First look at East Lancashire's new birthing centre suites

11:08am Thursday 18th March 2010

By Peter Magill

A NEW generation of ‘home-from-home’ birthing centres are set to be opened for 2010’s crop of expectant mums in East Lancashire.

The former Woodlea mental health unit in Park Lee Road, Blackburn, will be the first to come on line, as part of a programme designed to offer stress-free pregnancies for the region’s mothers-to-be.

Around £900,000 has been spent converting the former pyschiatric ward, closed in March 2007, into a ‘birthing centre’ complete with four hotel-style rooms and access to private gardens.

Three birthing pools will be on hand, for those opting for natural births, and a post-natal suite has been created nearby.

The new £32million Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre, based within the Phase V development at Burnley General Hospital, will also feature a birthing complex, when it opens in October.

And later a third such centre is set to be opened at the new Rossendale Primary Health Centre, Bacup Road, Rawtenstall.

Health chiefs said that with a high proportion of pregnancies occurring without complications, most women could choose between having their babies at home, with a fully-qualified midwife on hand, or at their nearest birthing centre.

Babies requiring more specialist care, from across East Lancashire, will be cared for at the Burnley maternity unit.

Sheena Byrom, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust’s midwifery head, said: "For women who have uncomplicated pregnancies, research shows that a comfortable, non-medical environment, with women going through labour naturally and at their own pace, is best for mum and baby, both during and after birth.

"Women can choose to have theirs babies at home or at birthing centres, where women’s care will be tailored to their own unique needs – going through labour in the positions they find most comfortable, in a home-like environment.

“Women who have had babies in existing birthing centres elsewhere in the UK say that they feel more relaxed and in control of their birth, allowing more pain-soothing hormones to be released and reducing the need for pain relief and other medical interventions.”

Mothers-to-be will be encouraged to discuss which method - home, birthing centre or hospital - will be suitable for their pregnancy and a DVD package has been produced to assist in their choice.