Water births

LegacyUser

Just wondering if its possible to have a water birth as a public patient?

emmiou

Hi Swelin
Don't think you'll get a water birth in any Dublin hospital - would have to be a homebirth. I had a homebirth with birthpool and independent midwife 5 months ago - the cost E4000 was covered by my health insurance. I also had to book in to one of the maternity hospitals in case I needed to be transferred, and to have all my scans done. I did this as a public patient so no charge.

Nevyn

Currently you can only have a water birth if you are having a home birth.
Water births in hospitals were suspended after the tragic death of a baby.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/water-births-put-on-hold-after-death-1410945.html

Water births put on hold after death

Monday June 16 2008

Water births have been suspended in maternity hospitals and units following the death of a baby boy who was delivered in a birthing pool.

An inquest heard last week how baby Harry Eccles, from Virginia, Co Cavan, died three days after breathing in water during his birth in a pool at Cavan General Hospital in February 2006.

A spokesperson for Cavan and Drogheda maternity units said the birthing pool service was suspended for births following the incident and was now only available for pain relief.

Cork University Maternity Hospital, which also has a birthing pool, said it would not be using it for births until after the outcome of a national review on water births. Mothers who want a water birth have to hire a birthing pool and a homebirth midwife for use in their own homes.

Niamh Healy, of the Irish Childbirth Trust, said birthing pools could provide great relief during labour and decrease the pain of contractions.

Birthing pools reduce the need for a woman to take drugs for pain relief and allow more empowerment during the birth.

An independent review of water births at Cavan and Drogheda hospitals, which was commissioned after the baby's death in 2006, made 19 recommendations.

It called for extra support for midwives if water births resumed at the hospitals.

Standards

There are no national standards for water births here and hospitals have relied on those from the UK.

Cavan and Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda led the way by introducing the water birth option for mothers in 2004. Fifty babies had been born safely in the birthing pools in the two hospitals before the tragedy.

The Rotunda hospital in Dublin and University College Hospital in Galway also have birthing pools, but they are used only for relief during labour.

If you want and are suitable for it you could have a water birth as part of giving birth at home.
http://www.homebirth.ie/daire_callaghan_water_birth.htm

January

I think that the suspension was lifted for water births in the hospitals (read on another forum... think it was actually SanFran that posted about it? maybe she could clarify?) and that the problem was there aren't enough midwives trained for water births in the hospitals.

swellin

Thanks everyone.....as I thought. I did perhaps think that with all the positive research surrounding water births it might have been more readily available.:(

SanFran07

The HSE lifted its ban on waterbirths last May/June and it's now up to each individual hospital to decide if they will facilitate water births. There are several birth pools around the country now that are available for labouring in (which is a huge benefit in itself even when the birth takes place on dry land).

CUMH - pool was due to open last week.
Rotunda - no sign of their pool being used for labouring in or waterbirth
MLU Drogheda - available for labouring in only
MLU Cavan - available for labouring in only
Galway has a large bath but it's not considered a birthing pool.

The only option for waterbirth currently is a homebirth with an independent midwife. If you are with the NMH Midwives you can labour in water but are generally asked to leave for the 2nd stage.

The use of the pool is brilliant in labour and it's much easier to move around and get comfy than a normal bath. Warm water reduces the need for pain meds, women are less likely to have their labours speeded up (as the relaxation in the water does it naturally) and you're less likely to have perineal injuries..... Just up the road in the North waterbirths are facilitated and encouraged for any low risk mums.

Tracy