Water Birth : What It Is, Benefits, Precautions and Risks

Overview

Today mothers can choose the way their baby comes into this world. Various birthing options are available, including assisted childbirth, unassisted childbirth, and cesarean surgery. Depending upon the medical condition of the child and the mother, they may choose any of these. Water birth is one of those varieties which is gaining attention.

This blog provides a comprehensive understanding of water birth, its benefits, and its risks.

What is water birth?

As mentioned earlier, water birth is one of the natural birthing techniques in which the mother spends her final stages of labour or delivers in a birthing pool or tub. The tub is filled with warm water to make the delivery more relaxed and comfortable. Mothers can deliver in a hospital, a birthing centre, or home.

What are the benefits of water birth?

Water birth is gaining recognition among mothers due to the number of benefits it offers. The benefits include

• Warm water reduces labour pain. Thus, it avoids the need for epidurals as a pain relief medication.
• Easy movement due to the buoyancy of the water
• Improved body movement aids in improved uterine contraction, blood circulation, and an increased oxygen supply to the baby.   

When to seek medical help?

Consult the healthcare provider to know the feasibility of a complication.

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What are the precautions to take while preparing for water birth?

Every woman’s pregnancy journey is different. Water birth may not be a good option for all, and discussing this with the healthcare provider is essential. The woman undergoing water birth needs an experienced doctor or a licensed professional to monitor the process throughout. It is advisable not to adapt to unassisted labour.

 To avoid dehydration, the woman may drink plenty of water during labour.

 Many studies suggest that not delivering the baby into the water is beneficial. The mother can use the bathtub during stage one of the labour to ease the process. Once the cervix is completely dilated, she has to get out of the bathtub to deliver the baby. This is to avoid all the infections and other issues the baby may face.

What are the risks of water birth?

Water birth is still considered an experimental form of childbirth. It is only recommended for women between the age of 17 and 35 who have a low-risk pregnancy. This type of childbirth may not be suitable for women who have had more than one C-section and are in pre-term labour.

Water birth is not recommended if the mother has an infection of the skin or blood, high fever, vaginal bleeding, or multiple pregnancies. It is challenging to regulate the baby’s body temperature. Respiratory problems, umbilical cord damage, and seizures are also high.

Conclusion

Many experts suggest that the warmth of the water, the ability to move around, dim lighting, and privacy give a more wholesome and comfortable birthing experience for a woman. But all planning to use the water birth option should consult with their health care provider first to check its feasibility in their case.

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Why aren’t mothers who carry multiples not  good candidates for water birth? 

Women carrying multiple babies are prone to many complications in labour. For such cases, they require continuous medical monitoring. Therefore , a water birth may not be a good option when delivering multiple babies.