Dewsbury's Bronte Birth Centre celebrates 50th baby born since re-opening as Castleford couple welcome their new arrival

Charlotte June Blake was born to proud parents Katie and Luke, high school sweethearts living in Castleford, at the trust’s free-standing birth centre, based on the site of Dewsbury and District Hospital, earlier this month.

Katie said: “We wanted a natural birth with as little intervention as possible, and Bronte Birth Centre provided exactly what we were looking for.

“The atmosphere was so calming and peaceful, and the level of care we received was beyond anything we could have imagined.

“We had a beautiful, private birthing room with an en-suite, a birthing pool, dimmed lighting, LED candles, and space for my husband to stay with me.

“The midwives were amazing, providing constant support and making sure we felt empowered and cared for every step of the way.”

The centre offers a birth setting for mums-to-be with low-risk pregnancies who want an alternative to a hospital birth while still ensuring access to medical care if necessary.

Katie added: “We didn't want a home birth as we wanted to feel safe in a professional environment, and Bronte Birth Centre offered the perfect balance.

“We felt safe, supported, and in control of our birth experience. The end-to-end care was amazing, and we’re so grateful to the incredible midwives who were with us every step of the way.

“We whole-heartedly believe midwifery to be a truly noble profession and we would absolutely recommend the birth centre to everyone hoping to have a natural birth - if and when we have more children in the future, we will absolutely be looking to have them at the birth centre again.

“The cup of tea and toast was also the best I've ever had and we were able to add a leaf to the birth centre family tree for Charlotte, which contains a leaf for each baby born at the centre since its reopening - which was a very special moment.”

Faye Wells, birth centre manager, said: “It was a beautiful experience for all of us involved.

“Reaching this milestone of welcoming our 50th baby is an incredible achievement for our team, and we’re so happy for Katie and Luke as they start this new chapter with baby Charlotte.”