Clinical Skills Development Service

Water Immersion for Labour and Birth (WILB) overview of the program research

Last year, the CSDS team celebrated the publication of three articles in The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal (ANMJ). Building on that success, we’ve kicked off this year with yet another article in ANMJ. This latest piece by Dr Lisa Peberdy, Dr Mia McLanders, Dr Lauren Kearney and Ms Megan Barker delves into the background of Water Immersion for Labour and Birth (WILB), stressing the importance of promoting a positive birth experience through informed decision-making and respectful maternity care.

Backed by evidence highlighting its safety and benefits for women, the article explores the challenges surrounding the low uptake of WILB in Queensland, including workforce limitations and facility constraints. Additionally, it introduces our evidence-based education package designed to support maternity clinicians in facilitating WILB. Looking ahead, our proposed research aims to evaluate the impact of this package on clinical practice and maternal outcomes statewide.


Read all other publications by the CSDS Research Team here.