Water births bring fewer complications — study

Water births have returned to 10 Queensland hospitals following disruption to the maternity service during the height of the pandemic.

Water births have returned to Queensland hospitals following disruption to the maternity service during the height of the pandemic.

As new research released on Wednesday shows the benefits of water births to both mother and child, Queensland Health reports that the alternative birthing method is available at 10 of the state’s hospitals.

A study published in the journal BMJ Open shows that there are fewer interventions and complications during and after the pool births as well as higher levels of satisfaction for the mum.

A water birth involves using a birthing pool to achieve relaxation and pain relief, either exiting the pool for the birth, so the newborn can emerge into air to breathe, or remaining in the birthing pool for the birth, bringing the newborn to the surface to start breathing.

The researchers found that the birthing method was as safe as standard care for healthy mums and their newborns. They significantly reduced the use of epidurals, injected opioids, episiotomy, as well as pain and heavy bleeding after the birth. There was no difference in the rate of C-sections.

Amber Miller had a water birth at Redlands Hospital two weeks ago.

Amber Miller had a water birth with baby Vera two weeks ago. Picture: Tara Croser

“It was the best experience and I’d recommend it. I had my son three years ago in a hospital bed and it was a very sterile, medical experience. I didn’t feel relaxed. In the water birthing suite I had a great midwife and I found the birth more enjoyable and relaxing,” she said.

The head of the Maternity Consumer Network Alecia Staines said she hoped that Queensland hospitals supported women to have a water birth if that was their preference.

“Water birth has been shown over and over again to have benefits for women and babies. It should be standard offering in all Queensland maternity hospitals. But we have heard of women routinely being denied or coerced out of water births,” she said.

Queensland Health said that there were many hospitals offering water births but the services were subject to change.

“At the start of the pandemic and due to uncertainty around the transmission of Covid-19, water births were temporarily ceased. Since then, water birth services have been operating as usual throughout the state, per clinical guidelines,” a spokesman said.

Queensland hospitals that offer water births

Cairns Base Hospital

Townsville Hospital Birth Centre

Gold Coast University Hospital

Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

Toowoomba Hospital

Mackay Base Hospital

Sunshine Coast Hospital

Redland Hospital

Rockhampton Hospital

Gladstone Hospital

*Subject to change