giving birth underwater in helsinki or espoo area

kalena_ale · Post by **kalena_ale** » Thu May 30, 2013 4:23 pm

Does anybody know anything about giving birth underwater in finland?

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Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Thu May 30, 2013 7:15 pm

I assume you mean in a bath/pool situation?

Kättilöopisto does water births.

http://www.hus.fi/sairaanhoito/sairaala ... fault.aspx

There's an English link on the site.

When I gave birth there, there were two floors. One for women who could get epidurals etc. But also could have water births, then no epidural is allowed. And it was for women who had or may have problems.

Then there was the floor above it. You could only give birth on the floor above if everything was 100% fine. That floor was for all natural birthing, where they would offer more natural methods of birthing. There was the option of acupuncture and whatnot at the time when I was there. So I would assume giving birth in water would be very welcomed there too.

Goodluck!

kalena_ale · Post by **kalena_ale** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 2:06 am

Thank you so much! I will check it!

johannka · Post by **johannka** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 8:16 pm

Hi, I am not sure if this is still actual, but will contirbute. I was giving birth in the Kätilöopisto at the end of August this year... there are two floors, each has a special room with bathing tub, and if this is occupied and mother-to-be wants to give birth into water, they offer a tub that is inflatable. It is good to tell them as soon as you get in, that you want to give birth into water, so they give you the room or room big enough for the inflatable tub. You just need to have your own cover. It is called cover for "la basine" and they are selling it in Kamppi (the shopping centre in Helsinki) in the boutique with baby stuff called "Be-be". It costs around 25euro, but if you do not use it, you can return it (within one month after the due date) and they give you money back (100%). The cover is needed, because it is difficult to clean the tub. Without that they will not let you in (into the tub).
It is quite normal to be in the tub - if I understood it correctly. I wanted it too, but they had to monitor baby, so they did not recommend it to me and let me just to the shower - to relieve the pain.

Anyway, I think that in Finland, they are supporting giving birth into water (or spending part of the process in the tub) and hospitals are well equiped for it. You just ask for that... and write it down into your birth plan. They are really following your wishes and your birthplan. I had very good (great!) experience in Kätilöopisto.

Good luck to all mothers to be.

Vendula

AldenG · Post by **AldenG** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:15 pm

I'm not sure I could hold my breath long enough.

Marjaana Siivola · Post by **Marjaana Siivola** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:50 pm

Hi,
You can birth in water in Kätilöopisto and Jorvi. You should let the midwife know that this is something you hope for, since the midwife taking care of you need to have special training for it. Not all midwifes do it. Like in the previous post, Kätilöopisto has two delivery room with a bath and those La Bassine inflatable pools to use. In Jorvi there is a bath in additional room (that is no ones delivery room) and most of the time you are free to use it.
I also rent out the Made in Water La Bassine Pro pool (www.doules.fi) and there are other doulas who rent it out too. You can have it at home or take it with you to the hospital.
Marjaana Siivola
doules.fi

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