"Amazing home birth team"

I used the Southern Trust Home birth team last year and in December. 

I felt privileged to live within the Southern Trust as that was the only place in NI to have its own team. 

I was unsure about home birth, but my community team in Banbridgen really pushed and advocated for me to speak to them to see what my options were. 

The community midwives in Banbridge were also exceptional. 

From the minute i met Paula and her team of midwives i felt listened too, understood and advocated for. She had such passion for her job and you knew she was someone you could trust completely and feel safe with. 

Right up until i had to go to the hospital for delivery for a minor complication requiring monitoring by a hospital  the midwive followed me and continued on to ensure i felt safe, my wishes were being met and my birth plan known.  She pushed for me to have waterbirth. I was unable to ad only 1 available and in use. (Unacceptable for a large hospital the size of Craigavon)

I then proceeded onto have a natural birth. The Delivery girls in Craigavon were also exceptional, and  i had no fault at anyone as they were all outstanding. 

A few days prior to this i did have a negative experience with one midwife in discussions of an induction, which i decided against as i felt unecessary. I felt she scolded me and spoken down to me in regards to it. Which i feel sad when u look at the statistics of inductions in the UK in comparison to the WHO statistics and other countries. 

In a time of negativity i wanted to highlight the home birth team and the Banbridge community team, Without them i definitely wouldnt have had such an amazing experience. 

As someone whos a nurse themselves for 13 years and sees the NHS pressures, after the care I received i even consider changing to midwifery in my future plan as for the first time in many years i seen a group of individuals who get to be health professionals doing the best job they can, advocating for patients and working above and beyond to make them feel safe and making a difference. 

If every where had a community and home birth team like this and the support I received... you have to wonder... would birth trauma be as high, would medical interventions statistics be as high. 

I encourage all obstetrics to be made to shadow these ladies and see what difference these home births can do... or a bigger push on home birth centres!