Rachel, birth centre and community midwife
Our midwife-led birth centre is dedicated to providing safe, individualised care from a core team of experienced midwives in a friendly home-from-home environment.
The centre, which was built as part of the £2.8 million overhaul of the maternity unit, contains three birthing pools, specialist furniture, birthing balls and mood lighting that gently changes colour.
The centre, which cost £180,000, has been designed so that women who have had problem-free pregnancies have the chance to give birth in a more relaxed environment, supported by midwives.
What is the birth centre?
The birth centre is a small area on the main labour ward that is staffed by a dedicated team of experienced midwives.
All our staff believe that women and their partners should receive a service that is safe, respectful of each individual woman's wishes and friendly. We encourage and support women to have choice and control over their birth experience, and also in the immediate postnatal period, in partnership with the midwife providing the care.
What are the rooms like?
The 'home from home' environment of the birth centre contains four birthing rooms, three of which contain birthing pools, mood lighting and specially designed birthing couches.
The fourth room has a traditional bed for women who want to choose that as an option, or for those who want to stay in the centre for up to 24 hours for breast-feeding support, although we anticipate that the majority of women will go home 2-6 hours after giving birth.
Who can use the birth centre?
We welcome all women who would like to give birth in a natural, home-from-home environment, although there are certain criteria you need to meet:
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Full-term pregnancy between 37- 42 weeks;
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Healthy woman with no known medical conditions;
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Singleton pregnancy (only one baby);
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Uncomplicated current pregnancy;
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No previous pregnancy or birth complications;
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Baby in head down position;
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Spontaneous onset of labour.
What pain relief is available?
If an epidural is requested a transfer will be necessary to one of our labour ward rooms. However, it is known that the need for epidural anesthesia is significantly reduced when one-to-one care is provided by a midwife.
For more information
If you are interested in using our new midwifery-led birth centre and require any further information, speak with your midwife at your next scheduled appointment.
Alternatively, you may contact one of the midwives in the centre directly and arrange a time to discuss your birth plan and ask any questions you have.
Midwives supervisors are also available to discuss your birth plan, and answer any questions.
