Pregnant women are being offered classes on how to give birth in a car after the sudden closure of a local maternity ward.
North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) in Barnstaple has shuttered its birthing wing due to staff shortages, forcing expectant mothers to travel nearly two hours to Exeter.
And couples are now being taught how to deliver their babies while driving along the motorway or parked on the hard shoulder.
The hospital suspended its birthing services on August 11, citing safety concerns over a lack of consultants and registrars.
Around 300 women who are at least 34 weeks pregnant and high-risk patients have been contacted to make alternative plans.
Triage appointments – to check on the wellbeing of mothers and babies when complications are suspected – have also been stopped.
However, there has been no update on when the ‘temporary’ suspension will be lifted.
In the meantime, births are taking place at The Royal Devon and Exeter hospital – a two-hour drive away for some.
North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) in Barnstaple, has shuttered its birthing wing due to staff shortages, forcing expectant mothers to travel nearly two hours to Exeter
Preparing for every eventuality, couples are being offered tailored classes with extra ‘contingency planning’ on what to do if the mother goes into labour before reaching a hospital.
Catherine Mchomvu, who runs the sessions at Devon Antenatal Family Centre CIC in Barnstaple, said: ‘Women are thinking about what happens if labour progresses quickly, what it will be like travelling that distance while having strong contractions, when they should leave, what happens if traffic is particularly bad and where exactly they will be expected to go.
‘I can’t scaremonger, but we need to be realistic, it could be a really high-risk situation for women. It would be irresponsible not to weave this in and I know midwives have been trying to prepare women, too.’
Some of the advice includes having blankets and towels easily accessible, plenty of water and charged phones. Ms Mchomvu also covers birthing positions for travelling – including ones that reduce the effects of gravity if labour is progressing quickly.
It comes after a report into NHS maternity services by Baroness Valerie Amos was published in June, painting a ‘bleak picture’ of failings across maternity services and postnatal care.
One mother, who was meant to give birth at NDDH, took to Facebook to share her concerns following her birth plan meeting.
‘[It] wasn’t as I expected, and was heavily focused on giving enough time to get to hospital and my husband preparing “just in case” to deliver the baby roadside,’ she wrote. ‘As a first-time mum, I’m pretty terrified.’
More than 15,000 people have signed a petition started by local Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome, calling for better maternity support in north Devon.
He told The Guardian that he felt the trust had taken its eye off the ball on recruitment. ‘Babies are going to be born in laybys,’ he said. ‘There may be deaths.’
Meanwhile, Louise Pamment, a local resident who mentors women, has set up a campaign on Instagram calling for medical staff to apply for positions in north Devon. ‘I’ve seen genuine fear and distress in the women in my life who are pregnant,’ she said.
A spokesman for the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: 'The care of women remains our absolute priority, and we are committed to supporting them and their families individually.
'Our advice is that if anyone thinks they may be in labour or has concerns about their pregnancy, they should contact our maternity triage service immediately. If they think their baby is about to be born and they are not near the hospital, please call 999.
'We have updated our guidance and clinical pathways to reflect the temporary changes in services and have ensured staff and facilities are available to support additional births at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (Wonford).'