New dedicated midwifery-led team at Craigavon Area Hospital
The Southern Trust has a new dedicated team at Craigavon Area Hospital to look after women who choose to give birth to their babies in the midwifery-led unit.
The team is delighted to be able to offer more women the opportunity to birth their babies in a natural home-from-home environment.
Located on the second floor of the hospital, opposite the main maternity ward, the midwifery-led unit offers 24-hour one-to-one care 365 days a year.
Last year 117 babies were born in the unit which is designed to help mums relax, with their wellbeing and comfort at the forefront.
Craigavon Hospital currently has eight midwifery-led rooms, each self-contained with its own bathroom, including a bath that can be used during labour and birth. The dedicated team can offer a range of therapies and birthing aids to help during the labour process.
Michelle Harrison, Assistant Director of Integrated Maternity and Women’s Health services for the Southern Trust welcomed the dedicated team.
"We are committed to delivering high quality maternity care, before, during and after birth, as close to home as safely possible. This includes offering options depending on each woman’s own individual clinical needs.
"At both Craigavon Area and Daisy Hill hospitals, we offer consultant obstetrician led care, for women considered higher risk who may need more medical support as well as the choice of giving birth in our midwifery‑led units for those with lower‑risk pregnancies.
"Our community-based home birth team can also support lower risk women to have their baby in their own surroundings.
"Midwifery-led units are highly valued for their personalised, holistic approach and their focus on natural birth, so we are absolutely delighted to now have a full staffing team in place to offer more women this option.
"Whatever your needs, our amazing midwifery and obstetric teams will support and guide you every step of the way, ensuring safe care and the most suitable birth setting for you and your baby.”
"Expectant mothers will be able to find out more about the Midwifery Led Unit at their first antenatal booking visit and can discuss with their midwife whether they may be suitable to give birth there.”