08/03/2024
On May 10, 2024, Debora and Joshua welcomed their baby boy, Alexander, at the High River General Hospital, with the help of the labour and delivery team, midwife Krysta Sears, and water immersion.
“I just felt a lot of freedom being able to move however I wanted that felt more comfortable for me to push him out, or whatever position felt better for my pain management,” Debora says as she reflects on her experience.
Pregnant families sometimes choose water immersion as a birthing option to help manage pain during labour and birth. Currently, water immersion is available at 13 AHS sites that have supports in place to ensure patients and families feel safe and supported before, during and after labour. Efforts are underway to expand this offering to more sites.
For midwife Sears, there is nothing more fulfilling than witnessing the empowerment of childbirth.
“It’s just so cool to see women step into their power, whatever that looks like - waterbirth or c-section, whatever it is,” she says. “Then it trickles through motherhood, right? If you believe in your ability to birth your baby, you inherently believe in your ability to be a mother.”
Sears is one of nearly 170 registered midwives who provide midwifery services through staff appointments with AHS provincewide.
