September 14, 2026

Baby Saoirse made history as the first baby to be born in the new Midwifery-Led Unit (MLU) at Antrim Area Hospital.

Born to proud parents Emma Walsh and Adam Martin, baby Saoirse arrived safely on Friday 11 September.

The arrival marks a new chapter for maternity care in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, with the new purpose-built £5.7M investment providing families from across the Trust with more choice. The new unit will enable women with straightforward pregnancies to avail of midwife-led care within a calm, non-medicalised environment, while offering immediate access to medical assistance if required. The development has been thoughtfully designed to create a calm, welcoming environment while supporting the latest standards in maternity care. It has three birthing rooms, each with a birthing pool and en‑suite facilities.

Suzanne Pullins, the Trust’s Interim Chief Executive, said: “We want to send our warmest congratulations to Emma and Adam on the birth of baby Saoirse – we were absolutely delighted that they were able to welcome their bundle of joy into the world in our unit. It was a memorable day for everyone!

“The opening of the Midwifery-Led Unit will provide families with a modern, high-quality environment and ensure our midwives have the facilities they need to continue delivering outstanding care for mothers and babies.”

New mother, Emma Walsh, said: “The whole experience could not have been better. All the staff were so supportive from start to finish. The facilities in the new unit are everything you could possibly need for a dream birth.”

Caroline Diamond, Assistant Director of Women’s Services and Head of Midwifery, said: “This is an important milestone for the Northern Trust, bringing us in line with other Trusts across Northern Ireland who already have similar units. We look forward to welcoming more families into this fantastic facility for years to come.

“If you’re expecting a baby, you can speak to your midwife about your options and consider whether our Midwifery-Led Unit might be the right choice for your birth.”

The development of the MLU at Antrim was a requirement of the Department of Health’s former Permanent Secretary Peter May, when he approved the recommendation of the Trust Board to consolidate all hospital births at Antrim Area Hospital.

Since July 2023, all inpatient births have taken place at Antrim, while Causeway Hospital continues to provide both antenatal and postnatal care.