We are sad to hear that visionary obstetrician and birth advocate, Michel Odent, died in August at the age of 95. Many tributes to him and the impact of his work in the midwifery and birth world have been published. Midwifery expert on waterbirth, Dianne Garland, shares her own memories as a tribute.
In 1983 I qualified as a midwife and remember reading an article in the Lancet “Birth underwater” by Michel. I had no idea that this article and my qualification both in the same year, would have such a profound impact on my career.
I read this article and was fascinated by the thought that women could use water for labour/birth. It was a further 3 years before I came back to that article, when my professional journey supporting women in water began. Michel was travelling around the world, lecturing at conferences and writing profusely.
His books have been important to the childbirth community of health professionals and parents. In 2015 “Do we need Midwives” was a wakeup call and challenge to many, paving the way for me to be asked to review books by the American organisation Midwifery Today. It was with this organisation that I was fortunate to lecture again with him in Belgium 2019, we had a wonderful conference with colleagues from around the world.
This conference took me back to the 1996 “Waterbirth Unplugged” book and conference, supported and published by Beverley Beech from AIMS and other groups. It was one of my first opportunities to teach alongside the guru of waterbirths, and it was fantastic to meet colleagues who were starting their own waterbirth services. Participants included other pioneers of waterbirth, Cass Nightingale from Hillingdon hospital, and myself with colleague Linda Burrows, with whom I supported the first hospital waterbirth in the UK. A group of primary gurus in one room!
So, it was with sadness I heard on 19th August 2025 that Michel had passed away. Many memories and stories will be published and on social media over the coming months. Rest in peace, pioneer, advocate and teacher, a great friend.
Dianne Garland, Freelance Midwife, Founder Midwifeexpert.co.uk
September 2025