REDLAND Hospital has celebrated one year since its first water birth, with 105 babies born in the birthing pools over the last 12 months.
A water birthing unit, which includes three birthing pools, opened in March last year as part of a $1.73 million hospital upgrade.
Since then, a total of 166 women have used water immersion during labor and 105 of those have given birth in the water.
Clinical midwife Annie Hampson said the Redland Hospital maternity team was proud to provide the choice of water immersion and birthing.
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"It feels like so long ago that we welcomed our first water baby Alexander Mohr on March 9 last year," she said.
Ms Hampson said water immersion offered a gentle, low intervention experience for mothers and babies.
"Women have reported feeling soothed and calmed by the warm water and the pools have been very popular and effective for women wishing to avoid medical pain relief," she said.
Bayside Health Service acting executive director Susan Freiberg said she was proud to have reached the one year milestone with such positive engagement from the local community and hospital staff.
"Redland Hospital is well known for its high quality maternity services, and I am thrilled that we have been able to enhance the birthing experience further for many local women by providing more choice in labour and birth," she said.
Redland Hospital was the first public hospital in the Metro South region to offer water birthing.
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