Mums in Tower Hamlets praise home birth service

Home births are becoming more popular among mothers-to-be in Tower Hamlets since the launch of a new service 12 months ago.

A dedicated Barts Health NHS Trust team has helped 37 women to give birth a home over the past year compared to 22 in 2017.

Midwives have been encouraging new mothers to have their babies at home as ‘a safe and comfortable option for themselves and their baby’.  Home births are recommended for women with low-risk pregnancies who have given birth before.

 “Birthing at home is a fantastic option for many women, “said Irene Olanrewaju, home birth team leader. “I’m proud it’s now a reliable service in Tower Hamlets. The women we have cared for over the last year have really appreciated seeing the same midwife throughout their pregnancy and told us they experienced the birth they had dreamed of.“

Homebirth service, Pic: Barts NHS Trust

Ness Robinson, 25, from Bethnal Green, was the first woman to give birth with the Barts Health team in January 2018 when her baby son Charlie was born.  Ness said: “Having a home birth was definitely the right thing for my partner, and I.”

She would definitely recommend it, she said, adding: “The best part was when my baby had been born, getting into my own bed and having a cup of tea.”

Nationally, there were 626,203 deliveries in NHS hospitals during 2017-2018. The proportion of home births nationally is 2.1% compared to the Tower Hamlets figure of 1.9%.

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