30/01/2024
A few months ago, a birthing pool company put out a post claiming that there are conditions one needs to meet to be able to use a birthing pool.
These conditions included that one needed to be low risk, and within pre-pregnancy BMI criteria.
In case we’ve not met, hello. I’m not a rival birth pool company. I’m an author and researcher with thirty years of midwifery experience, and a PhD. I write about pregnancy, risk, high BMI and the importance of informed decision making.
And I wanted to reshare some information that I posted in order to set the record straight.
There are, in fact, only three conditions for being able to use a birthing pool.
1. You are birthing
2. You have access to a pool
3. You want to birth in the pool
Now, it’s true that access can sometimes be tricky.
If you decide to give birth in a facility such as a hospital or birth centre, for instance, there may not be a pool available for you to use.
That's one reason why some families hire, buy or borrow their own.
It’s also true that some facilities and care providers might try and restrict your use of a birth pool if you have risk factors, including higher BMI. (More on this in my book on Plus Size Pregnancy).
But these are not absolutes. There are plenty of exceptions.
We know many women who have used birth pools in hospitals and birth centres with a higher BMI and/or other supposed risk factors.
And no-one can stop you from doing what you want in your home.
These restrictive statements also aren’t evidence-based. More on this at www.sarawickham.com/water
And the bottom line is this: your body, your baby, your decision.
That’s why it’s good to do your research beforehand and ask lots of questions.
Please don’t let anyone else restrict your options. Not care providers, not your family, and certainly not birth pool companies.
For information on the benefits of water for birth which is based on actual evidence, see www.sarawickham.com/water
