The children's champions

Jul 7 2008 by The Journal

WE take a look at one of the best loved and busiest departments at the RVI: Maternity.

Having a baby brings many choices. From pushchairs to pacifiers, new parents are offered an incredible range of products and services. But one of the first choices you will have to make is also one of the most important: where to have your baby. And, if you do decide to have your baby delivered in hospital, which one to choose.

Choose the RVI and you’ll be in good company. More babies begin life here than at any other hospital in the North East: over 6500 last year alone. And even with such a huge turnover of mums and babies we’re still committed to the highest levels of care. In fact, our Maternity Unit was recently awarded a CNST Level 3 award for the second consecutive year (the highest achieved by any unit in the UK) in recognition of our staff’s dedication to providing first class health and safety.

Mums can be reassured by the fact that the RVI is one of only two hospitals in the North East to offer consultant and midwifery led care to all expectant women. This means that although most babies are born without the need for a doctor, our Maternity Unit has a specialist doctor on site at all times, should they be needed. So when you choose us you are in the safest possible hands whether you need an epidural to ease pain during labour, or more specialist care such as an emergency caesarean section.

The RVI is also the regional centre for highly specialist care should complications arise before, during or after your baby’s birth. Our doctors and nurses pride themselves on providing expert care for every precious arrival.

Of course, no one can predict exactly how your labour will progress, but the RVI has the facilities to ensure that the experience is as close to your birth plan as possible. As our Head of Midwifery Chris Wilkinson explains: “Each one of our eleven delivery rooms is equipped to deal with high and low risk births. Spacious enough for mums and their partners to move around, they also include birthing balls and mats and parents are welcome to bring their own choice of CDs to make their stay as comfortable as possible.”

Talking of which, one innovation at the RVI that has proved extremely popular is our Snoozelum – a specially designed room that combines lighting and sound to offer a wonderfully relaxing environment during labour. We also have two pool rooms where you can experience the benefits of labouring in water and even a full water birth.

When you’re deciding where to bring your baby into the world it’s important to experience that place first-hand. That’s why we also offer prospective mums and partners a tour of our maternity unit so you can see the facilities and meet some of our staff first hand.

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Award winning staff: Sandra Bosman, Midwife

Based at the RVI, Sandra was the first midwife in the UK to specialise in twins and multiple births and was recently named Midwife of the Year, 2007.

It was her role in the birth of quadruplets that prompted their mother to nominate her for this prestigious award.

Sandra said: “I was thrilled to win the award but seeing babies who are very ill growing up fit and healthy is really all the reward I need in this job. The maternity department at the RVI is a brilliant place to work and I think of my award as being for all the staff here, not just me.”