Guide to Maternity Services

Cuidiú, The Irish Childbirth Trust, have launched ‘Bump2Babe: The Consumer Guide to Maternity Services in Ireland’. This guide is filled with useful information for mums and mums-to-be including birthing statistics, policies, practices and services. The information was gathered from all 22 maternity units across the country. This unique guide offers detailed comparisons of services. It compares intervention practices such as induction, caesareans and episiotomy rates.

 

This guide highlights how there is a complete lack of standardisation across the maternity units in Ireland, showing that policies and practices vary from unit to unit. This means that how a woman gives birth could depend on where she lives. The statistics show considerable variations for first-time mums regarding intervention methods, especially induction, caesarean births and episiotomy rates. In fact, some hospitals have shown to have double the rate of other hospitals.  

 

This guide can be accessed online and is very easy to navigate for expecting parents. It will help prepare pregnant women for their labour and will also make them aware of their options when choosing their maternity unit. Mums will now be able to make an informed and practical decision regarding their care.

 

The project was part-funded by the HSE and Citizens Information Board and part-funded by Cuidiú’s sponsors, Pampers. This is part of the ongoing support that Pampers have given to Cuidiú and mums-to-be.

 

Pampers have also recently launched a 'newborn essential pack' which can be applied for through hospitals and antenatal classes nationwide, as well as on www.pampers.ie

 

The guide is available on www.bump2babe.ie.