Water babies lead way

Sep 29 2007 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

A TYNESIDE hospital is delivering hundreds of water babies as new NHS guidelines offer mothers greater control over how they give birth.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) this week issued guidance including a recommendation that women should have the opportunity for water births.

South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust is ahead of the game with the only 24-hour full water birth service in the region. Midwives have delivered 360 babies in the birthing pool since 2003.

This method is proving increasingly popular with expectant mothers as 10% of all births dealt with by the hospital’s staff are water births or home births, compared with a national average of 2%.

Midwife and delivery suite co-ordinator Bronwen Boddy said the guidelines signal a new era for mums-to-be who wish to have minimal intervention.

“It is fantastic that these guidelines are supporting the ‘normality’ as this is what midwives all across the country want to do.

“We have usually implemented change in advance of the guidelines. We have had lots of initiatives here ahead of the Government announcement.”

Earlier this year, the Government said expectant mothers would be able to choose a home birth, a midwife-led or consultant-led labour under a golden standard of care by 2009.

The Nice framework follows this, stating that women must have the choice of where they give birth – at home, in a midwife-led or a consultant-led unit.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists welcomed the guidelines and supported the notion of choice.

Water therapy has featured in the guidance as it encourages relaxation and less intervention under midwife-led care.

Hospitals are urged to make sure they have pools – at least three pools for 1,000 births a year is seen as adequate provision.

Demand is increasing at the South Tyneside trust. It completed a £1.1m upgrade of its delivery suite in 2003 which included a birthing pool. The trust also enables women to have a water birth at home.

Ms Boddy said: “At South Tyneside we have been offering this approach for quite a while.

“For normal, healthy women immersion in water has basic benefits.”

Of women having a water birth, only half need pain relief as the warm water has a relaxing and soothing effect.

She said: “It encourages natural pain relief mechanisms in the body and relaxation of the muscles.”

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‘It made a real difference to pain relief’

LISA LANGLEY has two water babies under the age of five.

The 30-year-old, of Raleigh Close, South Shields, was among the first wave of mothers to have a water birth at South Tyneside District Hospital.

The staff nurse in the children’s ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead made her decision after a trial session in the birthing pool during her antenatal classes.

“It was really informative as I worried about the procedure. I had heard of some risks to the baby, so I wanted to find out more. It allayed any fears I had and I decided to go for it.”

Weeks later she gave birth to her first daughter Erin, now three, weighing 7lb 13 oz, after a 14-hour labour in the pool. “It was very relaxing. My husband Shaun was by the side of the pool. I was in the water all day, which was lovely and warm.

“The room was dimly lit with candles and relaxing music. It made a real difference to pain relief. I only had gas and air.

“Erin didn’t cry when she was born. She was awake and alert, looking round but very calm and happy.”

So, impressed by that experience, Lisa returned to the same hospital three weeks ago and gave birth to Olivia, 7 lb 11 oz, after a 10-hour labour.

“I was only in the water for 40 minutes before I had her. I went into hospital a lot later the second time. You are in control of what is happening. You are doing everything yourself as it is minimum intervention.”