Pregnant Queensland mums over 100kg ruled too heavy for water birth

QUEENSLAND women are being told they are too fat for one particular type of birth, but maternity consumer advocates are calling for a change, saying an established 100kg weight limit is “archaic” and “impractical”.

QUEENSLAND women are being told they are too fat for water births and maternity consumer advocates say the 100kg weight limit is “archaic” and “impractical”.

“This blanket ruling is stopping many capable women from following their preferred birthing plan. We know from data that Queensland women are bigger and if they can get in and out of the bath and have the all-clear medically, then they should be given the green light,” Alecia Staines of the Maternity Consumer Network said.

A family’s delight after a water birth. The national midwifery guidelines list a 100kg weight limit for mums. Picture: Anna Todd.

“A 6ft tall (182cm) woman could easily weigh 90kg pre-pregnancy and be a size 12, so she would have to diet during pregnancy to make sure she stayed under 100kg.”

The 100kg limit is listed in the national midwifery guidelines but is only one of many water immersion criteria.

Most of the state’s maternity hospitals offer immersion to pregnant women and water births are gaining popularity.

Buoyancy can promote more efficient contractions and improved blood circulation, resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles, less pain for the mother and more oxygen for the baby.

Aroona woman Naomi Dorahy said she had always dreamt of having a water birth and was devastated when she was told she was too fat when full-term at 114kg.

“All through my pregnancy I told my midwives that the only thing I was really keen on was a water birth. No one told me there was a BMI limit,” she said.

“I was clueless and found out when I was on the delivery table at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. I was so devastated I struggled through my labour and ended up with a C-section.

“I was very capable of getting in and out of bath and the winch can carry 200kg in emergencies,” Ms Dorahy said.

Sunshine Coast University Hospital director of obstetrics and gynaecology Dr Marc Miller said he could not comment on Ms Dorahy’s case but that a high BMI was an important medical risk factor, as outlined in the Queensland Clinical Guideline for obesity in pregnancy.

Shylah Kenny with her daughter Grace, 19 months. A water birth simply wasn’t possible in the end. Picture: AAP/ Ric Frearson

Shylah Kenny from Peregian Springs, who is 152cm tall and weighed 76kg pre-pregnancy, wanted a water birth to deliver her baby Grace.

“I was warned that I wouldn’t be able to have a water birth if I went over 100kg and that I needed to talk to my GP about monitoring what I eat,” she said.

“Turns out when the time came the water birth couldn’t go ahead as my waters had already broken. Women need to know it’s not always easy to have a water birth.”

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Water birth acceptance guidelines

*Must be 37 weeks gestation

*Single baby

*Baby must be vertex position

*Mum must be less than 100kg

*Mum can get in and out of bath

Water birth exclusion guidelines

*Drugs were given in last four hours

*Multiple pregnancy

*Epidural needed

*Abnormal labour progression

*Foetal distress

Source: Midwives Australia (individual cases vary)