Categories and themes | Obstetric units | Midwifery units |
---|---|---|
Physical environment | ||
 Pool availability | Pool in 7–17% of birth rooms | Pool in 60–100% of birth rooms |
 Pool room environment | Some pool rooms disliked by midwives | Described by women/midwives as relaxing/encouraging of pool use |
Midwives’ intrapersonal factors | ||
 Midwives’ attitudes | Some not keen on pool use, often due to lack of confidence | All very positive about pool use |
 Midwives’ confidence | Some not confident - frightened of pool use | All confident in supporting pool use |
Autonomy and support of midwives | ||
 Senior staff support | Some senior staff unsupportive of pool use | Midwives feel very supported by seniors to support pool use |
 Midwives’ autonomy | Some autonomy to offer the pool to ‘low risk’ women | Complete autonomy to offer the pool to all women |
Information and support for women | ||
 Women’s awareness | Women don’t necessarily know there is a pool, so don’t ask to use one | Women very aware of pools on the unit; most ask to use one |
 Information given to women | Pool use not fully discussed antenatally | Pool use discussed and encouraged antenatally |
 Proactive offering of pool | Pool not usually offered - women have to be proactive | Pool offered / promoted to all women |
 Support for women to use a pool | Pool use generally discouraged, and in some cases blocked | Women are supported / actively encouraged to use a pool |