Water birthing is a gentler and more relaxing way to deliver a baby. It’s associated with reduced pain and a comfortable birthing experience. However, not every mother is an ideal candidate. Common risks include rare breathing issues in the baby, infection, and difficulty getting out of the tub for emergency delivery.
Water Birth: Benefits, Safety, Risks, and Other Considerations
Women are constantly on the lookout for safe, calm, and comfortable birthing options. Something that feels natural and minimizes pain. Water birthing is one such remarkable birthing technique that’s gained great attention over the past several decades.
Some advanced maternity centers offer water birthing in Mulund. While it may sound quite encouraging and peaceful, the real questions are: Is water birth safe? How will a baby breathe underwater?
What is Water Birth?
You sit in the birthing pool containing warm water during labor or delivery. Some get in the warm water tub only during the active labor to ease pain. Others may stay in the water for delivery, as well.
Either way, the method is considered safe when performed under the supervision of an Obstetrician-Gynecologist in Mulund. Many people believe that the warm temperature and buoyancy can relieve the physical and emotional strain of labor.
Water Birthing Benefits
Here’s why more and more women have been choosing water birthing.
Gentle Birth Experience: Transition from the womb to water is somewhat gentler than a brightly lit delivery room for the baby. That’s what many parents who choose water birth believe. The experience is also gentler for women. It may not completely eliminate pain, but water birthing can reduce pain to some extent, making labor manageable.
It’s Relaxing: Anxiety can make labor more difficult. Stress, specifically, increases cortisol, which might affect oxytocin the hormone responsible for strong uterine contractions. Water birth is relaxing. It releases endorphins, the pain-relieving hormone, making your birth experience less painful.
Smooth Movements: Your body feels lighter in the water. This allows you to move or change positions effortlessly. You can squat, kneel, or move forward comfortably without putting too much pressure on your joints.
How will a Baby Breathe Underwater?
A common concern among parents is: how will a baby submerged in water breathe? The placenta supplies nutrients and oxygen to a fetus in a mother’s womb. It continues to supply oxygen until the baby is gently brought to the surface. Once they are lifted, they will take their first breath. At this point, the umbilical cord is cut and clamped.
Besides, babies are born with a dive reflex, meaning that when they are born in water, the reflex prevents them from inhaling water. A healthcare provider stays with you, guides you throughout the birthing process, and lifts the baby to the surface within seconds.
Risks and Complications
Water birthing may not be safe for all. Here are a few risks that you must consider before choosing a water birth.
- Risks of infection from unclean or poorly maintained water
- Difficulty monitoring the baby’s heart rate in a water tub
- The umbilical cord can snap underwater, but the risk is quite low
- Baby can inhale water
- Increased risk of slips and falls
Another risk is that if a mother needs an emergency C-section due to fetal distress or maternal complications, getting the mother out of the water pool immediately can be difficult. That’s why gynecologists carefully check your condition before allowing you to have a water birth.