University Hospitals Birmingham Charity is extremely proud to announce the opening of the brand new £1 million Midwifery Led Unit to support new mothers and babies at Good Hope Hospital!
Having a baby is a very special time in parents’ lives, and in the build up to the delivery date, the bond between mother and midwife becomes very strong as the midwife supports the mother throughout her pregnancy.
More recently, there has been an increase in demand for Midwifery Led Units where the midwife assists with a natural birth as the mother wants the midwife to look after her and her baby throughout the birth.
Parents in Sutton Coldfield who wanted to give birth in a Midwifery Led Unit would have to travel to a different hospital. Now, Good Hope Hospital is delighted to have it's very own unit at the hospital.
Over 3,500 babies are born each year at Good Hope Hospital and by having a Midwifery Led Unit, more mothers will benefit from the support of midwives in a specialist unit.
The new unit is home to four new spacious and beautifully decorated birthing suites (Lavender Suite, Camomile Suite, Eucalyptus Suite, Jasmine Suite), two of which include birthing pools. They also incorporate brand new equipment such as birthing cubes, stargazer chairs and height adjustable cots to encourage family centred care and ensure everyone involved feels as comfortable as possible. There are two new overnight rooms which will provide a home away from home for mothers, a family dining/lounge area and its own entrance, all creating a more relaxed and less clinical environment (home like birth) which will have a positive impact on mother and baby.
UHB Charity would like to say a special thank you to Friends of Good Hope, who very generously donated an incredible £150,000 towards this project.
Talking about the Midwifery Led Unit, Maggie Coleman, Matron for Maternity Services at Good Hope Hospital, said: “It is hard to put into words just how much difference a Midwifery Led Unit will make to parents having their baby at Good Hope Hospital. Allowing midwives to focus on the mother’s needs and wishes before, during and after the birth, in a relaxed environment, helps to reduce the stress and anxiety of child birth and give the mother and her baby the perfect start to their life together.”
Fundraising Manager at University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, Laura Power said: “UHB Charity are so pleased with the new Midwifery Led Unit, it looks amazing, better than we could every have imagined! This £1 million project has been entirely charity funded, and we are so grateful to Friends of Good Hope and the support of the local community for making this project possible. With over 3,500 babies born each year at Good Hope Hospital, the MLU will mean more mothers will be able to benefit from the support of midwives in a specialist unit. We cannot wait to hear about all the families who are have benefitted from our new unit.”
The unit is based on the same ward as the Maternity Unit. The service is only offered to women who have had no serious complications during their pregnancy, haven’t had any risks in previous pregnancies and have no medical problems.
The unit opened in April, and saw its first birth just hours later! You can read all about the first MLU baby, Baby Joey, and his parents' experience on the unit here.
