United in praise of maternity unit (From Gazette & Herald)

United in praise of maternity unit

WHEN it comes to the future of Malton's maternity unit, the mums of Ryedale are of one voice - it must stay.

For Caroline Stevens, of Norton, not having a hospital in Malton could have been a matter of life and death.

When she gave birth to son Grant, now ten, at the hospital, they lost his heartbeat. After a quick delivery using forceps, all was well. But when son Ben, now nine, was born, there was barely time for her to even reach Malton Hospital before his arrival. Had he suffered any complications, there would not have been time to reach York or Scarborough.

She said: "With Ben, we only just got to Malton Hospital in time. We'd have had him in the car if we were going to York or Scarborough.

"I just think the unit is essential - I don't see how it can close. If I'd been having my first child, if I had to go to York or Scarborough, he might have died. It's whether they want to lose babies."

During her stay in Malton Hospital, other mothers were frequently transferred to the unit from elsewhere, and Caroline is not alone in asking how Scarborough could cope with the extra pressure if Malton and other maternity units were to close.

Michaela Lewis, of Rillington, is due to give birth in March. She said: "What worries me is they are talking about closing Bridlington and Whitby as well. Scarborough is already overloaded and if they close those, where will they put everyone? Already, they can't promise you private rooms, they can't promise you the staff because the staff are stretched as it is.

"And what do we do for aftercare? Do we trek all the way to Scarborough?"

Michaela said: "I had quite specific ideas about what I wanted when I had my baby as I have had quite a few friends in inner cities who have had horrendous experiences."

Having been told by her GP that she was too old - at 36 - to have her baby in Malton, Michaela and her husband, Simon Pope, went directly to the hospital and were given the go-ahead to have the baby there.

She said: "I went to see the hospital and it just complied with everything I wanted.

"Malton gave me all these points, such as a midwife-led birth and the privacy side of it. The ethos that they apply there is just fantastic.

"The midwives who look after me now are the midwives who will look after me at the birth and afterwards. The rapport with the midwives is crucial."

She added: "I had a private scan at the Nuffield Hospital in Leeds and I was saying to the doctor about Malton. He said if you get something like that, then grasp it with both hands."

Michaela accepted that if there were complications, she would have to go to Scarborough, but for a straightforward pregnancy she would choose a home birth if Malton's maternity unit was not available.

However, one alternative she did consider was the prospect of birthing centres being set up, which try to offer a very natural birth.

She said: "In London, these birthing centres have set up. It's midwife-led and you just get on with it. The option might be to set up something similar here."

Dawn Treacher, of Wrelton, gave birth to baby Clare eight weeks ago at Scarborough District Hospital before being transferred to Malton afterwards.

She said: "Scarborough's horrible. It's a very big hospital and you don't get much support afterwards. Malton is a very small place and they look after you incredibly well."

Dawn, who was deemed to be in the higher risk category because she is just 5ft 1in in height, found a marked contrast between the two hospitals. She added: "I spent four days in Malton. It's a home from home in there - they teach you how to do everything, how to bath your baby and change a nappy.

"I think it would be a terrific loss. If everyone had to go to Scarborough or York, they just wouldn't get the help with their new-born baby."

Husband Miles pointed out the difficulties faced by families wanting to visit a new mother and baby in Scarborough or York.

He said: "I can't drive long distances at the moment. I took the bus and it's over an hour to take the bus to Scarborough from Pickering. It's a lot easier going to Malton while parking at Scarborough is horrendous. It's much better to be local."

Lorraine Colgan, of Norton, gave birth to her second baby Niamh eight weeks ago at Malton Hospital.

She said: "The midwives are so friendly and so lovely. They take the baby on a night for you if you want so you can catch up on sleep before you come home.

"I decided I wanted a water birth, which they have at Malton. It takes away a lot of the pain so you don't need the gas and air.

"They help you so much. They teach you how to bath them and everything like that. They make you feel like you are welcome to stay as long as you want."

Lorraine, who works at the Rainbow Equine Clinic in Old Malton, continued working until just a few days before the birth, something she was able to do because she only needed to take half an hour out of her working day to have a check-up at the hospital, instead of a two-hour break to go to Scarborough.

She thinks that, rather than cutting back, the facilities should be expanded.

She said: "Maybe they can't do caesareans there, but why can't they offer more pain relief at Malton?

"I would always want to go to Malton. I have stayed in Scarborough Hospital and you just feel like a number there, whereas at Malton you feel special."

Tracey Clarkson, of Thornthorpe, was the first woman to have a water birth at Malton Hospital back in 1993, when her son Dean was born. She hired a pool for the birth at the time, although since then the facilities have now been put in place permanently.

She said: "They supported me in wanting to do the water birth. I think it would be unfair if you had to travel all the way to Scarborough or York."

Updated: 10:05 Wednesday, January 22, 2003