.. just read an article about a new birthing centre they are opening (currently they have a maternity ward in the hosp).
Here is the article:
Medway Maritime Hospital is due to open a new midwifery-led unit which will offer more choice for mums across north and west Kent about where they give birth.
The unit, which will cater for around 800 - 1000 births a year, will offer a comfortable home from home environment, where the emphasis is on a relaxed birth experience which involves partners at every stage.
There will be 5 birthing rooms: 4 postnatal beds, 2 birthing pools, a low risk triage (assessment) area, and an education room where workshops will be held to help prepare mums and dads for life as parents. It can care for ten women at any one time.
Karen Mcintyre, head of midwifery and gynaecology at the hospital explained
"The new unit will be very family focussed and partners will be encourages to stay all the way through the birth. The rooms even have double beds so partners can stay overnight. The rooms will be ready for an active birth, which means women will be encouraged to move about freely and to find their own comfortable upright positions during contractions. The bed will not be the main focus of the room and will only be used when needed. Active birth is well known for improving the birthing experience as less medical interventions are needed. The unit is deigned to get parents parenting straight away - to start changing nappies and organising feeds from the outset with the support of midwives - so they are more prepared when they go home"
The unit, which is called The Birth Place, will open in October.
Going to ask my midwife about it at my next appointment.... from the sounds of it, it will be used alongside the normal maternity unit.
Here is the article:
Medway Maritime Hospital is due to open a new midwifery-led unit which will offer more choice for mums across north and west Kent about where they give birth.
The unit, which will cater for around 800 - 1000 births a year, will offer a comfortable home from home environment, where the emphasis is on a relaxed birth experience which involves partners at every stage.
There will be 5 birthing rooms: 4 postnatal beds, 2 birthing pools, a low risk triage (assessment) area, and an education room where workshops will be held to help prepare mums and dads for life as parents. It can care for ten women at any one time.
Karen Mcintyre, head of midwifery and gynaecology at the hospital explained
"The new unit will be very family focussed and partners will be encourages to stay all the way through the birth. The rooms even have double beds so partners can stay overnight. The rooms will be ready for an active birth, which means women will be encouraged to move about freely and to find their own comfortable upright positions during contractions. The bed will not be the main focus of the room and will only be used when needed. Active birth is well known for improving the birthing experience as less medical interventions are needed. The unit is deigned to get parents parenting straight away - to start changing nappies and organising feeds from the outset with the support of midwives - so they are more prepared when they go home"
The unit, which is called The Birth Place, will open in October.
Going to ask my midwife about it at my next appointment.... from the sounds of it, it will be used alongside the normal maternity unit.
