Midwife supported water immersion birth services now available in Taber

Low said, “It’s great to see our teams work collaboratively to provide options and excellent care to our maternity patients.”

“No matter where you receive care in the South Zone, our focus is on ensuring families feel safe and supported before, during and after labour.”

Water immersion means that at least part of labour or delivery, or both, happens in a pool of warm water. Registered Midwife Stacy Peleskey stated that about half of her clients request a water birth for reasons like pain relief, support or comfort. The service has previously been limited to home settings.

Peleskey, who is a former Registered Nurse at the Taber Health Centre said, “Some clients may feel safer delivering at the hospital.”

She continued, “Now clients won’t be losing that option of having a water birth whether they are delivering at home or in hospital.”

Yolanda Fehr was the first patient to utilize the service at the Taber Health Centre. In a release from AHS, Fehr said, “We weren’t sure we would like to do it at home, because I lost quite a bit of blood with my first [child].”

“Then it just happened that we had the privilege, that Taber Health Centre now had the pool and we could try (water immersion in hospital), because we weren’t quite comfortable doing it at home.”

Midwife supported patients who meet safety criteria are able to use the sanitary immersion pool equipment at the Taber site. The AHS Water Immersion During Labour and Birth Policy and Guideline, which was approved in 2020, provides guidance to support this practice in a safe manner.

Andrea Hargrove, Community Medical Director for Taber Health Centre said, “As the first site in the South Zone to offer water immersion in hospital as an option for clients of Registered Midwives, our health care team is pleased to support patients and midwives in its implementation.”

The Taber and District Health Foundation funded the $3,000 cost to purchase the necessary equipment and supplied for water immersion births. Thanks to support from the Provincial Midwifery Administrative Office, healthcare staff have been working on implementation for the past year, by purchasing equipment and ensuring safe and sanitary practices are followed, and training nursing staff.

Currently, there are 11 Registered Midwives in the AHS South Zone, who serve clients in Brooks, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Taber. AHS said about 6,450 Albertan families accessed care from Registered Midwives in the past year, including around 400 people in the South Zone.

There are about 160 Registered Midwives providing services through staff appointments with AHS across Alberta. More details about water immersion birth services offered in Taber are available at the Alberta Association of Midwives Request Care webpage.

Read more Lethbridge News Now.

by Justin Goulet

Midwife supported water immersion birth services now available in Taber

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