A MID Wales birthing centre is to temporarily close later this month for refurbishment.

The Llanidloes and District War Memorial Hospital is to see its birthing centre receive a facelift, thanks to a £120,000 investment.

The planned works include complete refurbishment of the birth room - making it larger and able to host a large new birth pool as well as a pull-down double bed.

There are also plans to modernise all the bathrooms within the birth centre and replace fittings and fixtures.

The building work is scheduled to be completed this Spring and will see the birthing centre temporarily closed between 23 January and late March.

Shelly Higgins is Interim Head of Midwifery and Sexual Health with Powys Teaching Health Board and she commented: “We are delighted to be able to press ahead with this work and we’ve been informing expectant Mums about the temporary closure. Once the work is completed, the new birth centre will provide a much-improved environment for local Mums to have their babies.”

For those Mums who have a ‘due date’ during the temporary closure, they have been offered support with home births or to give birth in one of the other midwifery-led units at Montgomeryshire County Infirmary in Newtown, The Victoria Memorial Hospital in Welshpool or the Llandrindod Wells Memorial Hospital.

Alternatively, they could choose care in Bronglais General Hospital at Aberystwyth, The Princess Royal at Telford or at Wrexham Maelor.

Shelly added: “If any local Mums have any concerns or questions about this, please don’t hesitate to contact your named midwife to talk through what would be best for you and your baby.”

All antenatal and postnatal care will be offered at home or in other premises within the hospital during the temporary closure.