The Royal Women's has broken an eight-year record for the highest number of babies born at the hospital in a single year.

There were a total of 6,011 babies born in 2005—including four sets of triplets and 169 sets of twins—an average of 16 babies each day.

Welcoming the 6,000th baby, Minister for Health Bronwyn Pike said the Royal Women's Hospital had long been at the forefront of valuing and promoting woman-centred care and decision-making.

'The sustained increase in births during recent years does signal strong community support and endorsement of The Women's team care approach.

'The Women's has been able to meet the demands and challenges of a 20 per cent increase in the number of births during the past four years and this increase has highlighted how important the construction of the new hospital is to Victorian women and their families.

'We have had very positive feedback from women throughout our consumer and community consultation processes about our plans for maternity care in the new Royal Women's Hospital.

'Begun last year, the $250 million state-of-the-art hospital, located in Parkville, will open in mid-2008.

'I am very pleased that the Family Birth Centre model of care will be extended throughout the new hospital to ensure more women and their families will be able to experience a woman-centred, family-friendly birthing experience rather than a select and limited group.

'Each birthing suite in The Women's new hospital will be able to accommodate women and their families in a warm, inviting homelike environment.

'All birthing suites will have large beds, ensuites with baths and many of the little touches we know are important to women,' Ms Pike said.

Tanya Farrell, Director of Women's Services at The Women's said feedback from the design consultation process indicated the new facilities would better meet the needs of women and their families into the future.

'In our new hospital, all of the birthing suites will be suitably equipped to provide for every woman's individual birthing experience.

'Therefore, we can immediately provide additional care without women being transferred out of their birthing environment.

'In the past, some women requiring additional care have indicated dissatisfaction and disappointment with such transfer requirements.

'This particular design principle will further enhance our woman-centred approach to care and it will provide greater flexibility for women and their families.

'All of the equipment required for the provision of more complex care during labour will be housed discreetly in closed cabinets within the birthing suites and will not be visible unless the equipment is being required and used,' Ms Farrell said.

The design process for the new hospital is in its final stages and over the next few months The Women's will be briefing community representatives about the new design.