A MOTHER and her daughter both managed to leave hospital within 24 hours of giving birth -- thanks to the support of the community midwifery service at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street.

Stephanie Howlett (33) and her daughter Carla (18) are are among the thousands who have used the service, which marks its tenth anniversary this weekend, at the Dublin hospital .

Under the service, mothers have their booking, antenatal care and antenatal education with the team of midwives. They are looked after by a community midwife in labour who helps them give birth.

Visited

The community midwifery service includes a home birth as well as a Domino programme -- this is where after six to 24 hours, mothers and babies are discharged if there are no complications and are visited in their homes by the team.

Stephanie said all her five children, of whom Carla is the eldest, Erica (11), Ryan (10), Paris (8) and Katie (5) were all born at Holles Street. However Ryan, her third child, was one of the first babies born under the Domino scheme.

"I had him at ten o'clock at night and left the following morning," said Stephanie who lives with her husband Eamon and family in Shankill. One of the midwives delivered the baby, and the birth was very straightforward.

When she again became pregnant with her two youngest, she decided to do the same again as she felt the service offered a more personal experience as she got to know the midwives in the run-up to the birth.

When her daughter Carla was having her baby, Ben, who was born seven weeks ago on March 30th, she too decided to use the Domino service.

Stephanie said that Carla returned home the same day she gave birth. "She is doing brilliantly," she added.

Stephanie, Ryan, Carla and Ben will this Sunday, attend a party to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the community midwifery service at the Mansion House.

Wonderful

Meanwhile, Jean Kilroe, a lecturer in UCD said she had a very positive experience when she had two home births under the community midwifery service. She and her partner Niall Bowen have two sons, David who has just turned two Ciaran who is nearly nine months old.

"I just thought the whole thing was wonderful. The standard of care is absolutely incredible," said Jean, of Ballinteer

Last year, there were 555 Domino births and 45 home births under the scheme, aimed at women who are deemed to be at low risk of complications.

Between January 1999 and December 2008, over 3,500 babies have been born to couples living in South Dublin, Bray, Greystones and North Wicklow areas under the care of this service.

fdillon@herald.ie

- Fiona Dillon