LEWISHAM birth centre celebrated its third birthday on Friday in state-of-the-art facilities which are more like a "posh hotel" than a hospital.

There have been 2,440 births at the centre - which boasts five rooms and three birthing pools - since it opened in 2010.

News Shopper: One of the birthing suites at the centre with a fixed birthing pool

Emily Catlow, whose daughter Tess was the 1000th baby born at the centre in August 2011, said: "It is an honour to be invited back to the birth centre to help to celebrate its third birthday. When Tess was born, the whole experience was incredible.

"The Birth Centre has excellent and modern facilities – the rooms are more like a posh hotel than a hospital - and all of the staff were fantastic."

At the celebrations on May 10, Lewisham Hospital’s head of midwifery Frances Jones reassured mums-to-be that full maternity services would be running for at least two to three years.

She said: "We continue to provide full maternity services at the hospital and in the community, and remain committed to providing high-quality care for the women that choose us.

"Women who are planning to have babies at Lewisham can have complete confidence that all the services we currently run will be provided as normal for at least the next 2-3 years."

The hospital’s maternity unit is currently undergoing a £0.75 million refurbishment which is due to be completed in June.

Ms Jones added that any future changes would only take place after very careful planning.