Home birth team is launched by hospital

MUMS-TO-BE wanting a supported birth outside of a medical setting will benefit from a new dedicated group of midwives.

University Hospitals of Leicester has launched a home birth team to cover women in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

There are 15 midwives who will be referred to cases classed as low risk following discussion between the woman and her community midwife.

Home birth team lead Annabelle Barker said: “The whole team are excited to be able to offer women and their families this fantastic service and we hope to see the number of home births rise as it has done in other areas of the UK where a similar service has been introduced.

“The hospital did offer home births before but didn’t have a dedicated team. The team will be able to provide more continuity because pregnant women will be seen by the same midwives.

“Women in our care who to choose to have a home birth will have two midwives supporting them during their labour and in the postnatal period we will continue to provide support in health, parenthood and feeding as the new family establishes before handing over to our health visiting colleagues.”

Many women who have normal, uncomplicated pregnancies choose home births and the practice is supported nationally as offering a less stressful environment, among familiar surroundings and without the institutional constraints of a hospital setting.

Last year without a dedicated team around 260 women in Leicestershire and Rutland had a home birth.