Underwater baby
Kiwi world champion freediver William Trubridge has returned with partner Sachiko Fukumoto for the water birth of their first child. But their plans for their daughter to be born in the sea had to change.
New Zealand freedive world champion William Trubridge is back on our shores as his partner prepares to give birth to their first child — a water birth.
The 38-year-old and his partner Sachiko Fukumoto — an actress and an avid diver from Okinawa in Japan — flew in from Tokyo on Wednesday after having taken part in a series of underwater pregnancy photo shoots, including at Tokashiki Island in Okinawa prefecture (pictured left).
They’ll base themselves at Trubridge’s family home in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay, for three months — spanning the last month of Fukumoto’s pregnancy and the first couple of months after the birth of their daughter.
Trubridge said they had wanted Fukumoto to give birth in the sea, but were deterred by logistics — by the due date, New Zealand’s waters would be too cold.
“Because it’s in March, we’d have to be somewhere that it’s warm,” he told the Weekend Herald.
The fallback was a birthing pool at the Trubridge home.
The pair hope to get her used to water early.
“It would be nice to put her in contact with the water and see how she responds — if she likes that sensation,” Fukumoto said. “If she has contact with the water from when she is a baby, there’s a big chance she will like it.”
Fukumoto praised the choice New Zealand’s health system offered in birthing.
She said it was “beautiful” to be able to take a natural route.
The pair will shoot footage with a crew for a video project revolving around the childbirth.
Trubridge, who was born in the UK but moved to New Zealand at 18 months, holds 18 world records in dive disciplines.
He set his latest record in 2016 when he plunged 122m into a blue hole in the Bahamas; beating his previous record.
He teaches at freediving school Vertical Blue in the Bahamas.
Fukumoto was recently in Japan for the filming of French movie Women, directed by Yan ArthusBertrand. Trubridge had been shooting projects, teaching in Hawaii and, as always, training.
He is looking forward to spearfishing during his stay. His parents have a house in Ma¯hunga, on the Mahia Peninsula. “It’s a great spot to go out and get kingfish and other seafood to put on the table,” he said.
Following their stint in New Zealand, Trubridge will get back into training for the AIDA World Championships in September.