"The Amazing Waterbirth"

"The Amazing Waterbirth"



When you read the words "Water & Birth", it sounds interesting, right? Well, maybe some of us heard or never yet heard about giving birth in water. What does it means? Waterbirth is a method of giving birth, inwhich involves immersion in water. Most people who experienced in doing this method say that it is the safest method of giving birth. It gives you less pain, because of the warm water helps you to relax.

The use of warm-water pools for labor and childbirth is a relatively recent phenomenon in Western societies. During the 1960s, Russian researcher Igor Charkovsky undertook considerable research into the safety and possible benefits of water birth in the Soviet Union. In the late 1960s, French obstetrician Frederick Leboyer developed the practice of immersing newly-born infants in warm water to help ease the transition from the womb to the outside world, and to mitigate the effects of any possible birth trauma.
Another French obstetrician, Michel Odent, took Leboyer's work further, using the warm-water birth pool for pain relief for the mother, and as a way to normalize the birth process. When some women refused to get out of the water to finish giving birth, Odent started researching the possible benefits for the baby of being born under water, as well as the potential problems in such births. By the late 1990s, thousands of women had given birth at Odent's birthing center at Pithiviers, and the notion of water birth had spread to many other Western countries.
Water birth first came to the United States through couples giving birth at home, but soon was introduced into the medical environment of hospitals and free-standing birth centers by obstetricians and certified nurse midwives. In 1991, Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough, New Hampshire became the first hospital to create a protocol for giving birth in water. By 2005, there were over 300 hospitals in the US that had adopted such protocols. More than three-quarters of all National Health Service hospitals in the UK provide this option for laboring women.



What are the benefits of waterbirth and water labor?
• Speeds up labor
• Reduces blood pressure
• Gives mother more feelings of control
• Provides significant pain relief
• Promotes relaxation
• Enables the mother to assume any position which is comfortable for labor and birth
• Conserves her energy
• Reduces the need for drugs and interventions
• Gives mother a private protected space
• Reduces perineal trauma and eliminates episiotomies
• Reduces caesarean section rates
• Is highly rated by mothers - typically stating they would consider giving birth in water again
• Is highly rated by experienced providers
• Encourages an easier birth giving for mother and a gentler welcome for baby

The water seems to act as a protective “aura” around the woman, where she feels less vulnerable and more in control of herself. As the baby is being born, the mother can choose to deliver the infant herself, as the birth attendants kneel at the tub in case they are needed. It is usually very simple for the mother, after she has the last contraction that expels the baby, to reach down, take her baby in her arms and bring baby up out of the water and to her breast. It is also very easy for dad to help catch the baby if desired.














Benefits
For the baby
Childbirth can be a strenuous experience for the baby. Properly heated water[1] helps to ease the transition from the birth canal to the outside world because the warm liquid resembles the familiar intra-uterine environment, and softens light, colors and noises.
To the mother
Pain Management
Harper reports that water birth is an effective form of pain management during labor and delivery (Harper 2000). Water birth is a form of hydrotherapy which, in studies, has been shown to be an effective form of pain management for a variety of conditions especially lower back pain (a common complaint of women in labor)[citation needed]. In an appraisal of 17 randomized trials, two controlled studies, 12 cohort studies, and two case reports, it was concluded that there was a definite "benefit from hydrotherapy in pain, function, self-efficacy and affect, joint mobility, strength, and balance, particularly among older adults, subjects with rheumatic conditions and chronic low back pain," (Geytenbeek 2002). When compared with conventional pain management techniques for labor and delivery (e.g. anaesthesia and narcotics) hydrotherapy is also possibly a safer alternative. In studies, epidural anaesthesia (EDA), is correlated with an increased rate of instrumental (e.g. forceps in childbirth) delivery rates and also caesarean section rates (Ros et al. 2007). Full immersion in water promotes physiological responses in the mother that reduce pain including a redistribution of blood volume, which stimulates the release of oxytocin and vasopressin (Katz 1990), the latter which also increases oxytocin blood levels (Odent 1998). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has found that "the statistically significant reduction in maternal perception of pain and in the rate of epidural analgesia suggest that water immersion during the first stage of labour is beneficial for some women. No evidence was found that this benefit was associated with poorer outcomes for babies or longer labours."

What you will need to have this "WATERBIRTH"
• all that is needed is a tub that is at least12 inches deep that can be kept warm.
• Some mothers choose to labor in the tub and then birth on the bed. Others choose to labor and deliver in the water. We encourage the mother to do whichever makes her feel the most comfortable.
• Salt may be added to decrease bacteria in the water and essential oils can be dropped only in the portable tub (such as lavender, ylang-ylang, or rose for relaxation)
• The portable tub is large enough for dad to get in if desired. He can make it very comfortable for mom to rest against in the tub.
• You can wear a bra, swimsuit top or t-shirt if modest. Most of our mothers feel most free and comfortable wearing nothing, which is fine also!
• Once the baby is born, if there is no extra bleeding, you may stay in the tub for up to 20 minutes or so while waiting for the placenta to deliver. The placenta can usually be birthed easily into the water.

• A disposable plastic liner
• A foam pad upon which to set up the tub
• A submersible pump, to drain the water easily
• A few faucet adapters, to connect the hose to your sink
• A floating thermometer
• Heating elements that keep the water warm once it has reached a certain depth.
• A foam lid, to keep the water warm and clean when you're out of the tub
• Complete directions and recommendations on tub use and cleaning
• A new, never-used garden hose for filling and draining the tub
• Lots of extra towels

CONSIDERATIONS FOR TUB USE & PLACEMENT:
• Location of electrical outlets
• Size and temperature-setting of hot water heater
• Sturdiness of flooring where tub will be placed
• Availability of ample bath towels
• Ability to protect flooring under tub
• Easy access to out-of-tub birthing/recovery area (bed, mattress on floor, etc)
• Proximity to bathroom (true for all births!)



Is Waterbirth Safe?

Yes, waterbirth is very safe, in fact worldwide statistics show that waterbirth, without the use of drugs, is the safest way to be born. The concern of most parents is will their baby inhale water and drown? Babies have what is called a dive reflex which causes them to swallow instead of inhale when water gets in their mouth or nose. They swallow and then hold their breath. Because they are still attached to the umbilical cord, they continue to receive all their needed oxygen through it, making it unnecessary to breathe up to several minutes after birth. However, we always gently but immediately bring the baby’s face out of the water after the birth to initiate breathing. When the baby’s face comes in contact with cool air, it is believed that this is one of the main things that stimulate him to breathe and most babies begin breathing within seconds of this.


The birth pool room in the hospital in Rijeka, Croatia


Water birth is accepted and practiced in many parts of the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as many European countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany, where many[specify] maternity clinics have birthing tubs. Many[specify] independent birthing centers and many home birth midwives offer water birth services. At present, water birth is often practiced by those who choose to have a home birth, because the majority of hospitals have not yet installed proper birth pools in their maternity wards. In 2006, Waterbirth International listed more than 300 U.S. hospitals that offered such facilities. At least two such hospitals were listed in the 2006 U.S. News and World Report "Honor Roll" of best U.S. hospitals: Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri and the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor, MI.
It is amazing that waterbirth has spread as far and wide as it has. There are now more than 90 countries that offer waterbirth in hospitals or birth clinics. This story from Croatia means so much more when you picture the "typical" hospital births in this country. Women are alone in rooms, no access to family or friends, often intimidated to "obey" the doctors and nurses. A pool of water is such a stark contrast to this form of treatment and an inspiration to those who want to change things in hospitals anywhere else in the world. If it can be done here - it can be done anywhere.
Waterbirth is such a gentle way to enter the world! As the baby leaves his former home of warm amniotic fluid, he enters like warm water, where the sounds are muffled and the sights are dimmed, and he is gently lifted up to the surface just enough so that he can begin to breathe. His body continues to stay warm and supported in the water. Water-born babies, once they are gently pulled up out of the water, tend to cry less, while still having good muscle tone and respirations, than babies born outside of water. Some babies love to float in the water and stretch out with mom’s help. This is an incredible bonding moment between mom and baby.

The essence of being a woman is giving birth and a good mother of your children. We all know how risky and painful to have a baby and give birth. We consider also the budget every time we plan to have a child, because the amount is not a joke especially in the Philippines. If we are having a Caesarean operation [CS], it will cost not less than P50,000.00 for the hospital bills plus other expenses that you will spend after you went home from the hospital. Don’t forget the pain during the labor hours or even days. Having a child is not as simple as we use to see, it’s our blood and flesh that we are carrying in 9 months in our wombs and for Christians, abortion is not an option and a horrible sin for us. I am personally speaking about the pain of giving birth, as a mother of my kid I experienced all this matters. Instead of having caesarean operation I choose to give birth at home with my very good midwife Mrs. Mel Larotin, and I thanked her, she supported me all the way, despite of knowing that my doctors advice me to have a CS operation due of my 9lbs baby boy, I delivered it at home. It's too big for normal birth yet I did my best to deliver it normally simply just because we are not financially stable at all. But despite of it all my family are very supportive to me, emotionally, financially and they are always willing to give the best for me but I was so ashamed because it’s not my families obligations, and they spent too much money on me even I got married early & got pregnant till I came here in Israel. Financial statement for giving birth is very sensitive matter that sometimes we take all the risk just to avoid spending a thousand of pesos without even thinking that it will put our lives in danger situations. Now we have the other option of giving birth on water, a much less for our budget, safe and most of all less pain, I just hope that this waterbirth method wont encourage our fellow countrymen to count every year to give birth..[hahaha] Anyway, hope it will be of big help to other mom's out there to have more perfect choices of giving birth but of course we do need to consider always what our doctors says ‘cause we are talking about the human being inside our wombs, and safety first before anything else! Women are strong, they have all the courage, and we are the extraordinary human! Women, a friend, a sister, a teacher, guidance, a mother!




Gianinna J. Contado