GB2073584A - A bath for use during childbirth - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile tub (11) equipped to hold water incorporates a movable platform (13) which is intended to support a woman during labour and child delivery. Prior to delivery and during labour the platform is submerged in turbulent and temperature controlled water for relaxation purposes and during delivery is elevated to support the woman above the water to act as a delivery table. Stirrups 15, 15%, 15_ are provided. The platform 13 is movable by a piston/cylinder device along inclined tracks 14 and when in its lower position, water is supplied through holes 36 to submerge the platform. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A bath for use during childbirth This invention relates to a bath for use during childbirth, which encourages relaxation and reduces pain associated with labour and delivery.

During the advanced stages of pre-delivery labour, it is important that a woman relax since relaxation is eminently important for a successful delivery of the child with minimum chances of complications, This is especially true in the case of natural childbirth procedures. Little has been done in the past to aid the ability of the patient in this regard except through the use of drugs and such measures should be avoided in favour of more natural methods.

It is commonly accepted that a warm bath is beneficial in promoting relaxation with this effect further enhanced if the water is agitated in the manner of the currently popular whirlpool-type device known as a Jacuzzi.

Accordingly, a convenient means is needed for utilizing a relaxing bath during the late stages of labour but changeable immediately to the delivery procedure. The present invention is directed toward a practical and effective apparatus for accomplishing this purpose.

According to the invention, there is provided a birthing bath comprising a tub for containing warm water for soothing a woman in labour; a track mounted in the said tub and extending longitudinally thereof; a reclining platform mounted on the track for movement therealong; means for moving the platform from a first position in the tub wherein a woman reclining on the platform would have her lower extremities submerged in the water in the tub to a second position where her lower extremities are moved out of the water; and catch means for holding the platform in the said second position.

The tub makes is possible to surround the lower portions of a woman with warm water during labour thereby enhancing her ability to achieve a condition of optimum comfort and relaxation.

The movable platform is easily movable from a position in which a major part of the woman's body is submerged in the water during labour to a raised position in which the woman's body is elevated above the surface of the water during delivery.

The bath may be in a mobile form so that it may be readily moved from one room to another such as from a private room used during labourto a delivery room.

The bath may incorporate a pair of leg supports adjustably movable from a storage position to a position for use during delivery. Means may be provided for controlling or regulating the water temperature, and for agitating or adding a desired degree of turbulence to the water. Preferably there are means for filtering the water to maintain the water in a sanitary condition throughout each period of use. The bath may include an actuator which is coupled to a platform for supporting a woman prior to and during childbirth for providing push-button control of the platform position. Preferably the bath has a lowvoltage electric storage battery for use as the power source, thereby reducing the risk of electric shock.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure lisa perspective view of a birthing bath according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the birthing bath shown in Figure 1 taken along the line 2-2, Figure 3 is an enlarged partial view of the front part of the supporting platform of the birthing bath shown in its raised position at the time of delivery; Figure 4 is a top view of the birthing bath showing the platform leg stirrups in the position employed at the time of delivery; Figure 5 is a front view of the platform assembly; Figure 6 is a top view of the platform assembly; and, Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a stirrup in position to support a woman's leg at the time of delivery.

The drawings show a birthing bath 10 comprising a mobile, rectangular tub 11 supported on four wheels 12, 12'. A movable supporting platform 13 is located in the centre of the tub 11 and is mounted on a pair of rails 14 by means of two axle-mounted rear wheels 16 and two axle-mounted front wheels 17.

Two adjustably positioned stirrups 15 are located one at each of the two top front corners of the tub 11.

The tub 11 is of a rectanguiar configuration with the wheels 12, 12' located one at each of the four low corners. Two of the wheels on either end may be pivotally mounted on the structure with the other two fixed to permit manoeuvrability. Rails 14 located inside the tub 11 are intended and slope arcuately downwardly and rearwardly from the top front edge of the tub to a point near the centre of its base. Along the interior length oftub 11 running from its centre to the rear section thereof are positioned shelves 18 with one positioned at each side of the tub. The spacing between these shelves is slightly greater than the overall outside dimension of the platform 13 taken at a point adjacent its wheels 16.

Each of the stirrups 15 comprises an arm 15' having a U-shaped saddle 15" at its free end and supported at its other end by a laterally extending portion 15"'. Portion 15' " of the arm is rotatably and slidably supported inside a hollow bore in the tub.

The two stirrups are mounted in this manner so that they may be rotated for storage to the horizontal position shown in full lines in Figure 1.

The platform 13 is generally rectangular in shape with a slight transverse bend located near its lower end which forms a seat for the user. Its rear wheels 16 are journalled at the ends of a shaft 19 which is sec ure'd to the bottom of the platform by means of two perpendicularly extending struts 21. The struts are attached at their upper ends to the underside of the rearward end of platform 13. A transverse web 20 is provided to stiffen the struts. The front wheels 17 are mounted under the centre of the platform just rearward of its front edge. The spacing between the two front wheels 17 is such as to permit the front wheels to ride the indented rails 14.When the platform 13 is mounted in the tub 11,the rear wheels 17 are confined and positioned between the shelves 18 so that the shelves in co-operation with the indented rails 14 ensure and maintain the alignment of the platform within the tub 11.

Two small shelves 23 and 24 are located in the corners of the opposed end of the tub from shelves 18, the shelves 23 and 24 being so designed that they provide clearance thereunder for the front wheels 12'.

Additional functional accessories of the birthing bath device 10 are mounted in an equipmentcom- partment 25 located at the rear of the tub 11 and comprise electric storage batteries 26, a water filter 27, a water heater 28 and a pump 29. Operator controls are located on a control panel 31 located on the top surface of the compartment 25, with additional controls located for patient operation on another control panel 32 located on one side ofthe tub 11. In order to move the platform 13 along the rails 14 a piston type actuator 33 is provided. This actuator comprises a cylinder 33A having a fluid actuated piston and piston rod 33B mounted therein.One end of the cylinder 33A of actuator 33 is pivotally secured to the lower rear inside corner of the tub 11 with the free end of its piston rod 33B pivotally attached by a pivot 34 to the forward underside of platform 13.

When the piston rod 33B is extended in response to fluid pressure inside the cylinder33A of the actuator 33, the platform 13 is moved forward along and up the rails 14. At the fully-forward position of platform 13, its wheels 17 come to rest in cylindrical depressions 35 at the forward teminations of the rails 14.

The depressions 35 serve to secure the forward position of the platform 13.

In the use of tub 10 during the period of labour preceding delivery, the platform 13 is moved manually to its rearward position. The patient sits or lies on platform 13 with her feet resting on the shelves 23 and 24. The tub 11 is substantially filled with water which covers a major part of the patient's body.

Water supplied by the pump 29 flows through ducts inside the walls of the tub 11 entering the interior of the tub 11 through apertures 36 and then leaves the tub 11 through an opening 37 in the rear wall of the tub 11 and returns to the pump 29 through the filter 27 and the heater 28.

Batteries 26 serve as a low voltage energy source for the operation of the pump 29, the heater 28 and associated solenoids and controls. The low-voltage source is preferred to an alternating current mains power source because it eliminates the risk of electrical shock to the patient.

During the period of labour the patient may adjust a flow rate control 38 on the panel 32. The control 38 adjusts the flow rate of the pump 29, thereby controlling the rate and turbulence of the water flowing through the apertures 36. An adjustable Jacuzzi action is thus achieved which complements the relaxing effect of the warm water path. The patient also has access to a temperature control 39 which is also located on the panel 32. The control 39 adjusts thewatertemperature; by controlling the flow of electric current from the batteries 26 to the electric heater 28. The patient may thus control both water temperature and turbulence to levels she finds to be comfortable and relaxing.

The importance of maintaining the sanitary condition of the water in tub 11 will be immediately recognized. The continuous recirculation of the water through the filter 27 contributes effectively toward this end.

When delivery of the baby is imminent, the birthing bath 10 is moved to the delivery room and the platform 13 is moved to the forward and elevation position in which is serves as a delivery table. To move the platform 13 to the forward position, a nurse or attendant raises the patient's feet and legs above the forward end of the tub 11. Another attendantthen operates a switch 41 on the panel 25 which switch energizes a solenoid valve (not shown) which diverts the outlet of the pump 29 from the ducts feed" ing apertures 36 to direct it into the cylinder of the actuator 33. The actuator 33 responds by driving the pivot 34 and the platform 13 forward so that the wheels 16travel up the rails 14 and finally come to rest in- the depressions 35. The stirrups 15 are then raised and adjusted to supportthe patient's legs comfortably during child-delivery.

After delivery, the patient is removed from the platform 13 and it is restored manually to the lowered rearward position.

A power on/off switch 42 located on the panel 25 permits all loads to be disconnected from the battery 26 when the bath 10 is not in use.

Claims (10)

1. A birthing bath comprising a tub for containing warm water for soothing a woman in labour; a track mounted in the said tub and extending lon gitudinallythereof; a reclining platform mounted on the track for movement therealong; means for moving the platform from a first position in the tub wherein a woman reclining on the platform would have her lower extremities submerged in the water in the tub to a second position where her lower extremities are moved out of the water; and catch means for holding the platform in the said second position.

2. A bath as claimed in claim 1, wherein the track is inclined toward the said second position.

3. A bath as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the platform is provided with wheels for moving on and along the track.

4. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means mounted on the tub for circulating water through the tub to obtain therapeutic benefits.

5. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the catch means comprises depressions in the tub wall at one end of the track.

6. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means mounted on the tub for filtering and heating the water in the tub.

7. A bath as claimed in claim~6, further comprising control means mounted on the tub in a position for operation by a woman in labour reclining on the platform for controlling the functioning of the control means for heating the water in the tub.

8. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a pair of spacedly positioned stirrups mounted at the end of the track on the tub adjacent the second position for holding the legs of the woman during delivery.

9. A bath as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the track comprises a pair of spaced rails.

10. A birthing bath substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.