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We felt like VIPs

Posted By crocodilezg55

"We felt like VIPs"

About: Royal Jubilee Maternity services / Active Birth Centre (ABC)

(as a service user),

I arrived to the hospital having been in labour at home for over 24 hours. I was examined and wasn’t very far along but couldn’t manage at home any longer. I had been told about ABC by a friend who highly recommended it after having had a water birth. On arrival to the ABC, the room was so relaxing and zen it really helped to calm me down and I spoke with the midwives and discussed my choices in terms of pain relief and what I wanted for my birth. They were so knowledgeable and were able to tell me straight away that baby was back to back which way why the contractions were so intense. I am from a medical background and was open to all of the pain relief options including epidural or remifentanil but I wanted to try to have as little intervention as possible. 

The midwives were so good at listening to what I wanted and making a plan so that we could get the most out of the various pain relief options step by step so as not to do too much too soon and could always reassess as things progressed. 

In the end, I managed to deliver a back to back baby with no epidural and only an episiotomy. No medical assistance required. I couldn’t have done it without the wonderful midwives who supported me the whole way through.

Also the post partum care was next level. Myself and my husband were able to stay in the room together overnight and the midwives were so supportive in helping me to breastfeed - helping me to hand express and teaching me how to get a good latch. We felt like VIPs.

I could not sing their praises highly enough and will be forever grateful to all the wonderful women who helped me through one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but with the absolute best end result. 

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Responses

Response from Christina Mitchell, Midwifery Sister, RJMS - Active Birth Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust last week
Christina Mitchell
Midwifery Sister, RJMS - Active Birth Centre,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 11/04/2025 at 13:54
Published on Care Opinion at 13:54

picture of Christina Mitchell

Dear crocodilezg55,

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback following the care you received within the Active Birth Centre.

I will ensure your feedback is shared with the whole team.

The Active Birth Centre is an alongside Midwifery Led Unit located within the Royal Jubilee Maternity Service and we specialise in providing care which supports women to birth without medical intervention. The emphasis is to facilitate spontaneous vaginal birth, improving outcomes and experiences for mothers and babies.

I am so delighted that the relaxed setting within the Unit helped to bring calm during your labour and that you felt thoroughly supported to try the various pain relief options available, being reassured that if they were no longer working for you, that you could be transferred to the Obstetric Led Unit for anaesthetic input.

We love that we can facilitate birthing partners to stay overnight within the Unit and we have found this to be such a special time for couples as they learn together how to respond to the needs of their new baby.

I am so pleased you had such a positive experience and I really hope should you choose to use maternity services again that you would choose to birth within the Active Birth Centre.

Kind Regards,

Christina Mitchell

Midwifery Sister

Active Birth Centre

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Response from Barbara Spratt, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust last week
Barbara Spratt
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Submitted on 11/04/2025 at 15:45
Published on Care Opinion at 15:45

Dear crocodilezg55,

Congratulations on your new addition to your family. Thank you so much for taking the time to provide feedback. What a lovely positive story of your experience within our Alongside Birthing Centre.

As the Infant feeding Lead it is great to hear that you felt well supported to develop the skills required to get breastfeeding off to a good start. Hand expression techniques can support early challenges such as engorgement or even just tempt baby to latch where skills for positioning and attachment supports an efficient latch so baby transfers milk easily without additional challenges. I trust you will continue to meet your breastfeeding goals.

Enjoy every moment with your baby.

Regards

Barbara

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