The Benefits of Giving Birth in Water
Giving birth in
water offers numerous benefits,
which include:
Comfort
Buoyancy
Anxiety Reduction
Lower Blood Pressure
Relaxation
Fewer Interventions
Newborn Adjustment
Environmental Control
Shorter Labor
Comfort
Many
research studies have corroborated the fact that women using water for
childbirth request less or no methods of pain relief. This is due in
part to the fact that the touch of water on the nerve endings in the
lower back can reduce the body's sensation in the abdominal region.
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Buoyancy
Giving
birth in water counteracts the effects of gravity, making it easier for
the mother to change positions and avoid placing pressure on the
uterus. The heightened ability to assume different positions can be
extremely helpful in birthing a large baby or allowing the baby to
descend down the birth path.
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Anxiety
Reduction
When the mother is not
anxious, her body is not apt to produce stress hormones such as
adrenaline, noradrenaline, or catecholamines. These hormones stimulate
the body's fight-or-flight reaction, something not desired during
labor. The hormones are stimulated when people feel the need to protect
themselves, such as in a fight. I don't know about you, but I've never
once called on my uterus to help me win a fight.
If
these hormones are not present, the mother's body instead produces
endorphins, which are the body's "feel good" hormones. They promote a
sense of well-being and lessen sensations of pain or stress.
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Lower
Blood Pressure
This is particularly
beneficial to those mothers experiencing pregnancy-induced
hypertension. As you enter the water, your blood pressure begins to
drop. This effect can be a result of the interaction between your calm
environment, increased relaxation, and anxiety reduction that are
integral parts of giving birth in water.
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Relaxation
When
giving birth in water, the mother can become so relaxed that she may
fall asleep! If a mother maintains this deep relaxation, she is able to
halt the fear-tension-pain cycle that plagues so many mothers and have
the relaxed, natural birth of her dreams. This relaxation along with
the water exposure, allows the perenium to gently stretch, thus reduces
the incidence of tearing.
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Fewer
Interventions
This type of birth is
usually chosen by a mother who values an intervention-free birth, one
who views childbirth as a natural process, not a medical procedure.
There is no routine IV or saline lock, no internal fetal monitor
screwed into the baby's scalp, no time limits on labor, and no push to
"speed things up" with a little kick of pitocin.
The
mother is empowered, confident in the fact that she has the ability to
birth her baby, free of the misperceptions of natural childbirth that
so many people harbor. If, however, fetal monitoring becomes necessary,
a hand-held Doppler with a waterproof cover or a pinard stethoscope may
be used.
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Newborn
Adjustment
Giving birth in water,
coupled with the relaxed, calm environment typical of a waterbirth,
provides a soothing transition from the womb to the outside world.
Their eyes are not subjected to harsh overhead lights, medicinal scents
and the clutter and clanging of hospital equipment. Instead, they are
allowed to acclimate at their own pace.
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Environmental
Control
When giving birth in water,
the mother has executive control over her environment, from lighting
choices and background noise to the aromas in the air and the towels
she uses.
While these choices may at first
glance seem trivial, mothers (and others) are often the most
comfortable and relaxed at home. Even if your waterbirth is at a
birthing center, these rooms are designed with the comforts of home in
mind for the sole purpose of setting the mother at ease.
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Shorter
Labor
Giving birth in water had
been correlated to shorter labors. However, labour can be slowed if the
mother enters the water too soon.
In some cases,
the third stage may be longer, but despite this, the overall labor and
delivery time can be decreased. This can be due in part to the fact
that the mother is relaxed, which makes each contraction more
productive so that the baby descends faster and the rate of dilation
and effacement of the cervix are also increased.
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