UK first for pregnancy aquatics course

A pioneering course for would-be pregnancy aquanatal instructors has been developed by Salford University – with the first group of students starting 25 February 2008.

The five-day intensive Pregnancy Aquatics, Nutrition and Heath course is the first of its kind in the UK and will enable students to offer their own water-based antenatal exercise classes - including teaching about obesity, and nutrition for health and exercise.

Aimed at health, exercise and leisure professionals and held at the University’s own swimming pool, it is hoped that the course will persuade more pregnant women to exercise in water and, in turn, encourage them to opt for water births.

The School of Healthcare Professions’ Sue Baines, said: “Aquatic exercise skills, active birth positions and relaxation strategies, along with the use of music, will all be part of the course. There is massive potential to impact on pubic health issues such as obesity, nutrition and female continence.”

The course will include a combination of lectures, presentations, demonstrations and active participation, and on successful completion students will be equipped for the role of pregnancy aquatic facilitator.

The course can be taken as a single module, and students can gain 20 credits at level 3 learning, by submission of an additional piece of written work. It can also be taken as part of the Midwifery post registration BSc (Hons) portfolio.

Sue said: “When I started teaching aquatic exercise for pregnancy ten years ago it was a relatively new technique. However it has become increasingly popular with many mothers also choosing water births as a direct consequence of attending sessions.”

Home birth rates - particularly home water births - are steadily rising throughout the UK, something also influenced by many high profile celebrities choosing water as a birthing medium.

Sue added: “This is the first course of its kind in the country and I hope that it will help to encourage more pregnant women to experience the therapeutic and pain relieving properties of water – whether for exercise or labour. We hope midwives, nurses and other interested people will see the massive potential to influence health.”