Update
While some births are currently taking place on our Wrekin Midwife Led Unit (MLU), ongoing national and Trust specific staff shortages have meant that day-to-day decisions are being made on the operation of the MLU and because of this, there may be times where we have to ask women and birthing people to attend our delivery suite at the consultant led unit to give birth instead of the Wrekin Midwife Led Unit.
Our teams are continuing to work hard to offer an extensive service for our mothers to be and to ensure that where possible birth preferences and choices are met for those we care for.
Please be assured that we can still provide a midwife led birthing experience on our delivery suite, with the vast majority of services offered at the MLU available within our consultant facilities, such as adjustable lighting, birthing balls and mats and birthing pools. Should you wish to use a birthing pool then please ask for this when you call up to let us know you are in labour so we can get this prepared for you. This will depend on availability of the pool and your clinical needs. Homebirths are also available and can be discussed with your midwife. If you would like to find out more about our delivery suite, please click here.
We are ensuring that anyone who may be affected by this is kept informed and are given notice of any changes that may affect them as soon as possible. All antenatal and postnatal appointments that have been booked on the Wrekin Midwife Led Unit will still be in the unit as planned.
Midwife Led Units
Shropshire has five midwifery led units (MLUs), where you will meet Midwives and Women’s Services Assistants (WSAs) who will care for you throughout your pregnancy.
Midwives who work in MLUs are very experienced and have undergone additional training in order to manage emergency situations. The midwives have direct access 24 hours a day to obstetricians and neonatal staff, to discuss any problems that may occur. WSAs are all trained in breastfeeding skills and will assist you in the postnatal period.
In Whitchurch and Market Drayton there are community midwives who offer a homebirth service.
You can contact the midwives at your local unit for advice and support during your pregnancy, when your labour is starting, and after you have your baby. It is also convenient for your friends and family to visit you when you’ve had your baby. There are also regular clinics at each MLU where women who require additional specialist care can see an obstetrician.
At each pregnancy appointment you will be risk assessed, and if deemed low risk by the time you reach 37 weeks pregnant, you will be eligible to birth your baby in an MLU.
The Birthplace National Prospective Cohort Study(2011), found that having a planned birth in an MLU was just as safe as having a baby in an obstetric unit. Women who give birth in an MLU report greater satisfaction with their care, have less intervention and are more likely to succeed if they choose to breastfeed their baby.
For information and advice about where to give birth please visit:
Where to Give Birth: The Options (NHS)
Your Choice: Where to have your first baby – NHS Leaflet
Your Choice: Information about Where to Give Birth if You’ve Had a Baby Before
Contact Us
Booking
As well as ringing your local MLU to arrange a booking appointment, you can also ring a central booking appointment number: 01743261085.
Community Teams
Whitchurch Community Midwifery Team
01948660838 or 07900211089.
Market Drayton Community Midwifery Team
01630650727 or 07786263592.
The Wrekin Midwife-Led Unit has been designed to provide the best possible antenatal, labour and postnatal experience for women with low risk pregnancies who have not experienced any complications. It also gives a modern and functional working environment for midwives.
The modular unit consists of:
- Three spacious en-suite birthing rooms, each with a pull-down double bed to enable partners to rest, two of which also have a birthing pool
- Thoughtfully designed outpatient facilities with five consultation rooms
- A new location, next to the Obstetric Unit, providing an appealing facility for mums wanting a midwife-led birthing experience, while enabling closer access to the consultant-led unit should it be required
- Space for specialist midwives to work from, including for screening and infant feeding.
The new unit was made possible after £4million of capital funding was secured from the Department of Health and was designed with the leadership team from the Women and Children’s Care Group at SaTH, along with the Maternity Voices Partnership who assisted with design features and equipment choice from a service user perspective. It was provided by a specialist company that has worked with NHS organisations across the country.
Tel: 01952641222 Ext 5706
Shrewsbury MLU is situated in Mytton Oak House in the grounds of Shrewsbury Hospital. The Unit provides outpatient services which includes Early Pregnancy Assessment Service (EPAS), Antenatal services and scanning.
The service has been relocated from the Copthorne Building while essential fire regulation work is completed. Inpatient Services (births and postnatal care) remain temporarily suspended.
If you are a mum-to-be with questions about the changes please contact your midwife who will be able to advise you.
Please note that services at this unit are currently suspended.
Bridgnorth MLU is situated in the grounds of Bridgnorth Community Hospital. There are two birth rooms; one of which has a birthing pool, a television, music. The other room has labour and birthing aids.
Some midwives here are also trained as hypnobirthing teachers.
In the unlikely event that you need to be transferred to Telford during labour, the travel time by ambulance, including time taken for the ambulance to arrive and for you to be secured and ready to travel, is approximately 68 minutes.
If you are higher risk and have your baby in Telford, you may still be able to transfer back to Bridgnorth in the immediate postnatal period to spend time getting to know your baby and receive the help you need.
Tel: 01746 711060
Please note that services at this unit are currently suspended.
Ludlow MLU is situated in the grounds of Ludlow community Hospital. There is a relaxed, friendly and homely atmosphere at this unit. It has a large birthing suite with labour aids such as mats, bean bags, balls, a chair bed for partners, dimmed lighting, music and a television. Partners are able to stay overnight with you while you are in labour. We are now also pleased to offer water births at the Unit.
Midwives at Ludlow MLU can also offer aqua-natal classes and some are trained as hypnobirthing teachers.
In the unlikely event that you need to be transferred to Telford during labour, the travel time by ambulance, including time taken for the ambulance to arrive and for you to be secured and ready to travel, is approximately 83 minutes.
If you are higher risk and have your baby in Telford, you may still be able to transfer back to Ludlow in the immediate postnatal period to spend time getting to know your baby and receive the help you need.
Tel: 01584 871120
Please note that services at this unit are currently suspended.
O
swestry MLU is situated in the grounds of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital in Gobowen.
Here there are two birth rooms, one of which contains a state-of-the-art birthing pool and both rooms have labour and birthing aids such as mats, bean bags and balls to help you stay upright to facilitate a normal birth.
Some midwives here are also trained as hypnobirthing teachers.
In the unlikely event that you need to be transferred to Telford during labour, the travel time by ambulance, including time taken for the ambulance to arrive and for you to be secured and ready to travel, is approximately 87 minutes.
If you are higher risk and have your baby in Telford, you may still be able to transfer back to Oswestry in the immediate postnatal period to spend time getting to know your baby and receive the help you need.
Tel: 01691 404579