EXPECTANT mums across Colchester and Tendring will be able to choose to have their baby at home again.

The East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust has resumed its home birth service, which was suspended in April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The trust’s director of midwifery Anna Shasha said: “We’re committed to offering women the choice about where to have their babies and providing them with the option of a home birth, when appropriate, is important to us.

“We have staff and safety measures in place and I now feel confident we can resume the home birth service.

“As part of our commitment to keep everyone safe we will continue to constantly monitor our services and we will keep home births under review as the pandemic continues.

“If we need to make any changes in the future we will let people know immediately.”

Women who had already booked to have a home birth in the coming weeks are being contacted by our midwives to let them know the service is up and running again.

The trust’s midwifery teams will continue to risk assess every woman’s suitability for a home birth at the time of booking and as their pregnancy progresses to maintain their safety and that of their unborn child.

Until further notice only pregnant women can attend ultrasound scans, maternity triage and antenatal appointments at Colchester Hospital.

Pregnant women having their babies in hospital can have one birthing partner alongside them.

No visitors are allowed to visit the postnatal wards after a woman has given birth.

Midwives are available to answer pregnancy related questions or concerns through the trust’s maternity helpline.

For Colchester Hospital call 07843 502953 between 8.30am and 12.30pm and 1.30pm and 6pm Monday to Friday.

The line is monitored until 4pm at weekends and on bank holidays.