Newborn Care in Coventry: Then and Now (A Look Back to the 90’s)

If you became a parent in Coventry during the early 1990s, you’ll likely remember the maternity care at the old Walsgrave Hospital, which opened in 1966. It was a place of great significance for many local families, mine included. Both of my older children were born there: my son in 1990 and my eldest daughter in 1994. Now that I’ve become a Nannie myself and have listened to my own daughter’s birth experience at the new Walsgrave Hospital, it’s fascinating to see how much has changed, including how some aspects of the personal care I remember fondly have quietly faded away.

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The Old Walsgrave Maternity Hospital

Photo Credit - Coventry Evening Telegraph 

Giving Birth at Walsgrave Hospital in the Early 90s

Walsgrave Hospital was the main maternity unit for Coventry, and during those years, it was where many of us experienced the huge, emotional milestone of becoming parents. I remember the long, corridors, the friendly (and sometimes stern!) midwives, and the sense of shared experience among the mums on the ward.

C-sections were rarely carried out in those days unless absolutely necessary. My nephew (who is now 38) was delivered vaginally, despite being in the breech position! This is something that would almost certainly be managed very differently today.

The time you would spend in hospital after giving birth has also changed. I spent five days in hospital after my son was born in 1990. During that time, my husband and I were invited into the nursery to be shown how to bathe our new baby, a memory I’ll always treasure. Breastfeeding support was offered in person on the ward, and we received helpful advice from staff during those crucial early days and for our first few days at home. It may surprise some of today’s new parents to learn that at night our babies were often taken by the nursing staff to sleep away from us, so that we new mums could rest and catch up on sleep! These days, new mums are often discharged from hospital within just a few hours. Even if they stay longer, unless their baby requires extra monitoring, they are largely responsible for their newborn's care right from the start.

Another standout memory for me was our GP visiting us on the ward after our son was born. In fact, the top floor of the Maternity Hospital was known as ‘the GP ward’ the idea being that your GP shared your maternity care with the midwives. Sadly, this level of personal care and continuity is something many parents today would find quite rare. Can you imagine one of today’s overworked GPs having the time to visit every new baby born under their care at the maternity hospital?

Postnatal Care and Community Support

Once back home, midwives continued to visit to check on both baby and mum, followed by health visitors who offered developmental checks and advice. Local baby clinics were a weekly fixture for many of us, and most of the parenting wisdom we picked up came from books, family, or the shared experiences of other local mums. It was a time of handwritten red books, advice passed on like folklore, and the reassurance of familiar faces in the community.

Coventry Maternity Care Today

Today, of course, maternity services in Coventry have moved on. Walsgrave Hospital closed in 2002, and the new University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) now offers state-of-the-art maternity care. Birth options are more varied, including access to water births, midwife-led care, and greater pain relief options. The emphasis is now very much on personalised care, birth choices, and partner involvement.

Postnatal care has also evolved. New parents today have access to apps, online resources, breastfeeding clinics, and mental health support, all of which are fantastic. But I do think some of us still miss those slower, more personal touches from the early 90s.

Keeping the Memories Alive

One thing that hasn’t changed is the amazing love and connection parents feel when welcoming a new baby, and that’s something I’m lucky enough to witness daily through my work as a newborn photographer.

Over the past 18 years, I’ve photographed hundreds of Coventry babies, and it’s always lovely to hear stories from parents, some who were born at Walsgrave themselves! My studio is just a short drive from Coventry City Centre, and I offer relaxed newborn sessions for families wanting to capture these fleeting early days forever.

Whether you were a new mum in 1990 or you’re preparing to meet your baby in 2025, your story matters, and I’d love to help you tell it through timeless photography.

Lorraine Jardim
Ellie J Photography – Specialist Newborn Photographer for Coventry and Warwickshire Families