By Liz Crudgington
Today marks the 10th birthday of the midwife-led unit at the QEQM Hospital in Margate and the first baby born there has just celebrated her double-digit birthday.
Mum Amy Sayer was greeted by a team of midwives when she arrived in the unit in 2012 and was able to make full use of the home-from-home facilities, with daughter Molly delivered in the birthing pool.
Amy said: “It was such a memorable experience. Molly was our first baby and I’d always wanted to have her at QEQM as that’s where I was born.
“But it was just luck that it worked out that way, as we live in Whitfield near Dover. At the time, Buckland Hospital had a maternity department so we thought we would end up going there.
“But it was due to close at midnight the day I went into labour, so they told me to head to QEQM. When I arrived, I found out the midwife-led unit was about to open so I asked if I could go there and I couldn’t fault them.
“The midwives were waiting for us and were so excited that we were the first family they looked after.”
Molly was born at lunchtime and the family, including dad Adam, stayed overnight before going home the following day to start life as a family of three.
Four years later, Amy returned to the unit to have her son Ben.
She said: “We had the same midwife for both births which was fantastic, and we even ended up in the same room.
“Everyone was so kind and it was a fantastic experience both times.
“I still remember the midwives who looked after us and it was a real honour to be the first family to use the unit.”
Strange thing to celebrate considering the recent report in how bad they are…
The desperate irony!
Happy birthday to Molly.
I’m confused the maternity unit which used to be called The Edith Greaves Maternity unit opened in 1965 Sutcliffe Ward Nichol Ward Labour Suite / Special care unit and anti natal clinic. There were midwife’s on all wards all midwife’s had to be registered SRNs (state registered nurse) before they could train to become a midwife. The midwife and nurses training was all in house in the schools of nursing and midwifery within the hospital complex. No scandals No bad PR. Today a midwife does not have to be a registered nurse before training to become a midwife they can go by direct entry to Christ Church University in Canterbury training takes 3 years.
Today we have had scandal after scandal allegations of cover-ups
Tragedy and deep loss has affected some families and Christ Church University had to suspend midwife’s training in September because the Royal College of Midwifery said after inspecting the training process “ It was not up to an acceptable levels” I’m grateful our own children were delivered safely in the days of Edith Greaves Maternity unit days. So much for “progress”
I see some negativity here, and predicted as much. But, just to give balance, the MLU at QEQM was where both my children were born, and the support and service we received from start to finish was exemplary.
If you’ve ever been into the maternity ward and the MLU, you will see and feel a significant difference in atmosphere and approach. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the MLU and thank every last member of staff for the care and respect we were shown
You are missing the point Jim.
Unfortunately many couples that select the MLU have issues during birth (it’s great that you yourself didn’t) they then are moved away from the MLU unit, MLU is not separate from the report or the suffering and loss many have suffered. Yes many have had safe births ( as you would hope) but also many have lost babies they shouldn’t have.
No one has ever said every member of staff is horrible or every family had a bad experience, but unfortunately far far too many have been left with scars that will never heal and lost babies they shouldn’t have lost. This is fact. It’s not trip advisor and it doesn’t need “balance” – the maternity ward (inc MLU) needs massive improvements. This unfortunately is not up for debate it’s a proven fact.
Margatejim. I’m very pleased you can say that let’s hope the staff are fully supported and can move on from the sad recent report.