Choosing to give birth in water can increase relaxation and reduce the need for medical intervention and is used by almost one in three women for pain relief during labour.

All three of the suites in the Fatima Allam Birth Centre in Hull are fitted with birthing pools and there is a pool in the delivery ward of Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

Now, midwifery sister Suzanna Lascelles is encouraging women to consider water births when weighing up their options.

“Bringing your baby into the world in a birthing pool can be a special experience for new parents,” says Suzanna, who is in charge of the birth centre.

“The warmth and sensation of the water can relax women during labour and help them manage contractions.

“Often, women choose to get into the water in the birthing pools here in the Fatima Allam Birth Centre even if they had not considered this during pregnancy when making birth plans because they are available in the room.”

According to a maternity survey by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), 38 per cent of women planned to use water or a birthing pool during labour in 2015 compared to 34 per cent in 2013.

And the number of women actually birthing their babies in water has trebled in eight years, rising from just three per cent in 2007 to around nine per cent in 2015 while the number of women giving birth to their babies on a bed fell from 91 per cent to under 84 per cent.

To help women consider water births, here are some frequently asked questions.

What are the benefits of using a birthing pool?

Being in the water decreases the effect of gravity and can help women to move around more freely and change into a comfortable position.  Water can help women relax by reducing adrenalin and promoting the release of the body’s natural hormones to cope with labour pains.  Women who use a pool also have a lower rate of medical intervention.

Can I use the birthing pool even if I don’t want to have a water birth?

Yes. The sensation of warm water can help during all stages of labour. You can use water in the bath at home in the early stages before you come into hospital to manage early labour pains and backache.

What should I wear in the water?

Wear what you like. Some people wear a bikini top or a t-shirt.  Others choose to wear nothing.

Can my birth partner get in the pool with me?

Yes, if you want them to.  We just ask that everyone showers first before getting into the water and that swimwear is worn by birth partners.  The three birthing suites at the Fatima Allam Birth centre all have wet rooms equipped with showers.

What should I do once I’m in the water?

You can move around and try different positions when you’re in the birthing pool. You can kneel or lean on the side of the pool, you can squat, holding onto the sides of the pool, you can use floats under your arms for support or you can float on your back with your arms holding the sides and your head supported on a waterproof pillow. You can also float on your stomach with your head turned sideways, resting on a pillow. If your partner is in the water with you, sit with your back against them or with your arms around their neck. There are lots of different options to try out.

Drink plenty of water or juice because you’ll be using up energy and sweating so you’ll need to replace fluids. Drinking through a straw might be easier. But be prepared to empty your bladder regularly during labour so your baby has as much space as possible in your pelvis. You will be encouraged to leave the pool for short toilet breaks while you’re in the birthing pool.

What will the midwife do?

Your midwife will carry out observations on you and your baby to ensure you remain well and safe.  She’ll keep the temperature of the water between 36 ºC and 37.5 ºC at all times.  It’s important not to have the water too warm or you’ll overheat, causing distress to your baby and increased discomfort for you.  The midwife will check your temperature, pulse and blood pressure are within healthy ranges, will monitor your baby and check how often your contractions are coming. Your baby’s heart rate can be monitored while you’re in the water using a water proof hand-held Doppler.

Any questions you have about monitoring in labour can be discussed with your midwife when making your birth plan.

Even if I get in the pool, can I still get pain relief?

Yes, you can still use Entonox – gas and air – while you’re in the birthing pool. However, should you wish to have Pethidine or Meptid, you would need to stay out of the water for two hours after the injection.

In what situation would I need to get out of the pool?

There are clinical reasons why you might be asked to get out of the pool. These are all to do with either you or your baby’s safety. This is one of the reasons the midwife will undertake observations on both you and your baby in labour. The midwife will keep you fully informed of how both you and your baby are during labour.

Can I get in the pool during labour but still give birth ‘on land’?

Yes, of course. Some women are happy to use the birthing pool during labour but want to give birth to their baby out of the water. The choice is yours.

Isn’t it dangerous for my baby to be born under the water?

No. A baby’s breathing reflex only starts when it comes into contact with air.

The reason the midwife will ensure the pool water is kept at a regulated temperature is that being born into water that is the same temperature as your body will not stimulate your baby to breathe.   Your baby will not take its first breath until he or she senses a change in temperature and has the feeling of air on their skin. Your baby will still receive oxygen during this period of time through the umbilical cord.

You or your midwife can bring the baby to the surface of the pool face first as soon as they are born. You can then have skin-to-skin contact with your baby in the pool, with the baby kept warm by keeping their body under the warm water while you cuddle them.

Babies born under water can be calmer following birth than babies born in air and may not cry or move vigorously. This is normal and no reason for worry. Your midwife will carefully observe you and your baby following birth, giving you any guidance and support needed.

Is water suitable for all women in labour?

No, water birth may not be suitable for everyone. There is criteria to be able to use the birth pool and this can be discussed with your midwife.

However, for healthy women who have had an uncomplicated pregnancy, using water has been established as safe.

Women who have any complications in their pregnancy and do not fit the inclusion criteria for the birth centre but would still like to use the birth pool during labour can have that discussion with their named consultant and midwife.

The Labour Ward at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital has its own birthing pool. Women who require care on the obstetric-led ward and whose babies require continuous monitoring in labour may still use the birthing pool with a wireless, waterproof monitor used to monitor the baby’s heart rate continuously through labour.

Where can I find out more information?

You can learn more about the benefits of water births and the use of water in labour from our midwives at the next Carousel event at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, February 28, between 6pm and 8pm.

The family of a young man killed in a motorbike accident are donating an incubator described as “the next best thing to the womb” to care for the area’s sickest babies.

Specialist staff at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) based in Hull Women and Children’s Hospital will start a trial of the Drager Babyleo incubator this week.

NICU is a regional specialist centre looking after babies born prematurely or with health complications from across Hull, East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire.

Kirsty and Rob Gill decided to raise £18,000 to pay for the incubator in memory of their son Christopher, who was just 20 when he lost his life in an accident in Ottringham in June 2009.

Mr Gill said: “This is very sophisticated equipment but it can also save lives. The more people you talk to in life, the more you hear stories about how they’ve had things happen to their babies or their grandchildren.

“We wanted to do something to help and I think Christopher would have been very proud of us.”

To support the baby’s development, the Babyleo incubator has a low operating noise level and low level lighting, reducing the baby’s exposure to potential harmful stimuli.

The mother’s voice or heartbeat can be recorded as part of an integrated audio function to soothe her baby and the height can be adjusted so the parents can sit as close to their baby as possible.

The incubator features a mattress and heaters synchronised to avoid both heat loss and overheating for babies being cared for on the unit.

A quick-release hood also means staff can open the incubator with a single finger and it provides NICU staff with 360-degree access to the baby.

Information on the baby’s condition is displayed as part of a “family view”, enabling parents to understand progress at a glance and help them feel involved in the infant’s care.

Mr Gill, of Keyingham, said the family embarked on the fundraising quest around four years ago after Christopher’s girlfriend Roxy Richardson endured the death of her baby nephew.

“That kick-started everything all off,” he said. “We started with a zumbathon in Hessle and the landlord and staff at the Blue Bell in Keyingham have been absolutely outstanding in their support.

“They have a harvest festival and auction every year which has raised a considerable sum and Darren, the landlord, had completed a Tough Mudder for the fund.”

Sister Kate Lamming, nursing lead for NICU, thanked Christopher’s family for their generosity in providing the equipment which will benefit so many infants.

She said: “The family wanted to provide something that was like a cuddle for the babies because that was something they’d never be able to give Christopher’s children.

“We need advanced technology like this to ensure we are providing the very best treatment available.

“But we wouldn’t be able to afford it without the generosity of families like Christopher’s relatives and friends and through donations to our charity and we are just so grateful for the support we receive from the public.

“Our team already provides the highest standards of care but this incubator will enable us to improve that even further.”

Fewer patients are facing delays at Hull Royal’s A&E after an eight-day initiative freed up beds and diverted staff to the frontline to cope with winter pressures.

Operation Wintergreen was launched by the trust on Monday, January 29, to reduce delays in A&E and reduce the number of patients with medical conditions who were being sent to surgical wards because of bed pressures.

As the initiative ended at 8am today, figures show almost 87 per cent of patients were seen within four hours during Operation Wintergreen compared to 83 per cent the previous week, with 85 fewer patients waiting longer than four hours.

Fewer medical patients were sent to surgical wards, referred to as medical outliers, during the week, an improvement of more than 31 per cent on the previous week’s figures.

Chief operating officer Ellen Ryabov said: “We set out to reduce the delays facing patients coming to our emergency department and to reduce the number of medical outliers and we have achieved both aims.

“While there has not been a dramatic transformation, Operation Wintergreen has been of benefit to both our patients and our staff.

“Our services remain under intense pressure and we are still seeing very sick patients who require hospital admission.

“We will continue to monitor our performance to ensure we are delivering the best possible patient care.”

Around 600 routine operations and outpatient appointments were cancelled and rescheduled during the eight-day initiative to allow staff and resources to be diverted to patients most in need of emergency treatment.

Mrs Ryabov said: “Cancelling operations and appointments is not something we would do lightly and we apologise to those patients who have been affected.

“I would like to assure them we are working hard to reschedule their appointments and procedures as soon as possible and we thank them for their patience in allowing our resources to be targeted as our sickest patients in most need of our help.”

Dozens of office staff were also released from their normal day jobs to work on wards, assist porters and act as “runners”, collecting notes or samples.

Mrs Ryabov said: “We would like to thank all staff involved in Operation Wintergreen. Every single day, people at this trust go above and beyond their job descriptions to help patients and we appreciate how hard they work, particularly over these past few weeks.

“We are now in a better position than we were before the start of Operation Wintergreen and we are hoping to capitalise on the progress we have made over the coming days.

“We are still under intense pressure and we continue to appeal to the public to only come to A&E with life-threatening emergencies so our frontline teams are free to help the people who need us most.”

He spends his days working on education programmes to train and enhance the knowledge of doctors working at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

But, this week, Danny Murphy-Pittock joined the army of volunteers who devoted part of their working day to work on wards and frontline departments facing winter pressures.

Operation Wintergreen was launched by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust on Monday to reduce the pressure on both hospitals and ensure patients most in need of emergency care were seen as quickly as possible by staff.

Danny, who works in the trust’s medical education department, was sent to Ward 60, which cares for female surgical patients, to support staff.

He said: “It was my first time volunteering and it was a really good experience.

“I helped out with the paperwork on the ward, helped stock up the trolleys and went down to microbiology to deliver samples and pick up bottles.

“I then went round with the tea trolley and felt like I was actually contributing. I was supported and felt valued by the team on the ward. They made me feel really welcome and appreciated that I was giving up my time to be there.

“When the trust is experiencing difficulties, it is good to work as a team and support staff in other areas.”

Hundreds of staff are taking part in the eight-day initiative, including office and administrative workers who are volunteering on wards or working with porters and pharmacy teams.

Other staff are being redeployed from other areas such as theatres and outpatient clinics to improve the flow of patients through both hospitals.

Michelle Veitch, the trust’s deputy chief operating officer, said: “We are immensely grateful to the volunteers who have stepped forward to help the organisation cope with unprecedented levels of demand.

“We are beginning to see improvements in patient flow, with people spending less time waiting in our emergency department as we have been able to free up more beds around the hospital.

“We are also able to send patients to appropriate wards rather than where there is bed space, which means the patient will have a better hospital experience.”

Operation Wintergreen will run until 8am on Tuesday.

Patients are being treated more quickly at Hull Royal Infirmary after the launch of a programme to tackle unprecedented winter demand.

Almost 89 per cent of patients were seen, treated, admitted or discharged within four hours between Monday to Wednesday this week compared to 76 per cent over the same period last week, an improvement of 13 percentage points.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust launched Operation Wintergreen on Monday to plough extra staff and resources into wards and departments as it coped with an influx of seriously ill patients over the past five weeks.

Four days into Operation Wintergreen, patients are spending less time waiting in the emergency department and fewer patients with medical illnesses – referred to as medical outliers – are being cared for on surgical wards because of a shortage of beds.

Michelle Veitch, deputy chief operating officer at the trust, said: “We are seeing a reduction in the number of patients outlying in different departments.

“We are also seeing empty beds on the assessment units and it’s an improving picture in terms of capacity.

“This means we have fewer patients in our emergency department waiting for beds on our wards.

“However, we are still facing pressures and I would say we are seeing a gradual rather than a dramatic improvement.”

The trust is reviewing the impact of Operation Wintergreen, due to finish at 8am on Tuesday, on a daily basis.

Pharmacy, catering, portering and support staff have been working extra hours alongside clinical teams to improve patient flow and ensure patients are able to return home as soon as they are well enough.

Around 600 outpatient appointments and routine operations have been cancelled to ensure specialist staff can be redeployed to A&E and the assessment units in an attempt to reduce the number of unnecessary admissions.

Chief operating officer Ellen Ryabov said: “Cancelling appointments and operations is never something we would do lightly and I would like to apologise to those patients who have been affected.

“I would like to assure them that we will be rearranging their appointments and procedures as quickly as possible.

“We needed to take this additional action to support our emergency patients and staff and we believe we will be in a much stronger position at the conclusion of Operation Wintergreen.”

TWO women who have looked after thousands of mothers and newborn babies are retiring after clocking up almost 80 years’ of service to the NHS.

Jacqui Powell and Julie Lazenby were given an emotional send-off by staff at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital as they both completed their final shifts this week.

The staff choir at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust surprised the women by turning up at their farewell party to sing “Ho Hey” and “Make You Feel My Love”.

Janet Cairns, the trust’s head of midwifery, said: “Both Jacqui and Julie have devoted their careers to ensuring women in Hull and the East Riding have great birth experiences.

“Both women’s expertise, skills and dedication have been valued by the organisation and their support, professionalism and leadership will be greatly missed by their teams.”

Jacqui joined the NHS as a nurse in 1978 before training as a midwife and qualifying in 1985. She worked on the labour ward and as a community midwife for 13 years.

She then took on the role as clinical governance midwife at the trust in 2012, overseeing the safety of maternity services and the training of midwives.

She said: “I’ve really enjoyed the community and public health side, developing services for vulnerable groups.

“I did a lot of work around teenage pregnancies and perinatal mental health and I suppose I’m proudest of those achievements, making services better for women and children.”

Julie Lazenby started her NHS career on January 5, 1981, completing her nurse training in Hull before qualifying as a midwife in 1989.

“It was always my passion,” she said. “From being five years old, all I wanted to be was a midwife. I never even considered anything else.”

She worked on the labour ward and post natal wards before moving into antenatal care and has managed the trust’s antenatal clinic and day unit for the past 20 years.

Overseeing the move of antenatal services from Hedon Road maternity hospital to the new Women and Children’s Hospital in 2003, she has played a key role in the integration of services across Hull and the East Riding. The antenatal day unit now sees 1,100 women a month.

Julie said: “Developments mean the service is unrecognisable compared to the one in place when I started. Women now come to us with high risk or multiple problems and can access greater care than ever before.

“The multi-agency work we now have in place is fantastic and it has been great to be part of such a fantastic team.

“I’m now seeing the children of women I looked after coming in to have their children and it’s been a privilege to look after them.”

Humberside Fire and Rescue and dental health experts are among the latest to share their words of wisdom with new and expectant families.

Representatives will join the growing team of experts sharing their knowledge with new parents and parents to be next week at the HEY Baby Carousel event, within Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, which takes place from 6-8pm on Wednesday 31 January.

The drop-in events are held monthly to help people prepare for their new arrivals, and cover all sorts of topics from home birth to breastfeeding, and car seats to antenatal classes.

Melanie Lee, Birth Education Midwife at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Since they launched in the summer, the HEY Baby Carousel events have been growing in popularity, and we regularly see scores of women and their partners or other family members at each session now.

“There’s so much to think about and so much you need to know when you’re expecting a baby, either as mum or dad, so the idea is to give people the chance to come and have a chat and find out what to expect in a really relaxed and sociable way.

“On top of that, we also cover the less obvious things, and in particular that’s why we’re welcoming representatives of the Fire Service and an oral health practitioner along for the first time this month.

“Pregnant women are entitled to free NHS dental care, so there will be information available about eligibility and how to receive this care, as well as how to care for baby’s gums in the early months.

“And knowing that new parents will be keen to do all they can to keep their precious little one safe, Humberside Fire and Rescue will be encouraging families to think about escape routes in the home, and how they might get themselves and their little out in case of a fire.”

Visitors can find out more about a host of other topics including family fitness, children’s centres and the Fatima Allam Midwife-led Birth Centre, and take part in practical baby bath and nappy change demonstrations. As pregnant women are eligible for the flu jab, there will be a team on hand to offer vaccinations, and midwives will also be available to talk through women’s birth plans with them and fill in any blanks.

Melanie will also be hosting her regular ‘Ask the Midwife’ slot again, where literally anything and everything is up for discussion, no matter how trivial or embarrassing it might seem.

Melanie continues:

“Literally thousands of babies are born in this city every year, and we want to give those babies and their parents the best possible start.

“The event we’ll be hosting next week is designed to bring a lot of different experts in their field together so pregnant women or new parents can come along and have all those niggly little questions answered, like ‘what do I need to bring into hospital’ or ‘how do I lose my baby weight?’

“Sometimes women don’t always like to bother their midwife, or questions crop up later in conversation with friends or family, so this event gives people the opportunity to pop in and ask whatever they like; the main thing is we want families to feel ready, confident and supported, and aware of all the options open to them.”

The HEY Baby Carousel Event will take place on Wednesday 31 January from 6 to 8pm at the Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.  Representatives from/advice on the following will be available:

• Fatima Allam Birth Centre (midwife led unit) and Labour Ward
• SureStart Children’s Centres
• UsMums fitness sessions
• Baby bath and nappy change demonstrations
• Car seat safety
• Home birth group
• Hypnobirth
• Healthy lifestyles
• ‘Let’s talk’ talking therapies
• Health Visitors
• Breast buddies – breastfeeding support
• Infant feeding
• Fire safety in the home
• Dental health for mum and baby
• … and much more!

Copies of the Baby Footprint postcards, as featured on the 2017 City of Culture artwork within the entrance to the Women and Children’s Hospital, will also be on sale.

There is no need to book, but for more information, call the HEY Baby team on 07769 671449.

Do you want a print, postcard or canvas of our “Born Into a City of Culture” artwork. Here’s what you need to know

I’d like a canvas. Where can I order one?

You can order them from the community midwives’ office on the first floor of Hull Women and Children’s Hospital between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

You can also email hyp-tr.hey.baby@nhs.net to place your order. You must type “Footprints” into the subject line of the order or it will not be picked up by the appropriate staff.

What size is the canvas and how much does it cost?

The canvas measures 22cm by 82 cm and costs £25. But, remember, it needs to be ordered and paid for in advance (see above).

Where can I get a postcard?

We have postcards for all six panels so you can buy the postcard for the month of your baby’s birth. They cost £1 each or you can buy the full set of six for £6.

You can buy them from the community midwives’ office on the first floor of Hull Women and Children’s Hospital between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

My baby was born last January/February/March. Can I still get a postcard of that month?

Yes. The artwork featured six panels, two months covered in each panel. You can still get postcards of every panel so, regardless of which month your baby was born in, you can get the postcard.

I’d like a print. Where can I get that?

You can get it from the community midwives’ office on the first floor of Hull Women and Children’s Hospital between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. It costs £7 for one or two for £10.

What size is the print?

The print measures 17cm by 59.5cm.

I can’t get into the hospital. Can I get a print or a postcard delivered to my home?

Unfortunately, we cannot send out postcards or prints as that would incur costs to the NHS.

I’ve gone back to work after maternity leave so I can’t come in during the day. How can I get a print or a postcard?

We’ll be selling the postcards and prints at our next Carousel event at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, January 31, between 6pm and 8pm.

How long will you be selling the postcards/prints/canvases?

We will be selling the postcards, prints and canvases until the last day in Febuary. So, you’ve got more than a month to get your items. We will post regularly to Facebook to remind you of the final sales day. After February 28, 2018, you will not be able to purchase a postcard, print or canvas for the “Born Into a City of Culture” artwork.

More than 8,000 hospital workers are launching “Operation Wintergreen” next week to help East Yorkshire’s two main hospitals deal with unprecedented pressure this winter.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is mobilising staff from every department to support frontline services after record numbers of emergency admissions of patients with serious and life-threatening illnesses over the past few weeks.

Routine surgery and some outpatient clinics will be cancelled for eight days starting on Monday, January 29, to free up clinical teams in specialisms including cardiology, rheumatology and respiratory illnesses.

Consultants and nurses will then be redeployed to work alongside frontline teams in Hull Royal’s emergency department to reduce unnecessary admissions and ensure patients have access to specialist opinions without having to be admitted onto wards.

And some of the trust’s 8,000-plus army of workers, including office, administrative and HR staff, are also being released from their normal day jobs to volunteer their services by acting as “runners” on wards in the Hull Royal tower block so nurses and healthcare professionals can concentrate on patient care.

Chief executive Chris Long said: “Since the start of the year, we have struggled not only with an increasing number of patients turning up at A&E but also with the complexity and seriousness of their conditions.

“We are not alone in experiencing increasing and intense levels of pressure this winter and most acute hospitals in England are in identical positions.

“In Hull, as a two-site hospital where the majority of our elective work takes place at Castle Hill Hospital, we have so far managed to avoid cancelling all non-urgent surgery in the way that many other trusts across the country have been doing since NHS England issued guidance in December.

“The time has now come, however, for us to take more extensive action and we owe it to our patients and staff to ensure we are there for the people who need us most.

“As things stand, we are not meeting the four-hour A&E standard, many patients are spending too long in hospital without being able to go home when they are ready and our staff are struggling to cope with this unprecedented level of demand.

“While we do not take the decision to cancel operations and outpatient clinics lightly, we are certain the people we care for will fully understand the pressures our NHS is facing and why we have to take further action at this time.

“My entire workforce is putting its collective shoulder to the wheel to ensure we make it through the winter and that our patients receive the best and safest care we can deliver.”

Hospital staff are now contacting those patients whose non-urgent operations and routine outpatient appointments between Monday, January 29, and 8am on Tuesday, February 6, will be cancelled.

Patients with long-term conditions who would be adversely affected by cancellations or postponed treatment, cancer surgery and urgent appointments will not be affected.

Michelle Kemp, director of operations for Family and Women’s Health Group, said: “We are already in the process of contacting patients who are directly affected and we are endeavouring to give people as much notice as possible.

“We ask that patients continue to turn up for their surgery or their appointments unless they hear from us directly.

“At this stage, we do not know exactly how many operations or appointments will be cancelled but we will only cancel where we are assured patients will suffer no immediate clinical harm as a consequence.

“We will only cancel appointments and operations where staff are to be diverted to productive roles alongside our emergency teams and we are working closely with our outpatients teams to ensure cancellations are kept to a minimum.

“By releasing our clinical teams from their other duties for a short period of time, we will be able to prioritise the care of our emergency patients, the people who need us most.”

The Trust hopes Operation Wintergreen will lower bed occupancy at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, which is currently above 95 per cent and well beyond the 85 per cent recommended for optimum patient safety.

Additional pharmacy staff, porters, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and phlebotomists will be drafted onto wards to enable patients to be sent home sooner after receiving the care they need.

Staff volunteering as “runners” on wards will be coordinated by a specialist team, ensuring they can be deployed to areas most in need of support.

Chief operating officer Ellen Ryabov said: “By taking this action now, we hope to be in a far better position within ten days to cope with any potential impact of flu or a continuation of the recent increase in patient acuity that we have seen in recent weeks.

“The trust’s senior leadership team will be continually monitoring and assessing the impact of our decision to cancel elective work and how this benefits our emergency patients. We can then flex the deployment of additional staff resources to areas where we will see the greatest benefit for patients and frontline teams.

“By working together, the trust’s army of staff are proving, once again, their priority lies in delivering the best possible patient care.”