Giving birth in water: what are the advantages?

It is a natural practice that brings benefits to mother and baby. But to choose it it is advisable to hear the opinion of your gynecologist.

The moment of childbirth is often a painful and traumatic experience for a woman. Of course, the suffering is amply rewarded by the joy of holding your child in your arms, but there is no reason not to take advantage of the opportunity to make the experience less painful.

In this regard, epidural anesthesia is widely practiced, a procedure that can relieve the pains of childbirth without major complications.

However, there is also a “natural” method, increasingly widespread and recognized by obstetricians and gynecologists: it is water birth.

Several studies agree that immersion in water during childbirth has a relaxing, not only psychological, effect for the woman.

Water also helps to relax the muscles, and there seems to be a hormonal involvement as well. However, the benefits are not limited only to the mother: the experience, according to some experts, is less traumatic even for the child, who passes more gradually from the uterine to the extrauterine environment.

Water birth: here’s how it works

Everything takes place in a tub, about 70 centimeters high, full of hot water. The temperature is kept constant, between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius: the heat of the water facilitates muscle relaxation, consequently making contractions less painful and dilation faster.

The water remains clean through a constant replacement, which guarantees throughout the process the necessary hygiene for the mother and the unborn child.

As a rule, the dive occurs at labor already begun, when the dilation is 3-4 centimeters. The size of the tank is such as to allow the woman to move and position herself as she sees fit, another factor that makes the experience more serene and less stressful for the mother.

When is it possible to resort to water birth?

There are no particular contraindications to water birth, provided that it is a regular pregnancy (ie low risk), not twin, full-term (between 37 and 42 weeks of gestation), and that the mother does not suffer from infectious diseases in progress or is not affected by arterial hypertension. Finally, no aquatic parts are performed with a fetus in breech position.

The most relevant fears related to water birth concern the possibility that infections increase, or that it may be harmful to the unborn child.

With regard to the first aspect, the research has not shown differences from the point of view of hygiene and health compared to normal births.

As for the health of the baby, in the first moments of life breathing still takes place through the umbilical cord (which in these cases, usually, is cut at a later time, when it stops pulsating) and the newborn is perfectly able to remain in apnea.

Therefore, net of contraindications, according to its proponents, the experience of water birth is less painful, more relaxing and less traumatic for mother and child.

The time of labor can be shortened and in some cases you can also avoid episiotomy, the typical incision of the perineum that is performed to facilitate delivery.

Sometimes dads can get into the tub

Just like in a normal birth, the future father can attend the birth and in some hospital facilities, if the partner wishes, even enter the water with her.

The experience, according to experts, is generally more relaxing and serene even for the father, who is positively affected by a birth where the suffering and pain of the partner are not so predominant.

The so-called “gentle birth” is a widespread practice in several hospital centers, suitably equipped in this regard.

It should be remembered that, in view of the numerous benefits, the decision to resort to water birth must be agreed with your gynecologist, precisely in order to exclude any contraindications or difficulties that may arise during the labor phase.

Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.

The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.

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