Waterbirth- Time to Move Forward

AIMS Chair Beverley Beech believes that it's time we started taking labour and birth in water more seriously. During the 1980s water birth in the UK became popular. It was encouraged by pictures of women in France giving birth or labouring in water after Michel Odent had installed a pool in the hospital at Pithivier in 1977. The pool was initially used for pain relief, but over time more and more women were giving birth in the water. At a time when women were expressing concern about the effects of birth on the baby and wanting a gentle birth for their babies the use of water seemed the answer. Interest continued to grow and in April 1995 myself, Janet Balaskas, Jayn Ingrey and Sheila Kitzinger organized the First International Water Birth Conference at Wembley. It was attended by 1,500 midwives, doctors and parents from all over the world. During the conference those who had been helping women to labour and birth in water presented their findings and statistics (Beech, 1996). One of the huge advantages of water is that it has no side effects and it gives the woman a sense of space, safety, peace and tranquillity. It also has the advantage of removin