Labouring in water can be relaxing and may provide effective pain relief. You are also less likely to need an epidural for pain management if you have a water birth.
For example, a recent review of seven randomized trials with 2,615 participants looked at water immersion during labor, before normal land birth (Shaw-Battista 2017). The study found that laboring in water poses no extra risks to mother or baby and helps relieve pain, leading to less use of pain medication.
Painless, normal delivery is possible by providing the mother with epidural anesthesia during labor. This is regional anesthesia that reduces pain in a certain part of the body.
It found that the birthing practices were equally safe, "and that women in the water group sustain fewer first and second-degree tears," according to the statement. Land births and water births also had comparable postpartum hemorrhage rates and neonatal intensive care admissions.
This is why, during labor, your provider will frequently listen to the baby's heart rate to assess for signs of hypoxia (low oxygen levels). Any baby born underwater should be brought to the surface within 10 seconds in a gentle manner and caution is given to ensure that the baby's face doesn't go back underwater.
Pubic or perineal shaving is a procedure performed before birth in order to lessen the risk of infection if there is a spontaneous perineal tear or if an episiotomy is performed.
Why use water in labour or for giving birth? Women say they feel more relaxed, involved in decision-making and more in control when using water for labour and birth. It is an effective pain reliever – women use less epidural or spinal pain relief when they have access to water.
Benefits of water birth in Australia
Water allows you to move with ease during labor, by taking the pressure or weight of the baby off your body. This supports a more active birth. Both heat and water offer pain relief, and make the surges manageable, giving you the ability to cope with labor and/or birth.
Since the warm water in the birthing tub can help with relaxation, it may also trigger the release of more endorphins and improve blood flow to the uterine muscles, which can help you naturally handle labor pains.
According to a survey conducted by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, around 50% of birthing parents between 18 and 39 said that contractions were the most painful part of labor and delivery. But 1 in 5 had a different take and said that pushing and post-delivery were the most painful.
Most women find the most painful part of labor and delivery to be the contractions, while some others may feel pushing or post-delivery is most painful. Pain during labor and delivery may also be caused by pressure on the bladder and bowels by the baby's head and the stretching of the birth canal and vagina.
Without the use of some type of anesthesia or pain relief, we'll agree c-section births are a lot more painful than vaginal delivery. It's believed the very first c-sections were done on women who died during childbirth.
Having your waters broken may make your contractions stronger and more painful. It may be worth talking to your midwife about pain relief before your waters are broken.
Warm water is thought to increase the stretching of perineal muscles and reduce your risk of tearing. Results from some studies also suggest that waterbirth may be associated with a lower incidence of significant perineal tears; however the evidence is mixed.
Is Water Birth Painful or Painless? Although some women refer to laboring in water as a "liquid epidural" and describe the water birth experience as calm and serene, it is not always pain-free. Being in the water does not take pain entirely out of the equation, but it can be more managed or subdued.
Safety is the most important consideration when we consider whether a water birth is suitable for you and your baby. your BMI is under 30 or you weigh less than 90kgs at labour. This is because the staff need to be able to easily move you out of the bath in the event that you can't move yourself.
The theory behind water birth is that since the baby has already been in the amniotic fluid sac for nine months, birthing in a similar environment is gentler for the baby and less stressful for the mother.
Some people describe the feeling as being like intense period cramps, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching ...
You can wear what feels comfortable for you, keeping in mind that you will be in what is essentially a large bath. Many women choose to wear a bikini or tankini. Others choose to just wear a bra. You can wear a t-shirt or vest top if you want to be a little more covered.
Midwives don't care if you have shaved or not. In fact, the majority of midwives prefer it if you don't shave in the presence of a midwife. Hair is seen as a natural part of the body and midwives are comfortable with whatever decisions an expecting mother makes when it comes to her body.
During labour and birth touch is a powerful tool to aid birthers in working with functional pain. Pain and pleasure run along the same neural pathways so it makes sense to utilize pleasurable input, such as touch, to block pain messages from reaching the central nervous system during labour and birth.
Never mind that the Royal College of Midwives has repeatedly stated that there is no need to do so, that no health professional will even notice and that pubic hair will have absolutely no effect on your baby's health. If you need a C-section, they will shave whatever needs to be shaved.