"Welcoming our first child"

We recently welcomed our daughter into the world and want to share our deep gratitude for the outstanding care we received throughout our pregnancy and birth journey with NHS Somerset FT.

From the very beginning, we were under the care of the Community Midwife Team at Chard Hospital, with Susan as our dedicated midwife. Susan was phenomenal: compassionate, knowledgeable, and always supportive. She made us feel not only cared for but truly listened to and respected. Her warmth and professionalism turned every appointment into something we looked forward to. We always left their hub feeling more reassured, informed, and excited about the journey ahead.

We also attended Musgrove Park Hospital for scans, antenatal clinics, and fetal medical screenings. Every interaction with the staff there was reassuring and professional.

Due to our baby measuring larger, we were referred to the Fetal Medical Screening Programme, under the care of Dr Barr. We honestly can’t rate her highly enough. Entering those appointments, we were often anxious. However, Dr. Barr and her team were a beacon of calm. They explained everything clearly, never rushed us, and most importantly, always reassured us that our baby was healthy. Just remarkably large!

One concern we had early in pregnancy was the fear of feeling pressured into certain choices around our birth plan. But Somerset Maternity exceeded all our expectations. From day one, we felt supported to make our own decisions, guided with expert clinical advice but never pushed. This extended from our time with Dr. Barr, to Dr. Sheppard during our antenatal appointments, and Dr  Haerizadeh, who cared for us during the induction and caesarean.

Although a caesarean wasn’t the birth we’d originally hoped for, the care we received during surgery was extraordinary. My husband and I were terrified, but the surgical team completely changed that. From the moment we walked into the theatre, we felt safe and supported. The atmosphere was calm and even joyful. They even played music for us. Thanks to them, the moment we met our daughter is one we will treasure forever.

We also want to extend our deepest thanks to every nurse, support worker, consultant and staff member involved in our daughter’s birth. Despite the immense pressure, everyone was kind, attentive, and deeply professional. From the induction team, the surgical team to the postnatal ward and Bracken Birth Centre, we felt so well cared for.

A special shoutout to the midwife who waited patiently outside the bathroom at 3am with my painkillers after my C-section (a small moment that meant a lot), and to Vilma, who supported us through some tough early hours with breastfeeding and expressing when sleep was non-existent, and our daughter had yet to feed properly. Your kindness and expertise made a real difference.

We just want to say this: you are all doing an incredible job under enormous pressure with outdated facilities/resources. Every member of your team deserves recognition and appreciation, not just from us, but from the wider public.

There are too many moments and names to mention, but we hope this message conveys our deep and sincere gratitude. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for helping us bring our daughter into the world.