatal ward during the daytime and overnight. Friends and family can visit you on the postnatal ward between 2-4pm and 6-8pm. Only your own children are welcome on the ward during visiting hours and it is recommended that no more than 3 people are around your bedside at any one time.
Birth Preparation in Leeds
Preparing for birth and having the skills and knowledge to birth your baby in ways that you desire will help to increase your chances of having a positive experience. If you want any pregnancy or birth support to help you to be able to make informed decisions and be more knowledgeable about birth, please get in touch with me. As an experienced Doula and Hypnobirthing Teacher, I can help you to prepare for birth and support you during your labour and birth, whether this is in person or via virtual doula support. I often support clients using Leeds maternity hospitals and I am also the Co-Chair for Leeds Maternity Voices and Neonatal Partnership (Leeds MNVP). I spend regular time on the different maternity wards across LGI and St James's. I am familiar with the Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC), antenatal ward, antenatal clinic, delivery suite and the postnatal ward. I've supported clients using the Lotus suite to birth their baby, labour ward, theatres for a caesarean section and at home with the Leeds home birth team. Contact me if you would like to know more about the support that I can offer you.
Do You Know Leeds Maternity Statistics?
When deciding where to give birth, it is good to know what the local maternity statistics are for your chosen care provider. Leeds Maternity publish their maternity statistics monthly. The figures below are based on the most up-to-date published figures at the time of writing. Unfortunately Leeds have not published any up to date maternity figures for over a year and the latest statistics that we have available for Leeds is up to May 2024. (Accurate as of June 2025). As soon as these latest figures are available, the data will be updated.
Induction of labour rates for Leeds maternity is on average at 39%
Waterbirth rates at Leeds are an average of 3%
Unplanned caesarean section rates at Leeds maternity are at 21% on average
Planned caesarean sections are 15% on average
Home Births within Leeds are on average 1%
Vaginal births at Leeds maternity are at 51% on average
Use of forceps/ventouse is at a rate of 14% on average
Number of people giving birth in the LMU birth centre in Leeds is an average of 4%
To read more about local maternity statistics in Yorkshire, read my blog post Deciding where To Give Birth In Yorkshire and compare Leeds maternity statistics with other local maternity Trusts.
Leeds Maternity Services CQC Inspection 2025
Making an informed decision about your birth options and maternity care is really important. You might have read in the media that Leeds maternity services have been downgraded from "good" to "inadequate" by the healthcare regulator. Findings showed that both Leeds Teaching Hospital Trusts, LGI and SJUH "posed a significant risk to women and babies." (BBC, 2025). You can read the full BBC article here.
"Concerns from staff and patients around quality of care and staffing levels were substantiated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during unannounced inspections at Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust. England's regulator has now issued a warning notice which requires the Trust to take immediate action to improve. Neonatal services have also been downgraded from "good" to "requires improvement". (BBC, 2025).
If you are currently pregnant and wanting to have your baby in a Leeds hospital, this information might have made you feel quite anxious about giving birth. Remember that you can give birth wherever you wish and just because Leeds is your nearest hospital Trust, does not mean that you have to give birth there.
As a Doula, I support pregnant families across Leeds and West Yorkshire and help them during pregnancy to make informed decisions and during their labour, birth and postpartum period too. Having a Doula's support during labour and birth can significantly help to increase your chances of having a positive birth experience. Get in touch to see how I can support you and your family.
Birthing your baby in a Leeds hospital
Useful information if you decide to birth your baby in a Leeds hospital:
Maternity Services at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) can be found at Clarendon Wing – C Floor. LGI Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC) Tel: 0113 392 6731
Maternity Services at St James’s University Hospital (SJUH) can be found at Gledhow Wing – Level 5 (MAC, labour ward & Delivery suite). Antenatal is on level 4 and postnatal wards are on level 6. SJUH Maternity Assessment (MAC) Tel: 0113 206 5781
SJUH has 8 delivery rooms, 2 water birth rooms and 1 active birth room.
LGI has 11 delivery rooms, 1 water birth room and The Lotus Midwifery Unit.
LGI birthing rooms do not have ensuite facilities.
SJUH birthing rooms all have ensuite facilities.
The 1 water birth room at LGI has ensuite facilities and all 3 Lotus suite rooms have at least a toilet.
The postnatal wards at both hospitals have bays, with between 4-6 beds in them. For women with specific clinical care needs, where their baby is the neonatal unit or women testing positive for Covid 19, they are offered single side rooms. In previous years, you were able to request a single side room and pay a daily charge. However, in recent years, since the pandemic, these side rooms are kept for families with specific clinical needs or where their baby may need additional support.
Check out the video here, for a virtual tour of Leeds maternity hospitals.
Where to park at a Leeds Hospital
St James's University Hospital Car Parking
If you are having your baby at St James's hospital, there is a hospital multistory carpark, which generally has lots of parking. Although you might need to keep going up the different levels, until you find a space. You will see the multistory carpark clearly signposted, as you approach the hospital. It is near to the Leeds Cancer Centre building, off Beckett Street. Prices start from around £2.90 for up to 2 hours. There is also a small council carpark on the main road, near to Gledhow wing.
Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) Car Parking
If you are having your baby at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), there is a pay and display carpark next to A&E, on Clarendon Way. Prices start from around £2.90 for up to 2 hours. There is also carparking in front of Clarendon wing. However, this is a small carpark, with limited spaces. You might hit it lucky though and find a space. There are a few drop off spots in this carpark, so if you need to quickly drop your partner off at MAC and then move your car, there are options to do this. There is some on street parking along Springfield Mount, a short walk over to Clarendon wing. There are also lots of council carparks within the city center. A few options would be Wellington Street multistorey pay and display at St George's Crypt, Woodhouse Lane multistorey carpark and The Rose Bowl public carpark, with 200 spaces.
How to Navigate the Maternity Departments at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI)
Do you have an appointment at LGI or visiting someone on a maternity ward at LGI? It can feel like you're in a maze when you're trying to find where you need to be and many people often get lost, especially if they're not familiar with the LGI. Fear not! Watch this video below and it will help to direct you to the right department.
Leeds Antenatal Classes, Birth Preparation, Birth Doula Support & Hypnobirthing Courses in Leeds
If you would like doula support during your labour and birth, would like help to prepare for your birth during pregnancy or if you would like to do a hypnobirthing course and create a positive mindset for birth, then check out the different packages that I can offer. I offer face to face hypnobirthing courses in Leeds and the surrounding area and online courses for those people living further away. I offer antenatal support and I offer birth doula support in Leeds and within Yorkshire. Take a look on my website at the different packages that I can offer and contact me to find out more.
Julia xx
Comments