"Maternity ward & midwives superb."

Anything else?

I have birth to my daughter, Josie, in Sunderland Royal hospital last month and could not be happier with our experience. The midwives were all warm, reassuring & helpful. When we had decisions to make we were given all the information we needed to make those calls ourselves rather than being directed along a path we weren't comfortable with. The facilities were excellent. I could have had access to a birthing pool if I'd so chosen but decided to stay in the great en suite room for the birth. Having the same room for the duration of our stay (about 40 hours) and not having to leave to go on a ward after my baby was born was such a comfort. It gave me time to recover and get to know my baby & start learning how to care for her. The midwives were invaluable here too- having them on hand was a great help and they seemed very happy to give support & advice. We also had access to breastfeeding support, which was very good. All in all, I had exactly the kind of birth experience I wanted and I really credit the midwives for that- along with my husband, the midwives encouraged and cajoled me throughout the labour so that I got through it without intervention or drugs. I will always be very grateful for such a positive experience. Thank you!