Beatrice Birth Centre

Entrance to Maternity Unit and Beatrice Birth Centre

The Beatrice Birth Centre, which received its first mothers on Monday 31st October 2022, offers a safe, friendly environment suitable for women who have had a healthy pregnancy and are expecting to have a straightforward birth. Women can choose to give birth in the centre even if for first babies.

Throughout your pregnancy your community midwife will discuss with you where you would like to birth your baby. If your pregnancy has been straightforward you may choose to birth in the Beatrice Birth Centre, however we regret that rooms cannot be booked in advance.

The centre is run by experienced midwives and can be described as a ‘home away from home’ environment and is a middle ground alternative to the traditional labour ward or home.

The centre’s interior scheme and artworks were co-designed with families and staff working with ArtCare.

Salisbury’s Birth Centre consists of two spacious rooms. Both rooms include:

• Comfortable birthing aids such as balls and mats that you can reconfigure to personal needs
• A birthing pool
• A screen that you can connect your device to (either via USB brought from home or Bluetooth) to display images you may find inspirational for your labour and birth. The screens also have the ability to use Bluetooth to play music
• Adjustable lighting
• Ensuite bathroom
• One-to-one support in labour
• Advice on using your TENS machine (you will need to hire and bring your own before you go into labour)
• Gas and air (Entonox)
• Aromatherapy
• A courtyard garden for mothers and visitors

Joanne Hayward, Director of Maternity and Neonatal Services, said: "Our new Beatrice Birth Centre really has been a labour of love. This midwife-led centre improves our offer to pregnant women in our community as they contemplate their birth plans. The superb facilities provide a wonderful, caring and safe place for women to choose to have their baby. The community midwife will discuss with mothers-to-be where they would like to birth their baby and if the Beatrice Birth Centre is the right place for them.”

The Beatrice Birth Centre, along with a new entrance and reception, and courtyard garden have been made possible thanks to funding from the Local Maternity and Neonatal System and £260,000 of funding from the Stars Appeal, the hospital’s charity.

Three local people, Miss Margaret Smith, Mrs Joan Joyce and Mrs Jean Finniss, who left gifts to the Stars Appeal in their wills, helped to pay for the new facilities and have been recognised on a plaque within the Centre alongside other Stars Appeal donors.

Dave Cates of the Stars Appeal said: “We are incredibly proud of this wonderful Birthing Centre that, along with the new entrance and garden, will help thousands of local families welcome babies for years to come. None of this would be possible without our supporters and we are so grateful to Miss Smith, Mrs Joyce, Mrs Finniss for their exceptional generosity and to everyone who has contributed towards this project.”

Video: Having your baby at a midwifery led unit

Please note: Where the term ‘women’ is used on this page, this refers to all birthing people.