Water birth is an alternative method of giving birth supported by some obstetric practitioners. Water birth is considered to reduce stress in the mother and to expose the baby to an environment he or she has been in for the last nine months immediately after birth. The baby is born underwater and theoretically doesn't take a breath until they're removed from the fluid, although there have been cases where water aspiration has occurred, according to a commentary published in the August 2003 issue of Pediatrics.
Planning a Water Birth
Step 1
Decide where you're giving birth. You may want to give birth at home, in the hospital or in a birthing center. You need a good-sized tub for a water birth; according to the American Pregnancy Association; birthing tubs can be rented. Some hospitals may have tubs, although it's more likely that a birthing center will have them. Some hospitals may consider the liability of water birth too great and refuse to offer it.
Step 2
Find a practitioner willing to help. Many obstetricians may be uncomfortable with the idea of water birth, and some may not be willing to risk the liability. Midwives may be more open to the idea.
Step 3
Keep regular medical appointments. If you plan on having a water birth, it's important to be sure that you and your baby are healthy and that water birth will not pose any risks to either of you.
Step 4
Stay open to the possibility of a change in plans. Certain health conditions or complication may make a water birth risky. Women who should not have a water birth, according to the American Pregnancy Association, include women with herpes, which can transfer easily in the water and could infect the baby, those in preterm labor, and possibly those whose babies have passed meconium, the first bowel movement, in the womb. If meconium is thick, many obstetricians want to clear the baby's nose and mouth with a catheter as soon as the head emerges.
Fetal heart rate can be monitored with a fetoscope. Drops in the baby's heart rate may necessitate more extensive monitoring and possibly a cesarean section.
Step 5
Labor in the water, especially if this isn't your first baby. Subsequent babies can arrive quickly, and if you aren't laboring in the water, you may not have time to get there before the baby is born. Laboring in the water can increase relaxation and reduce the need for pain medication, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Water temperature should be kept between 95 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit so maternal temperature doesn't rise; an increase in maternal temperature can speed up the baby's heart rate, according to Waterbirth International.
Tips and Warnings
- In very early labor, the warm water may stop contractions. Wait until labor is established before getting into the water.
- Umbilical cord accidents, where the cord has snapped when the baby was brought too quickly to the surface, have occurred. The baby could lose a great deal of blood if this happens. Bring the baby up gently, without putting tension on the cord.
Things You'll Need
- A birthing tub
- A practitioner willing to do water birth
- Fetoscope
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