LITTLE Lauren Northway has made history by being the first baby to arrive by water birth at Okehampton Hospital.
Midwives Odette Parsons and Heather Elsom said they were 'proud and thrilled' to be involved in the delivery.
'We have had several water births in the community, but this is our first at the hospital and everything went according to plan,' said Heather.
Mum-to-be Kathryn Northway from Chagford went into labour during Monday of last week and was taken to hospital by husband Peter. The water tub had been collected earlier from Broadhempston by Peter and was made ready in good time for Kathryn to step into the pool some three hours before giving birth to Lauren who weighed in at 8lbs 6ozs.
'It was all very calm and relaxed,' said Kathryn.
The new mum had a problem-free pregnancy and so could elect to have her first baby at her local community hospital instead of the general hospital at Exeter.
She said she has chosen a water birth because she knew other people who had experienced them and she felt the water would be soothing.
'When you have a bath it soothes your aches and pains and so having the baby this way really appealed to me,' she said.
'I am so glad I did it — I felt very relaxed and would certainly do it again.'
Kathryn has praised the midwives who were 'just wonderful' and 'really caring'.
'Odette Parsons was with me through it all and Heather Elsom helped towards the end,' she said. 'They were marvellous and I would like to thank them for their kindness and support.'
Midwife Sue Pritchard said the hospital did not have a pool in situ and this one was hired privately by the couple.
'We would like to offer more women the chance of having a water birth but unfortunately we do not have a pool here at the present time,' she said. 'However, we do as much as we possibly can to accommodate mums-to-be and help them with the pain.'