PBB Talks: Waterbirth for VBAC
Presented by PhD candidate and Midwife, Bethan Townsend, Griffith University on 10 November 2018
Featuring Annalise Bradford, Caroline Jackson and Dr Kirsten Small
Introduction
We proudly presented another PBB Talks event in partnership with Gold Coast University Hospital and Griffith University, this time with Bethan Townsend who discussed her research findings on women's experiences of water immersion for labour and birth for their Vaginal Births after Caesarean (VBAC).
BETHAN TOWNSEND is the Clinical Midwife Consultant at Gold Coast University Hospital and a PhD student. She has practised midwifery in the UK, Abu Dhabi, and Queensland. Currently Bethan is working in the Midwifery group Practice and with the Midwifery Navigator team, assisting women with complex physical and social needs. Through her experiences with pregnant and birthing women, Bethan has developed a key interest in seeing the provision of continuity of care for all women, including supporting water immersion for labour and birth for women who have had previous c/sections.
DR KIRSTEN SMALL is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist with experience in both the public and private sectors. She works as a lecturer at Griffith University and is currently completing a PhD on fetal monitoring. Kirsten's clinical work has focused on providing woman-centred care that supports physiological approaches to birth.
Two maternity service users, Annalise Bradford and Caroline Jackson also shared their experiences of waterbirth for their VBACs.
Waterbirth is not used in conventional obstetric practice for women seeking VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), yet in practice Bethan has found it increases women's chances of achieving a VBAC. These positive outcomes have prompted Bethan to commence her PhD, and Bethan presented her preliminary findings of women's experiences of this mode of birth.
BETHAN TOWNSEND is the Clinical Midwife Consultant at Gold Coast University Hospital and a PhD student. She has practised midwifery in the UK, Abu Dhabi, and Queensland. Currently Bethan is working in the Midwifery group Practice and with the Midwifery Navigator team, assisting women with complex physical and social needs. Through her experiences with pregnant and birthing women, Bethan has developed a key interest in seeing the provision of continuity of care for all women, including supporting water immersion for labour and birth for women who have had previous c/sections.
DR KIRSTEN SMALL is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist with experience in both the public and private sectors. She works as a lecturer at Griffith University and is currently completing a PhD on fetal monitoring. Kirsten's clinical work has focused on providing woman-centred care that supports physiological approaches to birth.
Two maternity service users, Annalise Bradford and Caroline Jackson also shared their experiences of waterbirth for their VBACs.
Waterbirth is not used in conventional obstetric practice for women seeking VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), yet in practice Bethan has found it increases women's chances of achieving a VBAC. These positive outcomes have prompted Bethan to commence her PhD, and Bethan presented her preliminary findings of women's experiences of this mode of birth.
Recorded Content
From this page you can view video (including slides from the presentation), or listen to audio only, as listed below.
Video
Part 1 of 2: Paula Stanton and Sally Cusack introduce the session and Bethan presents the latest evidence regarding VBAC and the initial findings of her research into women's experiences of waterbirth for VBAC. This is followed by Annalise Bradford's story of having a waterbirth VBAC after two prior caesarean sections.
After Annalise's presentation, she shared this video from her third birth, a VBAC, in the water. There was barely a dry eye in the house as we witnessed Annalise's transformative experience.
Part 2 of 2: Panel discussion between Dr Kirsten Small, Bethan Townsend, Caroline Jackson and Annalise Bradford. Concludes with suggestions for what the audience can do by Sally Cusack and concluding remarks from Paula Stanton.
NOTES: References cited by Sally Cusack at very end of this video are:
++ Every health service has complaints/compliments form, eg for Gold Coast HHS:
Complaints/Compliments
Patient Liaison Service: gcpls@health.qld.gov.au
AND Have your say on service design
Consumer Advisory Group: goldcoasthealth@health.qld.gov.au
++ Patient Opinion Australia
++ Choosing Wisely Australia
5 questions to ask your doctor or other healthcare provider:
++ Every health service has complaints/compliments form, eg for Gold Coast HHS:
Complaints/Compliments
Patient Liaison Service: gcpls@health.qld.gov.au
AND Have your say on service design
Consumer Advisory Group: goldcoasthealth@health.qld.gov.au
++ Patient Opinion Australia
++ Choosing Wisely Australia
5 questions to ask your doctor or other healthcare provider:
- Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure?
- What are the risks?
- Are there simpler, safer options?
- What happens if I don't do anything?
- What are the costs?
Audio
Part 1 of 2: Paula Stanton and Sally Cusack introduce the session and Bethan presents the latest evidence regarding VBAC and the initial findings of her research into women's experiences of waterbirth for VBAC. This is followed by Annalise Bradford's story of having a waterbirth VBAC after two prior caesarean sections.
Part 2 of 2: Panel discussion between Dr Kirsten Small, Bethan Townsend, Caroline Jackson and Annalise Bradford. Concludes with suggestions for what the audience can do by Sally Cusack and concluding remarks from Paula Stanton.
Title image credit: Annalise Bradford, used with permission