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Using Water to Create a Safe Space

What many of us have known for a long time has now been formally acknowledged.

"Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives support labouring in water for healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies. The evidence to support underwater birth is less clear but complications are seemingly rare..."

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynacologists and the Royal College of Midwives - Joint statement No.1 April 2006
see http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=546 for full statement

Having had four fabulous birthing experiences all using water, I am now on a personal crusade to ensure that every woman in New Zealand knows about the potential use of water for labour, birth and even for third stage and onto breastfeeding.

However, without proper education around this subject the myths and misconceptions about using water will continue. These common myths are things like:

• Birthing in water is unsafe
• It is too complicated to set up, fill, maintain heat and empty a portable pool
• Using a birthing pool is unhygienic, often resulting in infection
• Suction is always required
• It slows down labour making it too long and tiring if you dare get in before 5-7cm dilation
• It is too hard to moinitor and gauge blood loss
• You cant use a pool if you have had a caeseran previously

But bigger than all these is the one misconception that bothers me the most, the phrase I have heard over and over:
"oh, I will just keep it simple for my first birth, maybe next time I will think about getting a pool" If only they knew that by not taking control of the management of their first birth, other births could potentially be very compromised.

Through education we can encourage women to read, ask questions and take responsibility for their experience. They can then learn to appreciate that they are about to be handed the opportunity for one of the most empowering experiences of their entire life!

For the past six years I have loved handing over pools to people who have made this decision and taken on the responsibility to have the most gentle birth possible for themselves and their babes. It is so positive to see people realising the excitement of their pending birth, rather than the fear of those who have not taken on the responsibility to research and ask. These people are embracing it fully, and as a result rarely end up with anything but fabulous outcomes - and usually become water evangelists too!!!

I am committed to ensuring women everywhere can get all they need for using a pool at home or in hospital, and feel a responsibility to share as widely as possible the many stories of what a difference it makes.

I challenge you to encourage women and their partners to take charge of this amazing time of their lives and to see that using water for labour and or birth is: very real; very safe; a very effective means of pain relief; it creates a safe, private space from which the birthing mother can determine her own level of involvement with the outside world; it provides a fabulous transition for the baby; it is a great job for the bloke; it holds the not so glamorous bits of having a baby all together in one place, so itis easy to clean up. There are many many more reasons which I'm sure you know so well already.

So lets not hear women talking of finding out a bit more next time, lets encourage them to choose to be proactive from the beginning. They may choose to labour and birth on land and that is fine, but let that be a conscious decision too. How can women make an informed choice about birth if they do not truly know what using water is about?

Ask yourself now Dothe main birthing facilities in your area embrace the use of water? Do they have protocol written and easily followed and understood by all who use the facility? Lets start questioning and taking active steps towards reducing needless intervention rates - using water is a safe easy place to start!

May you influence and inspire those around you to take charge, ask questions and take responsibility for the very best birthing outcomes.

Here's to a world where birthing is seen as an honour - not a torture!

 

Carla Moore

If you would like to comment on any topics covered above, or if you think a facility in your area could do with some help to formulate protocol please email Carla Moore - carla@h2ohbaby.co.nz

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