Catherine Day made good use of the new birthing props at Wollongong Hospital’s maternity unit two weeks ago.
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The Woonona resident – and new mum to baby Jacob – said props such as beanbags, balls, stools and mats helped her stay as comfortable as possible throughout a long labour.
“I was in labour from 10.30pm at night to 7am the next morning,” she said. “I think without being able to move around, and use the different props to get into certain positions to reduce the pain, I wouldn’t have ended up having a natural birth. I would have opted for an epidural.”
Wollongong Hospital maternity service operation manager Melissa Cooke said staff had been trained in the use of the new props to guide women on how best to use them.
“We’ve listened to community feedback and have purchased a range of props to make women as comfortable as they can be during labour,” she said.
“It’s part of a wider project of modernisation of the birthing unit, and we welcome further feedback from people using our birthing unit to help shape our work moving forward.”
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District clinical co-director Maternity and Women’s Health, Dr Henry Murray, said the measures were part of a collaboration between the hospital and advocacy group, Better Births Illawarra.
“This feedback has helped guide us in providing the highest quality care for women accessing our maternity services,” he said.
“The new props will aid women in spontaneous labour to have a birth where they are mobile and in the best position for their needs and brings Wollongong Hospital into line with all other similar obstetric units around NSW.”
Better Births Illawarra spokeswoman, Giselle Coromandel, welcomed the purchase of the new equipment.
“Using these props is a really simple but effective way for women to remain active in labour, which evidence shows can lead to shorter labours and less intervention,” Ms Coromandel said.
“Hospital staff have been regularly meeting with women to get their feedback on giving birth at Wollongong Hospital. This shows that they are listening to women and want to give them a choice.”
According to the local health district, Wollongong Hospital spends more than $19 million a year on its maternity service.
The hospital’s maternity unit has come under fire in recent years, with a campaign for improvements by the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association launched last October.
Better Births Illawarra was formed in early 2017 to improve birth options and facilities at the hospital.