Maternity Services at Helme Chase, our Midwife-led unit at Westmorland General Hospital

At Helme Chase, our midwife-led unit at Westmorland General Hospital, we pride ourselves in being able to provide a tranquil and home-from-home environment, which allows you to focus on your body and the baby.

Almost half of women with low-risk pregnancies should have a home birth or use a midwife-led unit, according to the latest guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (LINK)

We have skilled midwives who are experienced in providing safe active birth by:

• Devising individualised birth plans to suit your needs
• Providing a relaxed and reassuring environment for partners and family members
• Supporting and promoting water births and hypnobirthing
• Facilitating the appropriate use of Entonox (50:50 mixture of nitrous oxide. (N₂O) and oxygen (O₂) and other mild analgesics 
  

Can I still have my baby at Helme Chase?

Women can give birth at Helme Chase 24 hours a day, seven days a week, supported by a midwife.

If you are assessed as having a low-risk pregnancy, i.e. you are unlikely to develop any complications during your pregnancy, whilst giving birth, or after your baby is born, you will be able to choose to give birth at Helme Chase if you want to.

If you are having midwife-led care, an alternative to having your baby at home is to choose our homely midwife-led unit at Helme Chase.

At Helme Chase, we have a team of dedicated and experienced midwives and clinical support workers who will provide all the support and help you need to have your baby in a true ‘home-from-home’ setting.

Helme Chase operates an on-call system out of hours (Monday - Friday from 8pm - 8am, all day Saturday and Sunday, and Bank Holidays).

Out of hours, you simply need to call the unit which is transferred directly to the midwife on call. They can then arrange to meet you at home or at the unit.

For further information about Maternity Services at Helme Chase, or to speak to a midwife, please call:

01539 795375 (24 hours a day)

Active Birth

At Helme Chase, our midwife-led team specialises in active birth and water birth and our team are currently developing the following services for local women:

• Aromatherapy

• Hypnotherapy 

• Massage

• Reflexology

• Home birth

• Bespoke, Safe Active Birth plans for women with complex pregnancies

There is one birthing pool and three delivery rooms at Helme Chase.

Two of the delivery rooms have en-suite facilities.

There is also a comfortable sitting room where you can socialise with other women.

Our active birth room is equipped with a variety of equipment, including:

• Birthing stools
• Bradbury Bed (low mattress)
• Floor mat
• Birth balls

This equipment is designed to encourage your body to adopt comfortable positions during labour and births

Water Birth

Giving birth in water can act as a form of pain relief for some women.

Our birthing pool room at Helme Chase has recently been upgraded with a state of the art pool and has en-suite facilities. The room is large and airy, providing a comforting and relaxing surrounding for women in labour.

It contains a variety of active birth equipment to allow you to move around freely and the option to change positions during your birth.

Location

Helme Chase is located on the third floor of Westmorland General Hospital.

There are lifts available and parking spaces directly outside the hospital.

Facilities

Patient line telephone and TV is available throughout Helme Chase. You can purchase an entertainment payment card at the entrance of Helme Chase to access this service.

Free Wi-Fi is available through each of our hospitals.