Water Baby

I went to my first water birth this morning and it was beautiful!

The midwife called me when the mom was starting to push. I literally got dressed and to the birth in fifteen minutes. Once the mom found her rhythm, she pushed her baby out with such ease. This mom made it look so easy to have a baby, it was amazing to see.

I've always heard great things about water birth but had never seen the benefits first hand. When the midwife asked the mom to get out and try some pushes on the bed, the mom was literally begging to get back into the water after about 10 minutes of land pushing. After the birth, the mom commented that getting back into the water was such a relief, she felt as if the water washed her pain away.

Benefits for Mother:

-Water is soothing, comforting, relaxing.
-In the later stages of labor, the water seems to increase the woman’s energy.
-The buoyancy lessens her body weight, allows free movement and new positioning.
-Buoyancy promotes more efficient uterine contractions and better blood circulation, resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles, less pain for the mother, and more oxygen for the baby.
-Immersion in water often helps lower high blood pressure caused by anxiety.
-Water seems to alleviate stress-related hormones, allowing the mother’s body to produce endorphins, which are pain-inhibitors.
-Water causes the perineum to become more elastic and relaxed, which reduces the incidence and severity of tearing and the need for an episiotomy and stitches.
-As the laboring women relaxes physically she is able to relax mentally, concentrating her efforts inward on the birth process.
-The water provides a sense of privacy, which releases inhibitions, anxiety, and fears.

Benefits for Baby:

-Provides a similar environment as the amniotic sac.
-Eases the stress of the birth, providing reassurance and security.
From: Americanpregnancy.org

I wish more women had the opportunity to have water births if they so desire. They are an amazing, natural and cost effective way to alleviate labor pains so moms can birth their babies naturally, into the water.