The Princess of Wales has made a surprise visit to the maternity unit at the Royal Surrey Foundation Trust.
Catherine wanted to learn more about the holistic support provided to new and expectant mothers. The Royal Surrey delivers 3,000 babies each year, according to its website.
During her visit, on October 5th 2022, Catherine was given a tour of the maternity unit and met with members of the ‘Jasmine Team’, the carers who help women living with mental health illnesses through their pregnancies and post-natal care, and the midwives.
Catherine reportedly selected the Royal Surrey NHS for a visit herself because of its ‘outstanding’ status and its recent UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Gold Award, awarded for the support it provides feeding infants and developing parent-infant relationships.
Catherine told the staff, “It must make so much difference to families that they can stay together. You do such a vital role.
“The fact that you’re providing this amazing support is really needed. That’s why I wanted to be here and celebrate it, and showcase the importance of midwives and these services in general.”
The Princess of Wales extended her visit by 30 minutes to give herself time to speak to hospital workers and new parents.
“I have worked here for about 27 years and this was the most exciting day ever and something I will never forget,” said Madeleine Woodhatch, the Senior Community Midwife on the unit in a statement on the Royal Surrey’s website. “The Princess was just so lovely and caring.”
Jo Fabb, a Maternity Perinatal Mental Health Support Worker, also spoke of how nice Catherine’s visit had been, revealing: “She was lovely, so nice and down to earth. She was genuinely interested in what we were doing.”
Catherine also stopped in to visit new mothers in the post-natal ward, where she cuddled newborn babies and spoke about the experience of childbirth, telling one mother, “No matter how much everyone tells you what to expect, it’s a shock to the system, isn’t it? You have this idea of what will happen but every single birth is different.”
She also revealed to new parents the pressure she and William had felt in naming Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis after being asked how to choose baby names. In an interview with People, Amy Stubbs, the Deputy Director of Midwifery said, “[Catherine] said they were their favorite names and that obviously the world was waiting for them to name their children — and that felt like quite a big pressure!”
The Kensington Palace social media accounts shared about Catherine’s visit: “Focusing on maternal mental health and pioneering overnight facilities, Royal Surrey County Hospital helps women feel safe, supported & have the best chance of developing those all-important early attachments, crucial to ensuring their babies thrive.
“It was lovely to meet some of the new mothers and their babies who are supported by such a brilliant team at the hospital.”
Catherine has said that in her new role as Princess of Wales she will continue to focus on her early years initiatives, and the palace has said that visits this week by William and Catherine are set to highlight the causes they will continue to focus on in their roles.
