Mums and babies are benefitting from a new Unit that has opened at Heartlands Hospital.

The Blossom Transitional Care Unit is a dedicated area designed to provide care for babies that are well but require some extra support with for example, extra observations or antibiotics.  The team of neonatal nurses and midwives on the Unit are also on hand to help mums care for their babies.  This reduces any unnecessary separation of mums from their babies, improving the experience and quality of care they receive.

Local mum, Claire Worrall, aged 34 from Acocks Green and daughter, Poppy Worrall-Bhasin were among the first patients on the unit.  Claire said: “The Blossom Unit was a nice, quiet and relaxed Unit.  There was plenty of staff on standby from the neonatal unit due to Poppy being a premature baby.  She had been in critical care with lots of machines wired to her. I benefited from staying there and getting the support and reassurance that I was doing everything right.”

Natalie Clarke, Lead Nurse on the Blossom Transitional Care Unit, said: “Through introducing the new Unit, it means that instead of mum being discharged and baby staying at Hospital, we have a place where both can stay and get the care they need in an environment that promotes development of a well baby.  We are committed to supporting mum and family to provide a positive experience during a stay at the Unit.”

Over 100 babies have been on the Unit since it opened its doors in July 2014.

The development of this Unit has been supported by the Trust’s Project Management Office and is the first transition project to be completed under Project Pelican, which is the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust’s project for the development of services for women and babies.