We’re hoping to raise £50,000 for two new birthing pools in the maternity unit at North Devon District Hospital. The existing pools at the hospital are now more than 30 years old and in desperate need of replacement.

With more than 1,000 babies born at the hospital every year, we want to be able to offer mothers the best possible experience and the choice of being able to birth their babies in water.

Midwife Dawn said: “I have seen how much the women relax when they get into the water, and you can see how much calmer they are almost immediately. As a midwife at a water birth, you really focus on the mum and have so much more time to give to her. It is the perfect environment for a baby to be born into.”

Mum Jess said: “I was stuck in early labour for a number of hours, doing what I could to ease the pressure of the contractions. However, as soon as I was able to get in the pool it just completely changed everything for me. I was able to relax and get into the zone. We ended up having the most magical birth, with our baby born into the water and I was able to catch her myself. It will forever be my most favourite day and a huge part of that was the birthing pool.”

There are so many benefits of birthing pools for women, these include:

• Warm water is soothing, comforting, and relaxing.

• The buoyancy effect lessens a mother’s body weight, allowing free movement and new positioning.

• Buoyancy promotes more efficient contractions and improved blood circulation resulting in less pain for the mother, and more oxygen for the baby.

• Labouring in water poses no extra risks to mother and baby BUT significantly helps to relieve pain leading to less use of pain medications including opiates and anaesthetics.

• As the labouring woman relaxes physically, she is able to relax mentally with greater ability to focus on the birth process.

• Since the water provides a greater sense of privacy, it can reduce inhibitions, anxiety, and fears.

*If for any unforeseen reason, we are unable to fund this project, or there are surplus funds, we will use the donations for other charitable purposes.