Hi Ladies,
Pat indicated to me that they definitely clean the baths with a hospital strength cleaner (presumably a disinfectant / antiseptic) after each client but I know from other stuff I have read that these don't always kill all "bugs", so that was probably more her concern. The risk of infection does not particularly worry me, I bathed in the hospital bath (abliet for a short period of time because it was little and uncomfortable) with my first VBAC after ROM. And for that one my OB and I had agreed that if there was any sign of infection we would just treat it as it arose - needless to say it didn't.
Ref the birth centre rate of using the baths I am not sure. I know they are readily available to all the BC ladies and that most, if not all the midwives in the BC are "bath" qualified however maybe it is just the choice of the clients not to use the baths as much for their own reasons. When I first checked out the birth centre the midwives certainly indicated they do encourage the use of the baths where the mother wants it or where they think it may assist her - so who knows.
I am just happy that it is now a definite option for me both for pain relief and birth (if I choose to go that way) and hopefully that this will also make the choice more widely available for other women should they want it. The funny thing is most of my friends think I am nuts to want to labour in water (they do think showers are ok) let alone possibly birth there.
I think there is still a reasonable size hurdle to get over in teaching the general population that birth is "a natural event that occasionally needs help" not "a medical event from which non medical options are seen as radical". Some of my friends think my ideas on birth are "hippyish" but being a professional with two degrees in the Army I am about as far from "hippy" as you can get!! I just believe in my body and what it was designed for and want those supporting me to believe also so that we can give this new little lady that is coming into the world a calm and stress free birth.
Debby
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