Good Hope Hospital Charity plans for new Midwifery Led Unit

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 another hospital to a different hospital. Now, Good Hope Hospital Charity is delighted to announce that we will be creating the town’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 be able to benefit from the support of midwives in a specialist unit.

Good Hope Hospital Charity is now raising almost one million pounds to create the new unit which will support new mothers in the Sutton Coldfield area. The Charity is already over two-thirds of the way to its target after already receiving generous donations.

Friends of Good Hope Hospital have made their largest ever single donation to the Midwifery Led Unit appeal and have donated an amazing £150,000 which started the fundraising off last year.

With £300,000 left to raise, the work is due to start this year and we are hoping that the generous people of Sutton Coldfield will help us bring the Midwifery Led Unit to the hospital.

The unit will be a home to four new birthing rooms, two of which will have birthing pools. There will also be two new overnight rooms which will provide a home away from home for mothers, focusing on family centred care, creating a more relaxed environment.

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.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated already, in particular to Friends of Good Hope Hospital, and would really encourage people to support their local hospital.”

To find out more information about the Midwifery Led Unit and how you can get involved, please visit hospitalcharity.org or contact laura.power@uhb.nhs.uk.