They celebrate birthdays every day welcoming in new babies into the world and now the midwives on the Netherbrook Midwifery Led Unit at Solihull Hospital will be celebrating an extra special day, as fittingly, they will be celebrating the unit’s fifth anniversary on 5 July 2015.
Named through a combination of the names of the first two maternity units at Solihull, Netherwood and Brookhouse, the unit officially opened back in the summer of 2010 to offer more choice for local mums-to-be with low risk pregnancies.
Since opening, the highly skilled and dedicated midwives have helped deliver more than 1,400 natural births. Over half of the women using the unit have opted to have water births in the birthing pool suites, demonstrating some of the benefits of delivery in the Midwifery Led Unit. The unit also provides private room facilities and the option for partners to stay overnight as well as outstanding postnatal care.
The first mum to give birth on the unit was Donna Ensell, of Smith’s Wood Solihull, who delivered her son Michalis Ensell weighing 7 pounds 6 oz. Donna chose to have her second child on the birth unit after having a positive experience with the delivery of her daughter, Helena who will be seven years old this year on the previous maternity unit at Solihull Hospital.
She said: “I was surprised to be the first person on the new birth unit but it did feel special to learn that I was and it had opened just in time for me. I had a really positive experience, I had a room so it was nice to have that privacy and be able to have a nice shower. I found all of the staff very helpful and supportive looking after me and my husband well. The whole level of care was fantastic including afterwards and I was able to go home soon after birth.”
Karen McGuigan, midwifery matron for the unit said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the fifth anniversary of Netherbrook birth unit.
“It is evident from hearing about the experiences of our new parents that the Midwifery Led Unit creates a more natural environment for a normal birth. Water and movement are predominantly used for pain relief and Midwives offer one to one care in labour, providing physical and emotional support and as a result women have been having very positive birthing experiences.
“Women can discuss the option of birth in the Midwifery Led Unit along with other birthing plan options and will always have the assurance that if they experience any complications during birth they can be easily transferred to a close by maternity unit for specialist care if they should need it.”
