BRIGHTON is among the best cities in England to give birth in, new research has found.

The study by childcare and education experts Little Ones London analysed NHS patient satisfaction rates across categories for maternity services. 

These included involvement in decisions, time to have skin-to-skin contact with the baby and how little mothers were left alone when worried.

Brighton has an overall patient satisfaction rate of 8.61 out of ten, making it the ninth best city to give birth in.

When broken down this means that the satisfaction rate of time having skin-to-skin contact with newborn was 9.35 out of ten.

The satisfaction rate of not being left alone when worried was 7.73 out of ten and the satisfaction rate of feeling involved in decisions was 8.74 out of ten.

The Argus:

The city of Gloucester took the top spot with an overall average satisfaction score of 8.91 out of ten across all maternity services in the city. 

This comes as a result of high patient satisfaction rates for time allowed skin-to-skin contact with the newborn, at 9.81 out of ten – the highest amongst all cities in England as well as the joint highest score for patients feeling involved in decisions with a satisfaction score of 8.87 out of ten.

The second-best city to give birth in is Plymouth which obtained an average patient satisfaction score of 8.83 out of ten. 

Lancaster came in as the third best place in England to give birth. The average satisfaction rate for patients using maternity services in Lancaster is 8.77 out of ten. 

A spokesman from Little Ones London said: “Having a baby is one of the biggest events in any parent’s life and there are many aspects of the process that can have a profound impact on the experience as a whole.

“This study provides a fascinating insight for soon-to-be parents as to the cities that offer an exceptional and smooth experience.”

The study was conducted by Little Ones London, an international childcare and housekeeping service with offices located in central London.