Huddersfield Family Birth Centre celebrates its first birthday

Mar 21 2009 by Anne-Marie Senior, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE FIRST babies to be born at Huddersfield’s family birth centre made a return visit to help celebrate the unit’s first anniversary.

Tots, parents and staff came together at the Royal Infirmary to mark the centre’s first year with a tea party.

And while the celebrations were under way, baby Charlie Dearnley made a surprise appearance into the world, weighing 8lb 2oz.

Mum Jill Schofield and dad Robert Dearnley, of Longwood, were delighted with the facilities.

Jill, who opted for a water birth, said: “It was really good and so relaxed here, which I think really helped. I could move about and only needed gas and air for the last hour.

“The midwives were excellent too.”

The unit – made up of six en suite birthing rooms – was opened last March.