Birth choices
WOMEN across Greater Glasgow and Clyde now have a range of choice when it comes to how they give birth.
This is thanks to the work of two local midwives leading the charge to launch two Alongside Midwife Units (AMUs).
Karen Taylor and Nicola O’Brien, pictured, have won the Innovator of the Year Award at the health board’s Women and Children’s Awards 2024 for their work co-producing the Best Start AMU Project – an initiative focused on implementing a key recommendation from the Scottish Government’s Best Start review, to include a full range of choice for place of birth for all women wherever they live.
Pregnant women now have the choice to give birth in a labour ward, at home, or in one of the newly created AMUs, open now at the Princess Royal Maternity and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Karen and Nicola coproduced the project with women and staff and have been innovative in their holistic approach to change for NHSGGC’s maternity services. This included developing bespoke staff training, clinical support in providing care in this setting, refurbishing rooms, installing equipment, and developing new guidelines with obstetric colleagues.
Their work has led to the opening of the tranquil AMU birthing rooms, featuring state of the art hydrotherapy pools that provide pain relief and aid comfort as they support a weightless freedom of movement.
Staff are trained to welcome babies into the world underwater if this is a women’s preferred birth plan. The rooms also feature custom lighting, Bluetooth speakers, birthing couches and recliner chairs, aids such as peanut balls birthing balls, ballet bars and a rebozo sling with a chair.
NHSGGC maternity services are made up of six maternity hospitals and units as well as homebirth and community based midwifery services.
Anyone in the GGC area that is expecting a baby is encouraged to visit nhsggc. scot/meetyourmidwife as soon as they can in their pregnancy to register for their first midwife appointment.