MLBU celebrates its first birthday

The staff of the Midwifery Led Birthing Unit (MLBU) at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital are hosting their first Birthday Party on Saturday 15th September from 10.00am – 2.00pm.

The MLBU opened it's doors on August 8th 2011 and during it's first year there were 1187 births. Fifty women who birthed in the unit have been invited together with their families to help celebrate the success of the unit.

The MLBU offers women who are healthy with a straightforward pregnancy a home-from-home environment in which to have a natural birth. The unit is on the hospital’s Blakeney Ward and has four birthing rooms and three birthing pools. Approximately 50percent of women coming to the MLBU are opting to have a water birth and the majority of women are using water at some stage to help them manage their labours.

Julie Mansfield, MLBU Team Leader said “the unit is a wonderful facility which is becoming very popular. Midwives give one-to-one care and support to women to enable them to birth naturally, without intervention but with the reassurance that medical assistance is nearby should the need arise. The staff are really committed to achieving normal birth and plan to raise funds over the forthcoming year to provide additional specialist furniture to help women achieve positions in labour which promote normal birth and women's comfort. The party is primarily a celebration but staff are hoping to raise some funds by selling homemade cakes, crafts and good as new baby/toddler clothes and toys aswell a raffle.

The staff of the unit are very grateful to Waitrose (Eaton), nursery department at John Lewis (Norwich), Sugar & Spice (Wroxham Barns) and Dereham Castles who have supported the event.