We are proud to work with our wonderful maternity team who help deliver over 5,400 babies each year at Lister Hospital and in our community.

Working in partnership with consultants, midwives and parent groups like the Lister Maternity Voices Partnership, we fund new equipment, specialist items and other improvements for our maternity unit to ensure our mums and babies have the best birthing environment possible.

The birthing experience should always be centred on the mother, her baby and her family, and based around their needs and their decisions.

Our Better Beginnings for Baby Appeal is to fund items that are above and beyond those provided by the NHS, enhancing the birthing experience for mums, babies and their families. 

"A planned C-section is quite a surreal experience, but the maternity staff reassured me and my husband at every stage. It meant so much that my son Alistair was given to me straight after he was born; that first contact is so special. It's lovely to be able to donate and support my local maternity unit so I can improve the birthing experience for other mums."- Rebecca

What we are fundraising for

Our aim is to provide the best environment, equipment and services in our hospitals and in the community. We currently want to purchase these items to enhance the birthing experience for mums and babies. 

A donation of:

£10 could go towards a birthing ball to provide comfort and help prepare mother for labour

£25 could go towards floor mats which assist the mother's positioning for labour

£50 could fund 2 radios to play soothing and calming music in our birthing rooms

£100 could fund birthing stools to support with labour

£200 could fund a mural for one of our birthing rooms to make it a nicer space for our mothers and partners

£500 could go towards blackout blinds which help create a much more relaxing environment

£1000 could go towards a multiple baby cot to keep twins (or more!) together after birth which helps them stabilise their heart rates and regulate their body temperatures

£2000 could go towards one of the two new birthing pools to help with mobility, pain relief and reducing anxiety for both mothers and babies

The impact that will be made

These pieces of equipment and other improvements will:

• Increase the level of personalised care as recommended in the National Maternity Review 2016
• Enhance the birthing environment and the birthing experience
• Give families the choice of where and how they would like to give birth
• Provide a multi birth cot for babies born at the Lister to encourage bonding and to ensure babies can sleep together in those important first days of life

“From the moment I was admitted until the time that my baby and I were discharged, the staff at the Lister were absolutely amazing. The midwives that assisted me in particular were wonderful, professional and extremely supportive.”

How to donate

You can support Lister's Maternity Unit in the following ways:

• Donate online. 
• Call 01438 285182 to make a card payment.
• Give money via text: to donate £5 text MATERNITY to 70085
  Texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work
  and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £5 but do not wish to receive marketing
  communications, text MATERNITYNOINFO to 70085.
• Post a cheque to East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals' Charity, Lister Hospital, Coreys Mill Lane, Stevenage, SG1 4AB
• Hold your own fundraising event or activity.
• Buy a personalised leaf on our Maternity Giving Tree in dedication to your new baby.
• Make a donation and leave a dedication to your mum to celebrate Mother's Day.

If you can help us provide Better Beginnings for Babies, please donate today.

Message from Victoria Barton, Specialist Midwife

"On behalf of the Lister Maternity Unit I would like to thank you for helping us make a difference to local mothers, babies and their partners. Every donation received will help us go above and beyond for our mothers and babies by helping us fund all the invaluable items above. Your donation really will make a lasting impact at Lister."