A midwifery-led labour centre which promotes natural births has been officially launched at Queen’s Hospital.

Romford Recorder: Mothers of babies born at the centre returned for the eventMothers of babies born at the centre returned for the event (Image: Archant)

Reality television star Stacey Solomon cut the ribbon at the Queens Birth Centre last week, at a ceremony attended by babies who had been born there.

Romford Recorder: Opening of the Queen's Birth CentreOpening of the Queen's Birth Centre (Image: Archant)

The new unit offers a more relaxed environment for women to have babies in, with birthing pools, natural pain relief and more comfortable beds.

Speaking at the launch, the chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives said the new facility showed maternity services had “risen like a phoenix” after previous “difficulties” at Queen’s.

Cathy Warwick added: “This is one of the real pleasures of my job – to see what midwives and maternity services are achieving.

“It is so important that women have the best possible birth experience. We know that having a positive birth helps women go on to be positive mothers.”

The unit has eight delivery suites, including two with birthing pools. The hotel-style rooms also include double beds to allow partners to stay the night following a birth.

Television presenter Stacey Solomon said: “I am really excited to be here. I had my son at Queen’s and it was such a lovely place to give birth. I’m so pleased that, now there is this fantastic birthing suite for me to use, I can have some more!”

Mothers have been giving birth at the centre since January, and some of the babies born there returned for the ceremony.

The unit means women in labour can give birth without the need for doctors, using water births and gas and air as pain relief.

If complications arise, or if a woman needs more pain relief, she can be transferred to the labour ward at the hospital for more specialist care.

The centre was designed with the input of local mums to make sure it provides everything that women need.

For more information, visit the trust’s maternity webpage at http://www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/maternity-services.htm.