Did you know that studies have shown that waterbirth is associated with improved outcomes for both mother & baby? Waterbirth was first reported in an 1805 medical journal & became more popular in the 1980s & 1990s.
Water immersion during labor & birth can help with pain relief & increase relaxation, & studies have shown that it can help to shorten the length of labor.
When compared to land birth, water birth also promotes less chance of postpartum hemorrhage & 3rd or 4th-degree tearing.
Until the birth, your baby is surrounded by fluid & receives all of their oxygen through the umbilical cord, via the placenta. Babies have an inbuilt physiological reflex, that prevents them from taking a breath until they’re out in the open air. When their facial skin receptors come into contact with air, their first breath will begin.
Advocates of water births highlight many benefits. It provides non-medicinal pain relief, may reduce blood pressure, promotes relaxation, and helps the mother feel more in control during childbirth and labor. Water makes it easier to get into different positions because the buoyancy relieves some of the extra pregnancy weight, and this movement can help the baby to work its way down the birth canal.
If you’ve ever wondered what a water birth looks like, these powerful images speak for themselves.
