About Penrice Birth Centre
A birth centre and community midwifery base in Cornwall, UK.
Penrice Birth Centre Description
Penrice is a midwife-led birth centre staffed by midwives who are experts in normal birth, there are no doctors or anaesthetists present and pain relief is provided through low intervention methods like water (hydrotherapy), massage, TENS machines, gas and air and occasionally Pethedine. If you are low-risk (no significant medical history or previous pregnancy problems) you will receive midwife-led care throughout your pregnancy and may want to choose this option for your birth.
Why?
At Penrice we are passionate about helping mums to achieve a positive birth experience, this is because we know a normal birth with minimal interventions (when possible) is the best and most gentle option for mum and baby and leads to a shorter recovery time, we hope to offer a family centred experience, fully involving your birth partners if they wish and always ensure one-to–one care, meaning that you have a midwife allocated exclusively to you, to support you throughout.
The birth centre has two birth rooms, one with a birthing pool and one with a large bath, they have a home-from home atmosphere to help you feel as relaxed and in control as possible, with mood lighting, speakers for music, floor mats, beanbags, birthing balls and other active birth aids. The rooms have en-suite facilities and your partner will be able to stay with you at all times.
Is it safe?
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends low risk women receive midwife-led labour care at home or in a birth centre and the Birthplace study (2015) which was a large piece of research looking at where it is safest to give birth found that giving birth in a midwifery led unit is just as safe (with no increase in negative outcomes) as a hospital birth whether you are having your first baby, or you have had a baby before. They also found that it significantly decreases the likelihood that you will receive medical interventions or need a caesarean and increase the chance of a straightforward birth.
What if something goes wrong?
We know that if you have had a straightforward pregnancy and particularly if you have had a normal birth before, the risk of serious complications is very low (less than 0. 5% ). Our midwives are all highly trained to deal with emergencies and recognise any labour complications promptly or when the labour is not progressing well, in this case or if you want to opt for further pain relief we would recommend a transfer to the nearest obstetric unit (doctor led) in Truro. This happens for around 35% of first time mums and just 9% if you have had a baby before.
But I heard you were closing overnight? We are happy to say that this isn’t the case! We have simply changed to an on-call system where the midwife is called in rather than waiting in the birth centre for a woman in labour, this means we can use our resources better and provide an enhanced service during daytime hours, if you want to come to Penrice in labour at any time just call the midwife! 01872 255000.
If you want to know more or would like to come and have a look around call us on 01726 873079 for a chat or to book a tour.
Reviews
Caring for your baby classes 👶🏼 We still have availability on this class on 19th August 09.30 - 12.00. If you are interested in attending please book with: www.ticketsource.co.uk/Penrice-birth-cent re 💕💙
How exciting!
Please vote for us using your ASDA tokens so we can win £500 to put towards improving our facilities for everyone we care for ❤️ we hope to purchase some new fans for the hot weather, breast pumps to lend out and chairs for the Eden Room.
We would love to hear your suggestions for anything you think we need too!
Such an important message, speak to your midwife, doctor and mental health team for advice before making any changes if you take medication.
Dads, we see you. Happy Father’s Day and thank you for all that you do ❤️
🌟 Is there anyone who has had care with us recently or attended our classes and has been able to stay due to the new 24hour system (even if you didn’t have your baby at penrice) who would be free to share your experience at a meeting with the head of the Royal College of Midwives on the 20th of June at 11am?
We are so keen to show what a difference this service is making. Dads and other family members experiences welcome too 🌟
Unfortunately we have sickness today, if you had an appointment with Sophie W or Charlotte it may need to be cancelled, please call in if you know you have an appointment with them to check. Apologies for any inconvenience.Unfortunately we have sickness today, if you had an appointment with Sophie W or Charlotte it may need to be cancelled, please call in if you know you have an appointment with them to check. Apologies for any inconvenience.
We offer 3 bespoke and completely free antenatal classes at Penrice Birth Centre to support your transition to parenthood and compliment traditional antenatal classes like the Bump to Baby programme at the Children’s Centre.
🌼 Relaxation 🌼 - Fridays - 2:30-4:30PM - this class is an opportunity to learn Hypnobirthing techniques, aromatherapy and massage in order to prepare you for labour and birth with a positive and calm attitude. You will learn how to use visualisation, affi...rmations, essential oils and positive touch massage to stay in control and reconnect with your body’s abilities.
✨ Birth Choices ✨ - Thursdays - 3:30-5:30PM - this workshop will take you through the choices available when considering where to have your baby, including home, birth centres and hospital, what is recommended and what they can offer including facilities and pain relief options. We practice some positions to help you in labour and discuss birth plans. Includes a tour of Penrice and video tour of the facilities in Truro.
💛 Caring for your baby 💛 - Monday’s - 9:30AM-12:00 - this class is a preparation for how to take care of your baby in a safe and nurturing way, it will help you to recognise your baby’s needs and how to respond appropriately, as well as the importance of the first hours of life with baby and getting feeding off to the best start. You will also learn practical skills including how to change and bath your baby.
Classes are open to anyone receiving care from the Penrice Team and those from other areas who are planning to birth with us, they can be a great opportunity to meet the midwives who may care for your in labour.
We encourage you to bring your partner or birth partner but please only book once per couple.
Book your space at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/penrice-birth-cent re
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🌷We are so pleased to announce that we will once again be running a professional led feeding clinic on Mondays 11:30-16:00*, no need to book just drop in.
Open to any parents who need support feeding their baby, we can also do tongue tie assessments and divisions🌷 *excluding bank holidays
We have been wondering what else you would like to see on our page? More about the staff? The rooms? Birth stories?
Comment below and let us know ❤️
Want to have your say and feedback about maternity services in Cornwall?
Book your place at Who's Shoes! On the 5th of June at the Health and Innovation Centre, Treliske, Truro.
An interactive game played with midwives, obstetricians, service users and other staff. The game provokes discussion on interesting and emotive topics, a chance to change thinking and broaden understanding. Lunch provided and travel expenses paid. 💫
K&A Photography took some beautiful images of the birth centre last week which we can now reveal to you!
Combined with some of our own this makes a virtual tour showing the two postnatal side rooms (spacious en suite rooms where your partner can stay with you) pool room and a cosy labour room with corner bath. We have lovely new blinds in the labour rooms and beautiful photo walls with photography donated by DM Photography and The Photography of Matthew Facey
Get in touch if you want to come and look around in person, we welcome group and one to one tours 💛
Thank you everyone that made today such a success, the wonderful local businesses who attended, the staff, the mums, dads, babies and local people that came to visit us, the mayor, cyclists who joined us at lunch time and everyone else, those who couldn’t be there and those behind the scenes, we raised a fantastic £700 for the birth centre and had a brilliant day celebrating with you all and sharing what we have achieved! 💕 what better way to spend #internationaldayofthemidwi...fe than with these wonderful women.
Special thanks to Old Kerrow Farm Holiday Park for their kind donations to the tombola 😍
Cornwall HypnoBirthing & Hypnotherapy Bambino Art Photography. Kernow Maternity Voices Partnership Water Babies Dadpaduk Mama's Milk St Austell and St Blazey Bite Me Catering Cornish Waffle Box Fabstar Face painting #penriceandproud #openday #birthcentre #midwives #proud
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Thanks to K&A Photography for taking some beautiful pictures of our birth centre, the time and attention you took is much appreciated, more to come, this is just a sneaky preview!
Like this post if you’ll be there 👍🏻
Less than 24 hours to go and we are looking forward to seeing lots of you at our open day tomorrow!
Face painting, bouncy castle, nearly new sale, food, games, an amazing raffle and lots of fabulous local businesses. Bring a picnic blankets and enjoy the day - the mayor will be officially reopening the birth centre at 10:30am!