First baby born at new Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre
The first baby has been born at the new £28million Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre.
The baby girl, who has yet to be named, arrived in the world shortly after 6pm yesterday.
And it was a birth that would not have been possible 24-hours earlier, as new mum Jo Armstrong had a water birth in the Delivery Suite in the Consultant Led Maternity Unit at the Centre, based at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust did not have a birthing pool at its former Consultant Led Unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital before the new Centre opened.
Jo, 34, and husband Stephen, 33, from Shrewsbury, praised the facilities and the staff at the new Centre.
Jo was at home when she went into labour with the couple’s first child and telephoned Stephen at work telling him he needed to come home.
Jo, who gave birth at 38 weeks, said: “It was a bit of a surprise, because I thought I had a bit more time yet. I knew this morning that I was probably going to the new Centre.
“Stephen drove us here and we arrived at about 3pm.”
And the couple’s baby girl made her entrance into the world a little over three hours later at 6.01pm, with Jo giving birth in the birthing pool.
She said: “It was lovely giving birth in the pool. It felt like a much more relaxed atmosphere and it did ease the pain.
“I knew the pool was an option, but I didn’t really know I was going to go down that route. I was given that option and I thought, ‘Why not?’”
Jo, who works as a Marketing and Communications Consultant for the National Trust, based at Attingham Park, was full of praise for the new centre.
She said: “I think the Centre is fabulous. I feel very fortunate to have given birth here and to be the first is extra special.
“Everybody has been great. I can’t fault the staff – it feels like you’re getting extra special treatment here.”
Stephen, who also works for the National Trust as a Chartered Surveyor, added: “It all seemed to go by very quickly and Jo was very calm throughout.
“When we arrived, we were met immediately and went into a side room for a discussion before coming into the delivery room.”
Jill Whitaker, Delivery Suite Ward Manager, said she was delighted to welcome the first child to be born at the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre.
She said: “We have been able to give this new mother a delivery in a calm and relaxed environment.
“The baby was delivered in water, which is good for pain relief and we have equipment which monitored mum in the water and everything we needed to keep her and her baby safe.
“The Midwives embraced the opportunity to use the new equipment, having had extensive training on it beforehand. They embraced the birth as much as mum did.
“This could not have happened if baby had arrived the day before, because our Consultant Led Units did not have birthing pools.”
Earlier in the day, the last baby to be born at the Consultant Led Unit at RSH came into the world by Caesarean Section.
The baby boy, who has also yet to be named, was born to Emily Sanders, 26, and husband Dan, 28, from Shrewsbury.
Sister Mary Merrick, who cared for Emily before, during and after her operation said: “I’ve been here for 27 years and it has been a pleasure to have been part of the last delivery. I’m looking forward to a new era delivering babies at our new Consultant Unit delivery suite.”
While Consultant-led births will no longer take place at RSH, the hospital will still operate a Maternity Led Unit.
