Authors (including presenting author) :
Tsang WC, Koo YY
Affiliation :
O & G, Kwong Wah Hospital.
Introduction :
Pregnancies and births are normal and important physiological processes in a woman’s life. Midwifery means more than just being present at births. Discovering the potential for new practices in evidenced midwifery, including birthing in upright positioning, promoting empowerment in women and interactive engagement in making informed choices have become new approaches for promoting normal birth.
Objectives :
By using the Birth Chair during labour, better pain relief, good companionship from spouse, women's self-empowerment, and satisfaction towards childbirth could be enhanced.
Methodology :
Intervention Method
Selected low-risk laboring Women were given informed choices for using Birth Chair during labour.
Different positions were allowed by using the Birth Chair, including sitting position for relaxation, All-Fours position for massage during the first stage and also pushing with handles or in Mc Roberts position during the second stage of labour. Husband accompanied labour was encouraged for providing full support by sitting behind them during the labour and performing massage during the first stage.
Other midwifery care was provided as usual and obstetrician would be informed for any abnormalities.
Outcome measurement
Mothers’ general satisfaction in birthing experience, including pain score, support from midwife and level of expectation met was evaluated by questionnaires.
Result & Outcome :
Main Outcomes - Birthing experience by laboring women
During the pilot period in using of the Birth Chair, five women, including three nulliparous and two multiparous women used Birth chair during their labour. Four of them delivered on the Birth Chair and one of them chose to go back for delivery on bed. For the four deliveries on Birth chair, all of them delivered by normal vaginal deliveries in smooth and safe manners without postpartum hemorrhage and babies were all in good condition.
Overall comments on their used of Birth Chair were positive, in the aspect of professional support, delivery experience, pain management in labour, companion support, birthing environment and comments towards the Birth Chair. Especially the multiparous women, they commented it was a complete different experience compared to their previous one, which the husbands were actively participating during the labour this time, gave them a more positive birth experience.
Limitations
The case number was small and not significant enough to represent all women’s attitude towards Birth chair.
Conclusion
Birth chair is a good and safe alternative choice for normal low risk birthing mothers. Hospital could encourage more midwifes to invite mothers to get out of their beds and use the birth chairs during labour or deliveries if they have these facilities. This will improve their birth experience by empowering them, reducing exhaustion and increasing the husband participation.
