Flowers for a new baby at the Coombe
The Coombe is one of Dublin's three maternity hospitals. Postnatal wards are crowded, so find out what is allowed, or wait and send the bouquet to the family home.
The Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, simply called the Coombe, is one of the three maternity hospitals in Dublin and one of the largest providers of care for women and newborns in the country, with more than 8,000 births a year. It was founded in 1826 in the Coombe, in the Liberties, and moved to its present building at Dolphin's Barn, Dublin 8, in 1967. The old Victorian portico still stands at the original site as a monument to the mothers who gave birth there.
Flowers on a maternity ward
Space on a postnatal ward is very limited, mothers and babies often go home within a day or two, and many maternity units prefer visitors not to bring fresh flowers. Before you order, ask the family or the hospital what is allowed. If flowers are welcome, choose something small, without strong scent or pollen, that can sit on a locker.
Sending flowers home instead
For most families the best moment for flowers is the first week at home. A bouquet that arrives two or three days after the birth, with a card for the new baby by name, is rarely wasted. Bouquets to Dublin homes are delivered from Monday to Saturday.
Addressing the order
If you do send flowers to the hospital, address it to the mother by her full name, with the ward and the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, Cork Street, Dublin 8.
Did you know? The Coombe still carries the legal name Coombe Lying-in Hospital, under which it formally opened in 1829.
Frequently asked questions about flowers to The Coombe Hospital
Does the Coombe allow flowers on the maternity wards?
Ask the family or the hospital first. Maternity wards are short on space and may not accept fresh flowers. Many people send them to the home a few days after the birth instead, when the family can enjoy them.
Where is the Coombe Hospital?
Despite its name, the hospital is no longer in the Coombe itself. Since 1967 it has been at Dolphin's Barn, on Cork Street in Dublin 8. Use the mother's full name and ward on the order.
What kind of flowers suit a new mother?
Something small and lightly scented, without heavy pollen, in soft colours. If you send them to the home, a larger bouquet or a plant works well. A card with the baby's name is a lovely touch.