Water for Labour and Birth
More and more women are now choosing to birth in water. Many of us feel
naturally attracted to water when in labour. It somehow makes you feel deeply
relaxed and calm. It is known to have what is called the ‘Ahhhh factor’! As
soon as a woman in labour submerges into a pool of deep, warm water, there
is an automatic release of tension, along with a big, deep sigh. There are so
many benefits to deep water submersion and birth in water.
Benefits of birthing in water:
• The pain relief is amazing and almost immediate
• Reduces the need for pain relieving drugs
• Most women will have a normal, straight forward birth
• No detrimental side effects on baby or the mum
• Women feel safe and more in control of their own labour and birth
• Easier to remain in an upright position
• Easier to move around and change positions regularly
• Aids relaxation
• Often increases the speed of cervical dilatation
• Helps the perineum to soften, relax and stretch
• Reduces the incidence of unnecessary obstetric interventions, eg
breaking the waters, internal examinations, etc
• Less forceps, vacuum extractions, caesareans and episiotomies
• If it doesn’t work, there are other pain relief options available
• Gives the mum more opportunity to receive her own baby, before
anyone else and partner involvement
There is some fear around water birth, primarily from those who have not
researched the benefits, or who do not understand the physiology behind it.
People always ask “but won’t the baby drown?” The answer is NO. The baby
will not take a breath until their skin touches the cooler air as it emerges from
the warm water. The baby’s skin is covered with many ‘thermoreceptors’
which pick up changes in temperature. It is this change that stimulates the
baby to breathe, NOT the release of pressure on the lungs as the baby
emerges from the birth canal.
The baby has been floating around in ‘amniotic fluid’ for approximately nine
months without drowning, so why should it drown in the water? However, this
is all dependent on the mother remaining in the water (not being half in/half
out) and the water temperature remaining at body temperature (around 37
degrees celsius). If the woman stands up in the bath as the baby begins to
emerge, she should not then under any circumstances, sit back down in the
water once the baby is partly out. This could cause complications, as the
baby would have had the stimulus to breathe and is then submerged. This
could result in the baby inhaling water. It is also a dangerous practise to pull
the plug out of the bath as the woman is birthing in it, for this very same
reason. Caregivers who are unaccustomed to water birth may panic and pull
the plug as a natural reaction. This is why if you are planning a waterbirth,
you must have a caregiver who is confident and competent at assisting
women in this way. It is important that when the baby is lifted out of the water,
its face emerges from the water first, as it will be stimulated to breathe.
Birthing in water is an absolutely incredible experience and I never tire of
seeing those jubilant faces on mothers who have just birthed in this way. It is
not for everyone and some women can’t stand being in water during labour.
But for those who do look for deep water submersion, it is a wonderful option
to have available.
It helps to add a couple of bags of salt to the water too, as this keeps the skin
integrity good throughout labour. Have you ever noticed that if you lie in a
bath for an hour or so, your skin will become very wrinkly? However, if you
swim in the ocean all day, you still don’t get wrinkly? It all has to do with the
salt content. If the skin becomes waterlogged it will be more prone to tearing
during birth. A bit of salt in the water will keep your skin strong and stretchy,
so you can remain in the water for a longer period and not suffer water
logging and shrivelling of the skin.
Some possible disadvantages of birthing in water are:
• Not everyone will want it
• The baby’s heart rate cannot be monitored continuously, therefore is
not a suitable option if for whatever reason the woman NEEDS
monitoring
• If used too early in labour, it can slow labour down.
• Cannot be used in conjunction with a TENS machine (for obvious
reasons – electricity and water don’t mix too well!!)
• It doesn’t always work for everyone
• Hospitals restrict those who can use the tub. Most hospitals do not
have a water birth policy, therefore will not even ‘allow’ it
• It can cause shivering and feelings of cold
• Others may feel overheated
• Some tubs/baths are not deep enough or wide enough to get adequate
submersion, or flexibility for movement. Ensure the tub you use is
plenty big enough and have a hot water system that can cope with the
volume of hot water required
If your caregiver needs to monitor your baby intermittently, they usually have
access to a waterproof Doppler. If not, it is easy enough to lift slightly out of
the water, dry an area of skin and have a listen. It is easy to move about
freely and change positions. You can ask for a mirror to place under the
water, so you can see the babies head emerging. Sometimes a torch is
needed to see what’s happening, as it is common for women labouring in
water to also have the lights dimmed and to have a very quiet, peaceful
environment which is very conducive to natural birth. Because of this, women
labouring in water are often left undisturbed and allowed to just ‘get on’ with
labour.
Most women who labour and birth in water have reported having shorter
labours, less intervention, less requests for other forms of pain relief and
more satisfying, fulfilling birth experiences. More often than not, their partners
have also had more involvement in the birth process and felt like they really
contributed and truly shared the ‘joy’ of birth. It’s also quite easy to ‘catch’
your own baby in the water.
