Talk about a water baby.
Little Alasdair Watney Macdonald has made some waves as the first baby to be born in the new birthing pool in the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway.
Alasdair, who made his entrance earlier this month, weighing in at 8lb 1oz, is the first tot to be delivered in the pool, although other mums had previously used it to ease their labour since it opened late last year.
Mum Megan Watney, 31, said: “It was a great experience – as good as birth can be. I felt it was more relaxing, for the baby as well. I felt the baby transitioned a lot better. He seemed to be very relaxed. He didn’t start screaming or crying right away.
“I had wanted it for pain relief, mainly, because last time I had the bath and that seemed to help. I felt, in between the contractions, you could really let go and relax. You didn’t have to hold your weight afterwards.”
Alasdair is the second child for Megan and partner Seumas Macdonald, 32, and a little brother for proud Uilleam, aged two. The family live in Linshader, Uig, on the Isle of Lewis.
Compared to Uilleam’s birth, Mr Macdonald said: “It was definitely more relaxing all round. When the baby was born, he just lay in the water in the warmth. I guess it’s much less of a shock than coming out into the cold air.”
Catherine Macdonald, Head of Midwifery at NHS Western Isles, said they had wanted to offer this choice “for years”, adding: “From a midwife’s perspective, I’m absolutely delighted that we’re able to offer our women this choice element.
“Some people will want to use it for labour and not necessarily for birth but then they might change their mind – it depends on how the mood goes and how the ambience is.”
Midwife Christina ‘Todag’ Mackenzie, who attended Alasdair’s birth, said: “It was a new experience for me and it was really nice to be part of it. It was lovely. Megan was the ideal candidate because it was her second baby and there were no risk factors. She also had the mindset.”