Phil Shepka
BBC News

Without wanting to exaggerate too much, that was an experience that I'll not forget in a hurry.

The time between first incision and baby Logan's first cry was gone in a flash.

There was an amazing juxtaposition between the mother and father at the top end, alert and seemingly calm, and everything frantically going on at the other end.

It was a real privilege to be allowed into one of the most intimate moments of a couple's life - just one of the many that have happened in hospitals up and down the country today.

Phil Shepka
BBC News

We're just coming to the end of the of the day shift now and here are the healthcare professionals from Orwell Ward - tired but still smiling after nearly 12 hours on shift.

Here at Ipswich Hospital, shifts change at 07:30 in the morning and evening - so we'll be seeing plenty of new faces on the wards shortly.

Have a good sleep day shifters! You've earned it.

You have been sending in your questions about life on the ward.

Here is consultant midwife Helen Smith's guide to becoming a midwife.

After gaining three A-Levels or the equivalent you need to apply for a midwifery course at university.

"It's a three-year course where you will do academic and practical work to learn about all the different aspects of this fabulous job," she said.

The UCAS, external and Royal College of Midwives, external websites have useful information.

Phil Shepka
BBC News

I've just been back to see the Bulmer family - Emma, Aidan and little Logan - and it's safe to say everyone is in really high spirits.

Grandpa, nanny and auntie are all around coo-ing around the baby and the parents are taking it all in.

Emma said she was "surprised" by how fast the birth was, made all the quicker as Logan had turned back into the right position.

Aidan is still taking in the size of his newborn - "he's a chunk" - while Nanny Fran claims there'll be an "almighty party come Saturday". Wish we could be there for that...

We have been putting your questions about life on the ward to staff and you wanted to know about their shifts.

Consultant midwife Helen Smith said shifts in the birthing areas are mostly 12 hours.

"Some of our staff that work in clinic will work a more regular day," she said.

"We work days, nights, weekends, Christmas. It's a 24/7 service."

Well done everybody...

Phil Shepka
BBC News

News just in... Baby Logan, who has just been born via a planned C-section here at Ipswich Hospital, weighed 7lb 12oz.

I was in the room for the entire operation, so stand by for some videos, but here's a photo of the Bulmer family with their new addition in the meantime. New parents Emma and Aiden are over the moon.

And here's another one with midwife Emily and surgeon Dr Deole, who helped deliver little Logan. What an experience!

We've got some lovely news to bring you! Emma and Aiden, who we told you about earlier, have just had a little boy and they are calling him Logan. The C-section all went to plan and he's doing really well.

He hasn't been weighed yet but we will let you know as soon as we've got the all important weight!

Laura Phee, Emma's sister-in-law, waits on the ward for her nephew to arrive.

Kate Scotter
BBC News

We've just had a chat with the Rev Mandy Reynolds, one of the hospital chaplains.

The chaplaincy service is available to all patients, members of staff and families, whether they have faith or not.

Ms Reynolds, who has been in the role for 18 months, said it is "privileged" post to hold.

The former army chaplain, who works in the neonatal, maternity, children's and gynaecology wards, said: "We are often there when someone is at their most frightened or vulnerable, at their most joyful and at some of their lowest times.

"It's an enormous responsibility but an amazing privilege."

You asked us how maternity staff thought post-natal care could be improved.

Introducing overnight stays for partners has improved feedback at the hospital, said Sharon Edwards, lead midwife on the Orwell post-natal ward.

"The staff patient ratio is something we're constantly looking at to ensure that women get the best care," she said. "Obviously the lower that is the better."

She encouraged patients to talk to staff about their experiences good or bad.

"I'm available five days a week to listen to anyone's feedback and to add extra support to patients," she said. "If we don't know what the concerns are we can't do anything about it so please tell us."

We've just heard about two babies who have been born on the fourth floor here at Ipswich hospital.

The fourth floor is where women who are at high risk of having complications go to give birth. We've been told that both babies are healthy and we'll bring you more details as soon as we have them.

Earlier we told you about Emma Bulmer from Hadleigh who is having a planned C-section.

She was third on the list to have the operation this afternoon and she's just gone into theatre, a bit earlier than expected.

Our reporter Phil Shepka is going to be in the operating room too so we'll bring you another update as soon as we have it.

Kate Scotter
BBC News

More than 100 patients have been treated since fertility treatment became available on the NHS at Ipswich Hospital.

The hospital offers satellite assisted contraception technique invitro fertilisation, IVF, to both NHS and self-funded patients who qualify for the treatment.

NHS patients will be offered IVF after they have been trying for at least three years, unless they have a specific condition which means they be offered the treatment sooner.

NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group decided to continue to fund two rounds of IVF to qualifying couples last year.

Fertility consultant Djavid Alleemudder said: "It offers locality of treatment where otherwise patients would've had to have gone further afield for it."

He said the the success rate is 30% to 40% which is comparable to the other success rate at other fertility units.

The satellite hospitals are Guy's and St Thomas's in London for NHS patients and Addenbrooke's in Cambridge for self-funded patients.

Ipswich Hospital holds open days for couples to find out more. The next one is on 29 November.

Kate and Reece Monk, both aged 28, are getting used to being parents after the birth of their son, Arthur, at 15:33 on Tuesday.

Kate had a Caesarean section after learning during her pregnancy that her baby had a heart condition.

"Everything went well and Arthur is doing well," she said.

"Because we had a C-section I really wanted to be able to breast feed and it's going really well so far, which is great."

The couple plan to go home later tonight.

We told you earlier that the second baby of the day had arrived at Ipswich Hospital.

We've been told the mother and baby girl are doing well and getting a well-deserved rest. We will try to grab a word with them later.

So 14 hours in and only two babies so far. Is this an unusually quiet day?

"It's early days is what I would say," says Helen Smith, consultant midwife.

It's hard to say what a normal day is at Ipswich Hospital in terms of births but Helen says between eight and 13 babies a day would be a typical figure.

Phil Shepka
BBC News

About one in seven couples may have difficulty conceiving - approximately 3.5 million people in the UK. So what avenues are open for them to begin a journey to the maternity ward?

The most popular treatment is the assisted contraception technique in-vitro fertilisation. That's IVF to you and I.

Image source, Science Photo Library

During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory.

The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman's womb to grow and develop.

Ipswich Hospital, where we are at today, offers this treatment in partnership with Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

The only requirement is that patients need to travel to Cambridge for egg collection and embryo transfer.