Letterkenny Hospital, Letterkenny, Ireland

Location

Current beds
13 antenatal
26 postnatal
4 first stage
3 delivery rooms

New labour suite and theatre built due to open May/June 2006

Currently have 28.5 wte midwives and c5wte health care assistants in total for all service, additional 10.5 wte midwives and 4.5 wte health care assistants secured for new labour unit.

Deliveries 2005

1732 singleton births, 26 sets twins
Vaginal deliveries 68.2%
C/S 21.7%
Forceps 0.8%
Ventouse 9.5%

Services in Letterkenny

Antenatal
Midwives Booking Clinic
Antenatal education co-ordinator
Standardised information leaflets
Antenatal classes
Teenage classes
Early pregnancy clinic
Pregnancy loss clinic
Colposcopy
Urodynamics
Fetal assessment clinic run by Midwife (Has higher Diploma in USS)

Labour

Birth companion welcome all times
Birth plans facilitated(Plan of labour consoltation mother, midwife obstitrician)
Midwifery /Mother led care if no complications
Fetal monitoring only high risk(ongoing monthly training on CTG interpretation K2 package)
No routine ARM
Mobilization encouraged
Baths encouraged during labour
Reflexology practiced by midwives
Light diet in labour
Epidural available
Tens available
Birthing Balls
Alternative positions for delivery
Skin to Skin
Breast feeding within first hour
Suturing carried out by midwife
Midwives undertaken A.L.S.O Course
Neo-natal recusitation course
Midwives have undertaken homebirths
Student midwives have currently and previously from Scotland,Begium, Findland have been on placement in Letterkenny

Postnatal

Rooming In
Breastfeeding on demand
Hospital part of Baby Friendly Hospital Inititive
Uncomplicated deliveries discharged by midwife
Postnatal reunion classes
Breast Feeding drop in Clinic
Neonatal Unit within maternity Unit
S.T.A.B.L.E course
Postnatal depression support group