We want to provide the highest and safest standards of care for mothers and babies to encourage a straightforward birth as possible.
About us
The Friarage maternity centre, which is a midwifery-led unit, offers a comfortable relaxed environment for women and their partners and is a good choice for women who are keen to have a natural birth with minimum intervention.
The centre is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and run by a team of highly skilled, experienced midwives, providing friendly individualised care to women with straightforward pregnancies.
Partners are welcome to stay in the en-suite rooms during and after the birth until you
choose to go home, which is usually within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What doesn’t a midwifery-led unit have?
The midwifery-led unit will not have:
- Epidurals
- Paediatricians (who care for children, including new-born babies)
- Obstetricians (who provide assistance if pregnancy and birth become complicated) available during labour
How safe are midwifery-led units?
Studies such as the ‘Birthplace Study’ have found these units are just as safe as hospital for low risk women and increase the chance of having a normal birth with less intervention. Our midwives are very skilled and trained to detect if labour is not progressing normally.
What do you mean by ‘low risk’ pregnancies?
These are women who enjoy problem-free pregnancies and give birth without any complications. This is the case for at least a third of all births and can be as high as half of all births.
What do you mean by ‘high risk’ pregnancies?
Some women will need to be cared for by a consultant (as well as their midwife). This may be from the start of their pregnancy because of underlying health conditions or complexities in previous pregnancies, or those women who find themselves needing a specialist team as their pregnancy develops – for example to manage gestational diabetes or pregnancy-related high blood pressure. Women with high risk pregnancies can still receive their outpatient antenatal care at the Friarage with a consultant obstetrician but need to deliver in a consultant-led obstetric unit where facilities for complications are
more immediately available.
What happens if I choose to have my baby in the midwifery-led unit but develop complications during labour?
If a midwife is concerned about you or your baby’s wellbeing or progress in labour, or if you decide you need an epidural, you will be transferred to The James Cook University Hospital as there are no doctors in the midwife-led birthing centre. There are close links and communication with James Cook, so if it is clinically necessary you will be transferred there by ambulance, accompanied by a midwife and your care would continue.
What are the benefits of a midwifery-led unit?
There are many benefits for women including:
- Comfortable friendly surroundings, helping you feel more controlled and relaxed.
- Individual midwife-led care with experienced midwives
- Increases the chance of having a normal birth with less intervention
- Water birth available
- Good option if you do not want a home birth but don’t need an obstetric unit