Victoria has water birth just like mum’s first one 22 years ago (From Echo)

Victoria has water birth just like mum’s first one 22 years ago

6:00am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Basildon By Emma Palmer

Water babies – Victoria and Andrea Kingdon with new arrival Rorie

SPLASHTASTIC! More than two decades after she became the first tot in Essex to be delivered in a water birth, Victoria Kingdon has welcomed her own little water baby.

The 22 -year-old has continued the tradition started by her mum, Andrea Kingdon, by having the same style birth in exactly the same place.

Victoria says her experience of delivering her son Rorie within Basildon Hospital’s Willow Ward was simply “wonderful”.

She said: “I always knew I was the first water baby in Essex as my mum had told me. When I found out I was pregnant I was determined to have a water birth too.

“I was in the pool for about four hours and then Rorie came out, weighing a healthy 8lb 1oz. I found the whole thing quite relaxing – well as relaxing as giving birth can be!

“I had the radio on and my midwives were excellent.”

Victoria and partner David Ford, 22, are now living with Andrea, 41, in Jermayns, Laindon.

Andrea, who was at Victoria’s side during Rorie’s birth, said: “It certainly brought back a lot of memories, although it’s all changed now.

“When I had Victoria water births were almost unheard of. I had to rent the birthing pool from a company and have it taken to the hospital.

“Despite the fact it was rare I was sure it’s what I wanted to do as I’d read about how it could ease the pain of labour. Because I was the first in Essex they were all making a big thing out of it and I had lots of doctors popping in and out to watch. It was quite a novelty.”

In 1993, the NHS launched a big drive to get more women to have a water birth and now more than 1,000 such births take place at Basildon Hospital every year.

As well as helping women to cope with the pain, water births are thought to give babies a more peaceful entry into the world.

Andrea has her work cut out – with seven children – and now helping to care for her first grandchild.

She said: “I have a 15 month old son, Alfie, as well as ten-year- old twin girls, two teenage sons, a 20 year old son and Vicky.

“It’s strange because Alfie is Rorie’s uncle, but is only 15 months older than him.

“It’s worth it all though, we are a close family.”

Lynne Cook, head of midwifery at Basildon Hospital, said: “It’s so nice that 22 years later, Victoria has come back to Basildon Hospital, where she was born and given birth to her son in the birthing pool.”