A West Midlands birth centre with three birthing pools and a sensory garden will open its doors for the first time next week.

The Halcyon Midwifery Birth Centre in Oldbury Road, Smethwick has its official opening on Tuesday, 11 October.

Sandwell Primary Care Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust (SWBH) will then hold a series of open days to allow prospective parents to tour the unit before it opens to the public on Monday, 31 October.

The new purpose-built centre aims to provide a relaxed atmosphere with three en-suite birthing rooms, each with a fixed, under-lit birth pool for water births and sensory garden.

It is expected most new mothers will be able to go home within a few hours of giving birth.

The name Halcyon was chosen as a result of a public consultation.

"All our midwives are trained to a high level to offer support, encouragement and care for women who have normal labours," said Kathryn Gutteridge, consultant midwife at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.

"This includes offering different ways to cope in labour such as using alternative positions relaxations, water births and aromatherapy."

Janine Brown, children’s and maternity commissioning director with Sandwell PCT, said: "I'd encourage all mums-to-be to come along and see what it has to offer."