NEW mums and babies will get a bigger and brighter welcome at Ipswich Hospital thanks to a £500,000 overhaul.A specially designed parentcraft centre, a counselling suite and quiet rooms will all be part of the facelift, which starts at the end of March.

NEW mums and babies will get a bigger and brighter welcome at Ipswich Hospital thanks to a £500,000 overhaul.

A specially designed parentcraft centre, a counselling suite and quiet rooms will all be part of the facelift, which starts at the end of March.

The parentcraft centre will be used for workshops to help new parents faced with the daunting task of caring for another life.

Antenatal and postnatal classes, breast feeding workshop, health promotion and even therapies such as massage will all be available at the £180,000 centre.

Bright new colour schemes are also part of the make over for the unit, which is the busiest in the region.

When the work begins it will be business as usual for the maternity service as it is being carefully planned to limit as much disruption as possible.

Chris Colbourne, Head of Midwifery at the Trust said: "We are very aware of the need to provide a more private space which is tranquil and sensitive to the needs of parents and families who may need support as childbirth can often be a time of great distress as well as immense joy.

"All of our midwives and staff are determined that the same high standard of care will continue throughout our design and decorating programme.

"There will, of course, be some changes and we are asking everyone to please bear with us in the coming months. The whole programme should be complete by late summer," she added.