Celebrating over 1,700 births in a decade at the Barking Community Birth Centre
Today (Friday 9 December) the Barking Community Birth Centre celebrates ten years since they first opened their doors.
In the past decade, the centre has birthed over 1,700 babies and cared for thousands of mothers throughout their pregnancy journey, from antenatal to postnatal appointments. This includes over 14,000 postnatal appointment and over 4,500 newborn blood spot screening tests.
The team marked the occasion with a celebration and reunion at the birthing centre, which is staffed entirely by midwives and provides a relaxed home-like environment for pregnant women who have had a straight-forward pregnancy.
Guests included Nadia Shafi who had two or her three children there – her first in 2016 and her third earlier this year.
Speaking on her experience at the centre, Nadia said: “I remember having such a positive birthing experience there with my first born, so I decided to go back there again for my third baby, Maria. She was 4.9 kilograms – the heaviest baby they have on record!”.
“The experience was exactly like how I remembered it during my first pregnancy. The centre provided me with care from the very beginning up until the end of my pregnancy and I was well taken care of by the midwives there. I was able to build a rapport with them which helped the delivery go as smoothly as possible.”
“I’m so thankful for the midwives at the birth centre for being so supportive and helpful throughout my pregnancy and birth. It’s great to be back and see all the midwives that took care of me and Maria and celebrate with them.”
Also joining in on the ten-year celebrations were Georgina and Nicola who both work at the centre as midwives and had their babies there earlier this year, just a few months apart.
Picture of Nicola (left) and baby Fred, and Georgina (right) with baby Teddy
Opening up about her experience giving birth at the centre, Georgina said: “I had my first-born Teddy there in February this year and it was such a great experience. Although Barking Community Birth Centre isn’t local to me, I still chose to have my baby here as I knew that I would be well looked after, and I’m so glad I made this decision!
“I had the same midwife looking after me from the start to the end of my pregnancy which just so happened to be my colleague and manager Nicola. I felt so comfortable under her care and having her support throughout the process was amazing. Having her and our other colleagues play such a key part of my first ever pregnancy and birth is a memory I will never forget.”
Speaking on her birthing experience, Nicola said: “I had complications during my first pregnancy that meant that I had a more difficult birth than what I would have liked. I was admitted to intensive care and so was my first born right after the delivery. This made both me and my husband nervous during my second pregnancy as we didn’t want to have to go through that again.
“That’s why I decided to have my second at the birth centre, to have a more relaxing experience. Giving birth at the centre for my second-born Fred felt like coming home. I knew I was in good hands and my husband was also supported and reassured by the midwives throughout the process, which put both of us at ease.
“Like Georgina, what made the delivery extra special was having my colleagues around me. I’m so thankful to be back at the centre to celebrate our ten-year anniversary, together with colleagues who are like family to me.”