Bradford midwives have been shortlisted for a national award after the success of a workshop which is boosting the number of home births.

The home birth workshops, piloted last year, increased awareness and support for those interested in having their baby in the comfort of their own home.

Now the project has been shortlisted for the Royal College of Midwifery Annual Awards which take place in London next Wednesday.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust consultant midwife, Alison Brown, said the nomination was a great honour for the service.

“In Bradford we like to think of new and innovative ways to engage with women and their partners and these workshops have proved to be a real hit,” she said.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will return with the top prize but as always with these events the competition is too close to call.”

Alison will attend the awards ceremony with Deborah Hughes, a community midwifery team leader, and East Brierley parents, Deeanne Binns and Simon Peacock, whose first child, Jeanmarie, was born at home in September 2009. The couple talk about their experience of home birth at the workshops.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals chief executive Miles Scott said: “I am delighted to hear that the Bradford Home Birth Workshop project has been shortlisted for one of the RCM's Annual Midwifery Awards.

“Simply being shortlisted is a great achievement in itself and I'll obviously be keeping my fingers crossed for the team and look forward to hearing the outcome.”

The homebirth sessions involve discussions about the practical aspects of home births and equip prospective mums, dads, partners and birth supporters with all the information and advice they need.

Participants also get to learn about the support available from midwives at the Bradford Royal Infirmary which sees more than 6,000 births each year.

In 2010, 118 women booked for a home birth in Bradford. Out of these women, 19 changed their minds or moved away and 16 had antenatal problems which prevented a home birth.

Out of the 83 who gave birth at home, six did so in water and only 11 had to attend hospital after the birth, either for stitches or to have their babies checked by a doctor.

  • See the full story in the T&A