New proposals for famliy-friendly maternity units welcomed

The Department of Heath said this week that maternity services will be able to apply for new funds totalling £25m to improve their birthing environments, such as ensuite facilities, rooms where parents can stay overnight and birthing pools.

Health minister Dan Poulter said, ‘A new arrival in the family is a joyous time but can present challenges for mums and families, particularly new families. I want to help women and their partners as much as possible.’

Responding to the proposed plans, Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said, ‘We know from talking to families that dads want to be there from the start. Making it possible for more dads to stay overnight with their partner and newborn baby is a really important step in the right direction.’

Ms Longfield said that the question of changing attitudes also needs to be addressed. ‘Despite lots of rhetoric, maternity and post-natal services are still too often provided in a way that alienates or excludes fathers.

‘This extra money will mean that hospital trusts can make some of the physical changes to their maternity units needed, but there needs to be an attitudinal shift too, ensuring that dads no longer feel like an add-on at this crucial time.’

In addition to the proposed maternity ward plans, the Government will extend the NHS Information Service for Parents to cover babies up to six months old. The service, which provides parents with free advice on pregnancy, baby care and postnatal depression, will be further expanded by April 2013 to cover children up to 18 months.