Rosie Maternity Hospital birth centre opens in £30m scheme
A new birth centre built as part of a £30m hospital expansion has been opened.
The Rosie Birth Centre in Cambridge will give one-to-one midwifery-led care for women when they are in labour.
The birth centre is part of a three-storey Rosie Maternity Hospital scheme costing £30m.
The hospital will be the country's biggest neo-natal facility once works are finished, which is expected to be by the end of the year.
'Home-like as possible'
The birth centre is for women who have not had any complications during pregnancy and are expecting a normal birth.
All ten rooms at the new centre have birthing pools.
Jan Butler, the Rosie's consultant midwife, said: "All the research shows that labour is easier when the mother is properly supported and is able to relax in an environment that is as home-like as possible.
"This enables her contractions to work efficiently and her body to release the hormones which provide some natural pain relief," she said.
The hospital says if a midwife has any concerns the mother will be transferred from her room to the care of an obstetrician and midwifery team in a delivery unit on the floor above.
The £30m redevelopment at the hospital, which was set up in 1983, includes expanding the neonatal intensive care and special care baby units from 33 to 58 cots.