MUMS-to-be from Redditch and Bromsgrove are set to benefit following a donation of a birthing pool to the maternity department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The pool, which comes with a pump and compactly folds up into a rucksack, aims to enhance the experience of childbirth for women.

It will be used by the Sapphire Midwives at the hospital.

The team recently established Continuity of Carer midwives who have been introduced to ensure more mums-to-be see their named midwife, or a midwife from a small team, throughout their pregnancy journey.

The pool was donated by Clare Tebbett, a photographer from Helter Skelter Newborn Photography

she said: “When I gave birth 10 years ago I wanted a water birth but sadly all of the pools were in use.

"I didn’t get the birth I wanted. I hear lots of birth stories from my clients.

“If I can help just one woman get the birth she wishes for then that would make me very happy.

“I know more and more women are wanting water births and I knew that one of the community teams didn’t have one, so it seemed the obvious thing to do."

The 46-year-old added: "I’m really pleased to donate the pool and hopefully give more women the chance of a water birth in their own home.”

This is the second mobile birth pool at the hospital, and both Sapphire - and their colleagues the Ruby Midwife Team - now have one.

Maternity matron, Louise Turbutt said: “Water births are a really popular choice for women, as it creates a calming and relaxing experience during birth. The donated pool will be of huge benefit to women who want a water birth in the comfort of their own home.”

Judy Bartley, from the Sapphire Midwives, said: “It’s amazing that Clare donated the pool. It will be well used and will change the birth experience for lots of women in Worcestershire.”

The team hope that the new pool will encourage women to have water births in the calm environment of their own homes, where, thanks to the new Continuity of Carer model, they can be assessed safely by a midwife.