It’s amazing what people can achieve when they put their mind to it and take action. Independent Midwife Sue Learner had a vision in 2001 to transform birth in Bristol. Read the journey of Birth Centre Bristol here. Back then the birth rate was around 10,000 per year, now it’s more like 12,000, so never has the need for stand alone midwifery units been more necessary. In 2005 BCB was joined by Pip A’Ness who took on the role of making the Birth Centres a reality.
I was blown away at how wonderful the suites were, more like 4 star hotels than hospital rooms. Each room has a large birthing pool, so mum can have their partner in there too, an ensuite toilet and shower room (no need for a bath as there is the pool), double bed for relaxing on before and after baby comes, and cute (non plastic!) crib for the baby. Pip and Lead midwife Gina have kept an eye on all the details, giving the room a wonderful homely, low tech feel. I felt relaxed just being in the room as the ambience instils it.
Lead midwife Gina Augarde was an inspiration to listen to. A real antidote to all the NHS doom and gloom stories we hear about in the media, not to mention the TV programmes that are on mainstream TV at the moment that only perpetuate the ‘women need to be helped to give birth’ myth. She is incredibly experienced having come from an established midwifery led stand-alone birth unit in Yorkshire and shared her vision for Bristol; to have all low risk women give birth in stand alone midwifery units leaving the ‘problem’ cases to the Hospitals where the Obstetrician’s who thrive on that kind of work reside. This makes perfect financial and common sense. If we encourage all low risk women to birth at home or in stand alone birth centres, NHS resources in large hospital maternity units will be freed up to deal with those women who need that specialist care. I’ve spoke to a few disheartened local hospital midwives who know the kind of care they should be giving to women but are not able to offer it due to a lack of time and facilities. With more birth centres resources this will free up Southmead and St. Micheals to do what they do best for the women and babies that need that level of care.
It was music to my ears to hear Gina say that they were trained to deliver undiagnosed breech babies, should they be presented with one during labour, and that mums could deliver from 37 weeks to term plus 12 days. Plus all midwives have been trained in aromatherapy massage and the use of specific oils to relax or to stimulate depending on what is needed. How refreshing to hear that rather than the ‘we’ll break your waters to get you going’ line on ‘One born every minute’.
The midwives we met were beaming, obviously in love with their jobs, or it might just be because they have been regularly dosed in oxytocin, the love hormone, that they regularly come into contact with when around newborn babies and their loved up parents.
As well as being the epitome of care for birthing, the centre also offers ante-natal classes and past birth de-briefing sessions with Gina. A traumatic birth (as defined by the woman) can leave them feeling off kilter and by talking through thier notes with a midwife can allow them to move on and come to terms with why things happened the way they did, so that they can go on to have a future empowering birth experience. This service is available to anyone and is free.
To have your baby at Cossham, ask your midwife. As long as you live close enough to get there you can request the centre. Or you can phone them direct on 0117 340 5249
http://www.nbt.nhs.uk/cosshambirthcentre
Read some of the lovely reviews from families who used Cossham
https://www.facebook.com/birthcentrebristol
To find out more about Birth centres in Bristol see http://www.birthcentrebristol.org.uk
~ Eva
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