Work to start on baby bereavement centre

Woodland House would be a "safe haven in which to grieve", the hospital charity said

Work is due to get under way to build a new baby and pregnancy loss bereavement centre at Birmingham Women's Hospital.

Woodland House will feature counselling rooms, as well as a family room with private garden.

Birmingham Women's Hospital Charity recently reached the £3m target for its appeal, which launched in 2019.

A special sod-cutting ceremony was held on Thursday morning.

About 2,000 families experienced pregnancy or baby loss at the hospital each year, the charity said.

It added the standalone centre would be a "safe haven in which to grieve - away from the hustle and bustle of the busy maternity ward".

A ceremony took place on Thursday morning

Alison Rea, senior bereavement midwife at the hospital, said: "Couples that lose a baby tell us that the spaces that we've cared for them in the past have affected them as they move forward in the future.

"We know that the spaces that we have at Birmingham Women's Hospital aren't very nice and they're not very friendly to families receiving devastating news."

She added the new facility would "make a massive impact to so many of our families".

Alison Rea said it would make "a massive impact" to families

Ms Rea said while staff could not take away the pain of losing a baby, by creating an environment that is "kind and compassionate" they could improve families' experiences.

She said the standalone centre would also mean families who have lost babies would avoid the extra trauma of passing others celebrating births.

The new centre will include counselling rooms