"Absolutely wonderful from start to finish"

First time dad here, writing about our experience at the Borders General Hospital.

It's hard to find words to adequately express just how fantastic an experience we had during and after the delivery of our baby at the BGH.

The midwifery staff in Ward 16 and beyond were absolutely wonderful from start to finish. As first time parents we had no idea what to expect during and after the delivery of our baby, but any expectations we could have feasibly had were surpassed.

The team were kind, helpful, funny, welcoming and supportive beyond any hopes we might have had. They were on-hand to help and provide advice at all times and did so in a compassionate and practical way. The student midwifes all seemed as capable and confident as the experienced ones, which I think points towards a high-quality department and an environment in which the staff members are comfortable, engaged and given the chance to meet their potential.

My hope is that anyone at NHS Borders reading this is a) given a feeling of assurance that they have a terrific team of people working on the ward, and b) understands how important maintaining all of this is. It's dispiriting to hear less positive stories about people's experiences in some other hospitals, and my partner and I feel lucky beyond words to have gone through our 'journey' at the BGH.