Isle of Bute women looking for a water birth will now be able to have full use of the newly plumbed-in birthing pool at Victoria Hospital. The facility was officially opened this month by Isla Barton, Director of Midwifery for NHS Highland.
The HSCP is pleased to offer women living on the Island the opportunity to use the birthing pool for labour and birth. Water birth is the process of giving birth in water using a deep bath (birthing pool). Being in water during labour is shown to help with pain as well as being more relaxing and soothing than being out of water. The water can help to support the Mum-to-be's weight, making it easier to move around and feel more in control during labour.
Isla Barton, Director of Midwifery, NHS Highland said: “I am delighted to have had the pleasure to officially open the Isle of Bute water birth facility, and meet with our fantastic team of rural midwives.
"Across Argyll and Bute our midwives work hard to continuously develop and improve maternity services that are safe and personalised, that put the needs of the women, their baby, and family at the heart of the quality care that they deliver.
“Bute midwives have worked really hard to ensure that the installation was completed without much disruption, whilst continuing to support women in labour at the unit. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff, patients, and visitors for their patience and for their support throughout the process.”
The HSCP would like to thank Bute Bike Shed for kindly volunteering their valuables services to help complete some of the finishing decorative touches.
You can learn more about the benefits of water births and the use of water in labour from your local midwives, or on the NHS inform website by visiting bit.ly/Birthing_Pool