The Acorn Suite – Midwife-Led Unit

The Acorn Suite is Bedford Hospital’s midwife-led birthing unit which provides women with additional birthing options.

The suite is organised and run by midwives and offers low risk women, midwife-led care, home-from-home surroundings, the latest birthing aids to encourage active birth, birthing pools and early discharge home following delivery. The aim is to offer ‘one to one’ care designed to suit each parent’s requirements throughout labour, during birth and in the immediate post-natal period

Services Provided

The suite has three birthing rooms, with two equipped with birthing pools and en-suite facilities. The birthing rooms have been specifically designed to provide a relaxed, comfortable environment that will encourage and facilitate a natural birth. The emphasis of the Acorn Suite is on the use of water and mobility during labour. Bean bags, cushions and floor mats will all be available in the room to help you to stay relaxed, comfortable and active during labour.

The Acorn Suite offers women midwife led care and a natural birthing environment in a hospital setting where women can remain relaxed, upright and mobile during labour, helping them to achieve a more natural birth with the peace of mind of knowing that swift access to medical care is available if needed. It is suitable for use by women who go into labour between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, are in good health, have an uncomplicated medical and obstetric history and do not wish to have an epidural during labour.

You and your baby

Once you have given birth, we will facilitate you and your baby’s transfer home directly from the Acorn Suite so that you can begin your life as a family. The majority of women who give birth in the Acorn Suite will go home straight from there, where they will continue to receive care and support in the days following the birth from the community midwives and maternity support workers.

If you feel you require extra support after you have given birth and feel unsure about transfer home from the Acorn Suite you can be transferred to Orchard Maternity ward.

Acorn Suite rooms

Below is an interactive 3-D photo of one our rooms. click and drag to take a look around to see the spacious, modern facilities we have available at Bedford.