I am a HUGE advocate for water birth!
After having 6 babies- 3 under water, my opinion is that if you can, it is the way to go. That is if you like water of course!
Why???
A few reasons, I believe, are that when you are in water, you are gravity free in a way. I have found when having back labor the weight of the baby can float off the spine making contractions easier to bare. Water is relaxing for most people and helps with dealing with the intensity of birth. Another reason is that I think that being in water for a long time during labor helps the perineum stay intact. I have never had a tear or rip with a water birth and all 3 babies were over 8.5 pounds, including my 9.9lb posterior birth.
I did however rip on 2 of the births that were out of the water!
You see why I like water birth!
Another benefit of the water is that it is seemingly a more gentle transition for the baby... being birthed from amniotic fluid to warm water, rather than from a cozy amnio sac into the hands of a stranger wearing gloves with bright lights glaring in their face.
I have seen awesome water birth videos where the baby is born in a river and allowed to swim around before they detach the baby from the umbilical cord. They have an instinct and can still get oxygen from the cord... they don't take their first breathe until they come up out of the water. Pretty Cool!
If you are considering waterbirth, you can get supplies from Radiant Belly a local midwifery supplier here in Portland with great prices. The owner was one of my midwives with my 5th baby and a great lady.
I would also highly recommend Andaluz Waterbirth Center. They have 2 locations, one in Portland and one in Tualatin. I have birthed in both locations and have no preference, they are both great locations, close to hospitals, in case of an emergency.
After having 6 babies- 3 under water, my opinion is that if you can, it is the way to go. That is if you like water of course!
Why???
A few reasons, I believe, are that when you are in water, you are gravity free in a way. I have found when having back labor the weight of the baby can float off the spine making contractions easier to bare. Water is relaxing for most people and helps with dealing with the intensity of birth. Another reason is that I think that being in water for a long time during labor helps the perineum stay intact. I have never had a tear or rip with a water birth and all 3 babies were over 8.5 pounds, including my 9.9lb posterior birth.
I did however rip on 2 of the births that were out of the water!
You see why I like water birth!
Another benefit of the water is that it is seemingly a more gentle transition for the baby... being birthed from amniotic fluid to warm water, rather than from a cozy amnio sac into the hands of a stranger wearing gloves with bright lights glaring in their face.
I have seen awesome water birth videos where the baby is born in a river and allowed to swim around before they detach the baby from the umbilical cord. They have an instinct and can still get oxygen from the cord... they don't take their first breathe until they come up out of the water. Pretty Cool!
If you are considering waterbirth, you can get supplies from Radiant Belly a local midwifery supplier here in Portland with great prices. The owner was one of my midwives with my 5th baby and a great lady.
I would also highly recommend Andaluz Waterbirth Center. They have 2 locations, one in Portland and one in Tualatin. I have birthed in both locations and have no preference, they are both great locations, close to hospitals, in case of an emergency.
That is good to hear about it helping with tears! I was along the thought that God designed the birth canal to be tighter to help stimulate and force out the fluids that are in the baby's lungs/mouth, but wouldn't this not serve it's purpose if born into water?? I'm just curious if you have heard anything about this or if your midwives know of anything?
ReplyDeleteI do wish I could at least labor in water...I puke my whole labor and when I once tried to get into a tub for my first child it made it terribly worse because the heat made me more nausous! =) Maybe I'll try it again this labor...we'll see!
LOVE water births too. Apparently in the UK it's pretty standard to have a midwife and waterbirth. Wish it was the same way here, it would help so many women. Luella was born in a standard 5' bathtub, haha! I didn't make it to the birthing center with those huge luxurious tubs. But next time, I will definitely be getting a pillow for my bum, LOL.
ReplyDeleteI've had two water births and am very supportive of them!
ReplyDeleteAddressing Our Growing Family's concern: I was able to see a video which caught the Fetal Heimlich Maneuver (we could see the baby spit mucus out of it's mouth and nose). It's an intact perineum which does that, so I would imagine that it would still do it's job even in the water, since the baby does not breathe in until it's in the air (unless it is in distress, but that is a different situation).
Anyway, God bless!