BabyFit Project

Our current long term project is auditing and evaluating our ante natal exercise programme for both benefits and of helping in labour and birth. So far this is proving very positive and will continue to obtain a large collection of data.

"The exercise classes helped me sustain a healthy weight gain"

"I kept good muscle tone, was great having the interaction with other mums to be and improved my mood"

"a great source of knowledge from midwife trainer"

"The babyFit classes were great as a social contact and made me go out and kept my fitness for labour and recovery afterwards"

At the end of October 2014 there was 192 in the audit.
84.38% were having their first baby.
78.65% went into spontaneous labour.
64.60% had a normal vaginal birth.
Only 5.21% (10) were induced for being post dates.
16.62% (32) had an epidural for pain relief. 52.5% (100) used gas and air and 12.5% (24) used water.The rest used Tens machine or no pain releif
19.79% had c-section (15.63% emergency and 4.17% planned)

National statistics (Birth choice UK 2011) http://www.birthchoiceuk.com/ Normal birth 41.8%; Caesarean section 24 - 28%; Induction rate 21.3%

Publications

Exercise in Pregnancy - The Practising Midwife Journal April 2002 Author D Howells

A Little Exercise in Pregnancy for a Better Experience of Birth - The Practising Midwife Journal April 2011 Author D Howells