Gateshead Health Maternity

17/02/2026

With Ramadan beginning this week, today we're sharing some information from our guest blog post - Supporting Breastfeeding During Ramadan.

"As peer supporters, we have great duty in supporting mums to feel empowered to achieve their goals by giving information so their decisions are informed. Supporting mothers during Ramadan is no different to helping mums reduce factors that may have a negative impact on their breast feeding or supply.

Things to consider are:

✨Mums will need to eat high nutrient dense food such as date, fruits and nuts to help replace the magnesium, zinc and potassium levels that may reduce during fasting.

✨Avoid drinking too many caffeinated drinks and replace with water, fresh fruits juice, herbal teas and green smoothies.

✨If a mum is fasting during the winter months which can fall between 10/12hrs of fasting, this is much easier as the sunset is much earlier and they have a longer period to eat and drinking during dawn. So really its like having a very late lunch.

For peer supporters who are not Muslim or who may not know much about Ramadan, it is imperative to keep in mind that choice should always be at the forefront of any breastfeeding journey and the support we provide will very much be based on an individual case by case basis. It’s also okay to say I’m not sure and signpost/refer mums to other sources for more information.

For more information on breastfeeding during Ramadan, click here: https://breastfeeding.support/breastfeeding-during-ramadan/"

Full blog post: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/breastfeeding-during-ramadan/

EDIT - Fasting while breastfeeding is not an expectation, but you can choose to if you wish, and it is safe for you to do so. If you are considering fasting while breastfeeding, you may find it helpful to talk a health professional.

Please remember, if you need breastfeeding support, our National Breastfeeding Helpline UK is available 24/7 💜

You can also find out if we have a service near you on our website:
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/drop-in-centres-map/

✨Please share✨

[ID: Breastfeeding during Ramadan. Image of a mum cuddling her baby.] Outlines of lanterns. Purple background.]

05/02/2026

03/02/2026

📣 JOIN US – Antenatal Session: Building a Happy Baby

Join us to learn all about responsive feeding, building strong relationships, and the local support available to you and your baby 💛

🗓 Tuesday 11th February
⏰ 1:00–3:00 pm
💻 Virtual session

👉 Book now using the link below:
hdft019GatesheadAntenatal@nhs.onmicrosoft.com/s/MpFXX6SGPUCan5OO4p3-Pw2?ismsaljsauthenabled" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://outlook.office.com/book/hdft019GatesheadAntenatal@nhs.onmicrosoft.com/s/MpFXX6SGPUCan5OO4p3-Pw2?ismsaljsauthenabled

03/02/2026

28/01/2026

📢 Pregnancy Vaccine Drop-In Clinic – Today

Our weekly pregnancy vaccine drop-in clinic is running today at Teams Family Hub, but please note it will finish earlier than usual at 12pm.

23/01/2026

*Access to maternity unit overnight this weekend information*

We currently have a fault with our main door intercom to buzz to gain access to labour ward out of hours.

We will have additional staff present overnight to allow entry for anyone attending

Please be patient with our staff as we manage this issue safely.

Please do not try to force the doors open.

Please ring ahead to our Pregnancy Assessment Unit on 0191 4452764 & we will alert our staff to expect your arrival.

We are sorry for any inconvenience that this causes as we work to repair this as soon as we can.

Reception is manned as usual during daytime hours so this should only affect any out of hours attendances

Thank you for your support

23/01/2026

National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation Call for Evidence

Message from Karen Parker, Associate Director or Midwifery/SCBU, Gateshead Health.
You may be aware of a national review which is taking place in maternity and neonatal services across England. It is essential that the review hears all the voices of service users and support partners - they want to hear about both good and bad experiences to understand where things need to be improved and to learn from areas of good practice.
The surveys are open now until 17th March 2026, and can be accessed via the link below. There are easy read and alternative language options also available.

Baroness Amos is asking women and families across England to share their experiences of maternity and neonatal care through a public Call for Evidence.

06/01/2026

📣SMA FORMULA URGENT RECALL📣

02/01/2026

A lovely way to start the New Year.

Our first baby of 2026 arrived at 00.13am on New Year’s Day. Huge congratulations to parents Olivia Brown and Will Caulker on the arrival of their little one.

A special moment for the family, and for the team who were there to support them as the year began. Wishing them all the very best as they settle in together.

24/12/2025

Come and get your pregnancy vaccines at Teams Family Hub this morning. Drop in between 930-1230pm for a chat and your vaccine with one of our Midwives 💙

📍 Teams Family Hub
🗓 Every Wednesday
💉 Pregnancy vaccine drop-in
No appointment needed, just pop along and get protected!

Gateshead NHS
Gateshead Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership - MNVP

10/12/2025

A thank you from Karen Parker our Associate Director of Midwifery-
‘I am very proud of all our wonderful staff at Gateshead Health maternity & neonatal service. The 2025 CQC Maternity Survey results have been published & our families have told us that they felt cared for, listened to & respected during their pregnancy care. We were rated in the top 5 Trusts overall in the country, & 1st in “staff caring”. Thank you all’