Water births come to UAE (Khaleej Times)

Source: Khaleej Times

Olivia Olarte

26 July 2011, 10:46 PM

An age-old birthing practice that is proven to reduce pain but a novel concept in the Arab 
world is coming to the UAE and is aining interest from women across the emirates.

The water birth method will be operational in the region for the first time in the Al Ain 
Cromwell Women and Children Hospital in Al Ain next month when the hospital opens
up its in-patient services.

According to Sandi Blankenship, head midwife at the hospital, water birth is very
popular in the UK and the US, and it is common for hospitals with the facility to offer
it for women to labour into if not to deliver.

“Typically between 50-70 per cent of women in the US would choose to at least
labour in the water,” said Blankenship, who have attended around 700 water births.

Citing its advantages, Blankenship said labouring in water can shorten the length of 

labour and reduces the pain between 60–70 per cent, due to the warm water 

temperature (between 35 degree Celsius and 37.5 degree Celsius) which has a

soothing  effect.

“Because they are in a warm safe environment, they have less fear, and when you have

less fear you have less pain,” she explained. In the water birth tub, the woman also has 

the opportunity to float and she can be in any position she’s comfortable in to labour

and deliver.

“It’s really about the woman’s comfort level. You want the baby to come out in an

 environment he/she used to be in, by coming out into water,” said Blankenship.

Water birth comes to UAE

Source: Arab News 

By AISHA AL HAJJAR, LIFE.STYLE@ARABNEWS.COM

Published: Jul 6, 2011 09:10 Updated: Jul 6, 2011 09:10

Natural birth enthusiasts are all abuzz about the opening of a new hospital in Al-Ain that will offer birth in a specialized tub. Water births were first introduced in the 1960s and gained significant popularity by the 1990s. At first they were mainly used in the home birth setting, but they are now offered as a choice in many Western hospitals as well.

Dayle had a water birth at home in the US with her second child: “The water was warm and soothing.  The warmth of the birth pool cut the pain of my contractions in half!”

Gertrude had a water birth in Germany with her first child and says, “The best thing was the warm, light feeling inside the water during the expulsion phase, water birth is great!”

Al-Ain Cromwell Women and Children Hospital’s birthing floor should be open next month and has three large birthing rooms, including one with a squatting stool and the first water birth pool in the region!  This is exciting news for the women of Al-Ain and a ray of hope for other areas of the Middle East (including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and others) where natural-birth advocates are clamoring for more supportive birthing facilities.

“I’m most excited about their implementation of a midwifery model of care in which women are listened to as individuals and pregnancy is seen as a normal life event,” said Tami Stroud, a professional birth companion. “I have great hope for them. So many women just want a normal, safe, low intervention, natural childbirth and I think Al-Ain Cromwell Women and Children Hospital can deliver that.”

The maternity unit at the new hospital is led by American Midwife, Sandi Blankenship, a water birth expert. 

“In a good hospital, 50 to 60 percent of mothers should be delivered by a midwife,” Blankenship says. In her private midwifery practice in the States she attended over 700 water births. She explains: “It’s important to follow a set protocol to determine which patients are allowed to use the water tub for birth. There also must be standard procedures for handling any complications while birthing in the water.”

10 Celebrity Home Births

10 celebrities opened about their homebirth for Celebritybabyscoop, including Jeniffer Conelly, my favourite actress, who recently had had 3rd baby. Read what they say about homebirth!

As home births become increasingly popular, more and more celebrity moms are opting to have their babies in the comforts of their own home.

From the arrival of Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany's newest addition, daughter Agnes Lark, born via home birth, to Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady's son Benjamin born at their home in December 2009, to Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof's now 2-year-old daughter Satyana born at home, the celebs are joining the trend!

Homebirth and Waterbirth restrictions?

Babble blogs- pregnancy reports following news:

Ladies Hold On To Your Kiddie Pools!

POSTED BY DANIELLE625 ON MAY 26TH, 2011 AT 8:49 PM

Got a kiddie pool in your house?  Watch out!  The FDA may be coming after you!   No… seriously, they might be knocking on your door to seize your unregistered medical device!

No joke!

Water Birth International founder Barbara Harper is no stranger to the on-again, off-again harassment by the FDA, in fact she went a couple rounds back with them in 2000, but now it is being taken to another level.

Currently the FDA has seized all the imported portable birth tubs, and are threatening to destroy them.  Meaning?   Women who have a desire to rent a safe, and sterile birth tub for a home birth, or water birth in another facility will not have this option.

Waterbirth: Evaluating benefits and risks

" Benefits of water birth have been studied by various practitioners such as midwives, doctors and researches around the world. Water birth was highly rated by women in a recent study of 1,300 water births.  In contrast, a minority of them found it ineffective (Balaskas, 2004; p48-49). Overall it was found there were common physical and emotional benefits for both mother and infant.  Unfortunately, no one can assure women that water births are safer than normal births, because they have not been studied broadly.  However, according to Gilbert (1999) (as cited in Balaskas, 2004:p22) a study has found a decrease in the perinatal mortality rate (1.2 per 1000 of water birth)."

I am very pleased to inroduce an article by Ms. Roa Altaweli : Waterbirth. I thank her for kind approval with posting summary of the article. You can read full version in her blog on women`s health and midwifery . Roa is highly qualified Midwife currently finishing her postgradual studies in Midwifery in UK.

Roa Altaweli, MSc (Midwifery), BSc (Nursing), RM, RGN
MPhil/PhD. student in Midwifery
City University London
United Kingdom
http://roataw.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/water-birth/

BENEFITS of waterbirth according to the article:
1. The comfort and mobility the water allows during delivery, as changing position under the water is easier than on the land especially in the case of overweight mothers or those carrying large babies.  It is almost certain that reduction of abdominal pressure causes efficient uterine contraction and better blood circulation therefore better oxygenation to uterine muscle and for the baby, which indicates less fetal distress.  As a result, changing position during labor is highly beneficial for mother and baby.  Balaskas and Gordon (1992; p34)