Staff at Hull’s birth centre are celebrating a record-breaking start to the year after the 100th baby was born there in just six weeks.
Hessle couple Lorna Easton, 23, and Steven Clarke, 25, opted to have baby daughter Polly at the Fatima Allam Birth Centre at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.
Baby Polly arrived in the world under water on Monday, weighing 7lb 3oz, with midwife Eloise Taylor on hand.
Today, hairdresser Lorna said: “We’d heard great things about the birth centre from our friends so we were really keen to have our baby in such a relaxed environment.
“I thought a water birth would help me to relax and Eloise said it would be a great way to help.”
The birth centre – named after Fatima Allam, wife of Hull businessman and philanthropist Dr Assem Allam, in recognition of the support the Allam family has given to Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, opened in 2017.
In just three years, its birth rate has tripled as more women in Hull and the East Riding opt to have their babies at the midwifery-led unit.
Lorna Easton and baby Polly with midwife Eloise Taylor
Katie Headlam, who manages the unit, said: “To reach 100 babies in just six weeks is a phenomenal achievement and shows how popular the birth centre has become. We’re really grateful for the continuing support of the Allam family in being able to provide this wonderful service for families in Hull.
“Reaching 100 babies so quickly in 2020 shows that women feel more confident and understand they have choices about their birth, able to choose which option best suits their and their baby’s needs, and our highly skilled staff will support them.”
As well as offering women a more natural approach to child birth, the unit also has its own Continuity of Carer team of midwives – Willow – and the team supports the women through antenatal appointments, during the birth and after their babies are born.
Anyone interested in being supported by Willow or who wishes to find out more about the Fatima Allam Birth Centre should contact the Birth Centre directly on 01482 607860.