BABY Douglas George Larman has made quite a splash as the first child born at Trowbridge’s new birthing pool.

Douglas was born at 7.16pm on August 13 at Trowbridge Birthing Centre. The pool was paid for out of a £50,000 grant from the Department of Health to the unit based at Trowbridge Hospital.

The pool, the centre’s second, takes pride of place in a refurbished birthing room on the unit. The use of a birthing pool is one of a number of options available to pregnant women visiting the centre.

New parents Kim Gee, 23, and Grant Larman, 22, from Trowbridge, who have been together three years, were delighted by the support they received from the midwives.

Miss Gee said: “It was nice to know that we were the first to use the new pool. The staff here, in particular Maxine and a student midwife, were really good to us.”

Beryl Orchard, clinical midwifery manager at the unit, said the new birthing pool will be a big boost for expectant mothers.

She said: “Our birthing pools offer a relaxed setting for women in labour. We try to turn everything here into a home away from home.”

Miss Gee, a family support officer, and Mr Larman, who works for Net- work Rail, have enjoyed getting to know Douglas.

Mr Larman said: “Douglas has been really well-behaved.”

Miss Gee said: “I had a good pregnancy but I had a real craving to eat Grant’s hair gel – thankfully we found sweets that flavour.”