Mum’s can now use a redesigned birthing room and new birthing pool at the Horton
06/05/2025
One mum said: “The ambience was really calm, it didn’t feel like I was in hospital”
A redesigned birthing room complete with a new birthing pool is now available at the Horton General Hospital.
The pool has innovative features, like a new water filling system which allows better control of the water temperature and is designed to be easier and more efficient to clean.
The birthing room has been redesigned with comfort in mind, including increased accessibility to the pool with improved steps to make it easier to get in and out, and a mural of a peaceful woodland scene.
Joanna Cozon was one of the first patients to give birth in the new birthing pool. She said: “I was keen to give birth at the Horton as it is so close to home.
“My first labour was in a pool. Even though I couldn’t give birth in the water the first time, I had experienced how super helpful water is to ease the process and the pain.
“The ambience was really calm, it didn’t feel like I was in hospital. The whole process went exactly as I’d hoped. It made a huge difference how kind and supportive the midwives were too. They were encouraging and I felt safe and well taken care of. I really couldn’t have pictured it better — it was an incredible experience.”
The renovation project cost around £34,000 Silver Star Maternity Fund, which is part of the Oxford Hospitals Charity gave an additional £5,000 for elements such as the artwork, the ceiling lights which mimic the sky and other room comforts.
Wendy Hill, Matron for Maternity Community Services at OUH, said: “We hope that the room, designed with the needs of our patients in mind, will provide a calming and accessible space to those who will use it.”
Maggie Findlay, Society Manager at the Silver Star Maternity Fund, said: “We are pleased to support the Trust’s work in this area. Giving birth is a significant event in anyone’s life. We hope these enhancements like the artwork and the lights make the room a calming space during such an important time.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
