Expectant mums benefit from new maternity induction suite

Expectant mums from Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are benefiting from a new induction suite at University Hospitals of North Midlands.

The induction of labour suite at Royal Stoke University Hospital features four self-contained single rooms for parents who are due to be induced with the purpose of the suite to provide a positive and calm birthing experience. 

Each room includes sensory lights, a TV, en-suite bathroom and due to the size of the room birthing partners can stay overnight with the hope to minimise anxiety around birth.

Sammy-JoBall, from Leek, praised the new suite after recently staying in one of the new rooms, during her induction.

The 27-year-old said: “I think the rooms are absolutely brilliant, the one I was in had everything I needed. I felt really calm, really relaxed, which is what you want when you’re being induced. The bathroom was amazing and the sensory lights make it so relaxing.” Sammy-Jo, who used the new suite where she had her waters broken and later gave birth to Sienna-Janet on 1 December, added: “The midwives on the induction suite were incredible, so welcoming and lovely to me.  What more could I want!”

Mandy Alcock, UHNM Midwife Birthing Centre Manager, said: “We are so happy with the new rooms. We want expectant mums and their families to feel calm and minimise any anxiety they may have when they join us on the ward so having the induction of labour suite available definitely eases those worries.

“We are receiving so much positive feedback from patients which is the outcome we wanted, which is to enhance patient experience. If people visit the ward and say it’s calm and quiet, we are achieving what we want to achieve, which is brilliant.” 

The success of the induction suite has been an opportunity to expand the team with interviews on-going for a core induction team and a lead midwife.

Mandy added: “It’s really exciting the suite has become a success as it has allowed us to look into expanding our team to core members who have invested interest in inductions. We would love to expand our offering to patients and have even more rooms on the suite in the near future.”