2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
For many women who dread childbirth, water birth provides a gentle and different approach. What do you know about this unique method?
Why give birth in water?
Water helps to relax. While water does not prevent the pain of contractions, it still helps you relax during labor, which makes you feel less in pain. Well immersed in a bath of warm water, the future mother breathes better, relaxes her muscles and reduces stress, which has a positive effect on the baby. If the bath is at the right temperature, between 34 and 36 degrees Celsius, the bath should also help dilate the cervix.
Talk about it in your birth plan
Giving birth in water requires some preparation and not all specialists are comfortable with this method. To make sure you can give birth in water, it is best to talk to your doctor or your midwife as soon as possible.
Some hospitals allow it
Waterbirth is practiced in some hospitals, in some birth centers and sometimes at home. The hospitalLaSalle, in particular, has whirlpool tubs that allow you to relax while working.
Not for everyone
To be able to give birth in water, it is absolutely necessary to have had a pregnancy without a hitch. If you need special monitoring, an epidural, infusions or if you are very uncomfortable in the water, it is best to have recourse to a more traditional method. Also, if you live far enough from a hospital, you should not use this method at home.
The pool must be fully submerged
You can't give birth in a small bathtub. To be able to give birth in water, it is absolutely necessary to have access to a very deep bath or a small swimming pool so that your pelvis is completely under water.
You can buy a swimming pool to give birth at home
If you want to give birth in water at home, you can get a swimming pool designed for this purpose. Ideally, you should buy a new pool because bacteria can make water birth less safe in a used pool. It's very difficult to clean plastic perfectly, so it's always best to buy a good quality pool and if it's not new, make sure you can clean it well without damaging it.
Baby won't breathe in water
ToAt birth, a baby can stay under water for up to a minute without breathing thanks to the apnea reflex. He should therefore not attempt to take his first breath underwater, unless he lacked oxygen during childbirth due to a deficient placenta or if his head comes out of the water before his body. Once your baby is born, the doctor or midwife will check her oxygenation to make sure everything is okay.
The risk of bowel movements
One of the main risks associated with water birth is the proliferation of bacteria, and it is not impossible for a woman to empty her bowels in the bath. If this happens to you, the doctor or midwife will decide what to do in order to give birth in optimal conditions, knowing that even when born in water or in air, a baby will never be born in a completely sterile environment.
The advantage of lukewarm water
The main advantage for the baby of water birth is the peaceful side of the thing. Your baby finds himself in an aquatic and warm environment, similar to the one that has experienced in your womb. According to several mothers who have given birth in water, this feeling helps the baby to come into the world in peace.
What if I change my mind?
Many reasons can make you change your mind during childbirth. Discomfort, pain or panic are all reasons to decide to get out of the water. It is also possible thatyour midwife or doctor decides that it is best to do otherwise if the water is too dirty, labor is taking too long, or your blood pressure is rising. It does not matter and you will always have the possibility of giving birth otherwise in time and place.
