If you are an avid news follower or social media user, I am sure that you’ve caught wind of the recent NHS 70th birthday celebrations or seen the hashtag #NHS70 floating around.  

We’ve had 70 years of a health care system that treats everyone who comes through its doors no matter what your bank balance looks like in stark contrast to other countries around the world where medical treatment can leave you with serious debt for even the most basic of procedures, or you aren’t able to access the care that you need at all due to the financially crippling costs.  

There are, of course, many things that need changing with the system, and it is creaking under staff shortages for one, and, in many areas, is failing to provide the standard of care that we all deserve, but for now we will focus on the positives.  

One such positive is that, alongside celebrating 70 years of the National Health Service, the Nottingham University Hospitals were also looking back on 70 years of home births in the area and relaunching their home birth service.  This is such an encouraging step forward as women should always have all their birthing options open to them.

There was a celebration at Nottingham City Hospital with cakes for sale (who doesn’t love a good bit of cake?!), raffles and various stalls people could look around.  Midwives were doing aromatherapy demonstrations, there were photos from many years ago of midwives who worked in the area, a lady was doing the most beautiful art piece as well, although I never did get to see the finished result which I am still sad that I missed that, and they had a room set up in the hotel wing like a home birth room complete with pool, and birthing balls etc that women may want to choose to have at their own home.  

You could feel such a buzz of energy and excitement from everyone there.  Consultants, midwives, mothers and other health and birth professionals all came together.  It was really wonderful to be a part of it and witness it.  

I took some photos of the event which I  will share below.  

I can’t wait to see more people being able to access the home birth services in and around Nottingham now.  

Have you had a home birth yourself or do you know someone who has?