We recently visited the unit at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital (“SJCH”) in Lichfield, UK with Dianne Garland from Midwife Expert. Our host was Julie Baker, Senior Midwife and manager of the unit.

One FP3 pool has been in use at SJCH since April 2016 and the room was upgraded generally at the same time, creating a welcoming and relaxing birth environment. The pool replaced an existing pool that had become unusable, restoring the ratio of 2 birth pools in 3 rooms at the unit.

Dianne and Julie discussed the design of FP3 and Julie pronounced herself satisfied with the pool, relating that it was popular with both midwives and women. They also discussed safe exit from the pool for a woman with shoulder dystocia and Dianne demonstrated how she recommends a woman do this by stepping up and into a kneeling position on a bed brought up next to the pool at the same level as the rim. Many thanks to Julie and Dianne for a thoughtful discussion.

Dianne can be contacted via www.midwifeexpert.co.uk