The Water Birth Experience

Birthing Alternatives
Celana Ahtye

Contents

Water Birth
Herstory
Benefits

For Mommy
For Baby

Contraindications
Conclusions
Resources
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HERSTORY

WATER is the cradle of life here on

earth. Seventy percent of the earth is
water, 90% of a newborns body is
water, 60% or an adults body is water.
Life originated in the ocean more than
3 billion years ago. In the warm seas,
the first primal creatures were
developed, grew and multiplied.
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Our first 9 months of life took place in the

womb of waters. Sounds of the oceans waves
simulate the blood rushing through the
placenta.
By observing that moist nature was in the seeds
of everything, Aristotle, in the 6TH century BC,
concluded water was the first principle of life. It
is the most precious of our natural resourcesit
maintains life. Waters qualities are innumerable
as it holds hot, cold, it conducts, transfers,
absorbs temperature and calms the spirit.
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The Chumash Indians of California have told stories about women

laboring in pools and shallow inlets along the beach while the
men of the tribe drummed and chanted. In his nineties,
Grandfather Semu, a Chumash elder remembers when he was a
boy how women would often go to the beach and labor in shallow
water. He also remembers dolphins appearing nearby and staying
close to the women until the baby was born.
Indian tribes in North, Central and South America as well as the
Maoris of New Zealand and the Samoan People of the Pacific have
been known to birth in shallow ocean and river environments.
Kuhunas, from the Hawaiian Islands state thousands of
generations have been born underwater.

The first recorded modern waterbirth took place

in a village in France in 1805 and detailed in a
French medical society journal reporting,
through the suggestion of her doctor, a woman
who had labored for 48 hours received
temporary relief, from her non-progressing
labor in a warm bath. After a short time in the
tub, the baby came out so quickly that she
didnt have time to leave the water to birth her
child.
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The Tub

During waterbirth, a tub is filled with

water between 95 and 100 degrees
thats clean enough to drink. Birthing
tubs, now available for rent or sale
online, should be deep enough for the
birthing mother, the midwife or doula,
and a spouse to sit in comfortably.
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Benefits for Mommy

Less pressure on the abdomen because of the

buoyancy promoting more efficient contractions,
better blood circulation, more oxygen to baby and
mother, equal pressure on all parts of the woman's
body.

Safer, more effective and economical than an

epidural
Pain significantly reduced by blocking nerve
impulses of pain to the brain known as the Gate
Theory of Pain
Study in Canada; 100% women who birthed in water
use no pain medication
Less use of analgesics and anesthesia

Less use of analgesics and anesthesia

Fewer birth canal injuries, vagina, perineum
and vulva
Reduction of labor length
Reduction of episiotomies and painful
stitching, water relaxes the pelvic floor muscles
Decreases maternal hypertension, high blood
pressure
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Decreases maternal hypertension, high

blood pressure
Increases maternal connection over
labor and birth environment
Increases maternal autonomy
Greater mobility for maternal
positioning during labor and birth
Conservation of maternal energy
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Better focus and concentration in water

Less blood loss during the birth
Deeper relaxation resulting in
hormones kicking in

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Helps to relieve anxiety and promote focusing

inward, as labor becomes more intense
Moist air assist better breathing for mother
specifically if asthmatic
Facilitates a dysfunctional labor by
stimulating dilation of cervix
Can speed up normal labors, sometimes
resulting in less than a two to four-hour birth
in total
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Many experience more rapid second stage with baby emerging

within a few pushes, also known as the 'fetus ejection reflex'
(term by Dr. Michel Odent)
Effective tool to easing the woman into and through transition
to pushing
More trust in the process by feeling of weightlessness allows
woman to concentrate on letting her body do what it was
designed to do
Water labor or birth can result in lower adrenaline, (fight or
flight response) levels
Warm water stops false labor contractions
Assists pushing to an easier place

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Reaching another state of consciousness where

fears and resistances are released or dissolved
Sound of water running or the jets on belly or
back create more endorphin secretion
Clean up is easier with less mess
Empowering experience for mother without
drugs, no surgical procedure, moving in any
position, developing inner strength and power
enriching her life forever
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Family relationships empowered with

mother in less pain; father takes more active
role in birth experience resulting in deeper
bonding and a more enhanced relationship
the rest of their lives
Parent-child interactions are enhanced by a
positive experience in her body/mind/spirit,
less painful, gentle approach in bringing
child to the planet
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Reduction of Cesareans
Mother or father can more readily
catch her baby
Bacteria is dissipated in water reducing
infection to mother

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Benefits for Baby

Easier more gentle transition from one womb

of water to an external womb of water,
weightless, warm, wet and soft
Decreased
trauma at birth

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More blood to baby due to better blood

circulation in mother
Baby doesn't receive the invasive stimuli to
induce breathing, which results in less
crying, babies after birth resulting in a
calmer, more alert state

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More safe than unsafe alternative in childbirth

Bacteria is dissipated in the water reducing
infection to baby
Cord cutting after birth is delayed until it
stops pulsating
Less problems with breastfeeding after birth
Less trauma to mother means less trauma to
baby
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Contraindications

HIV or Hepatitis - This is at the discretion of the

attending medical caregiver. Generally there is no
reason to restrict an HIV positive mother from
laboring or giving birth in water. Evidence shows
that HIV virus is susceptible to the warm water and
cannot live in that environment . Proper cleaning of
all equipment after the birth needs to be carried out.
Herpes - Because herpes is highly transferable, it is
advisable not to utilize water as a labor or birth tool.
However, you may discuss this with your medical
caregiver.
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There is little known risk of infection to the mother.

Water also dissipates bacteria so pathogens would
more than likely be weaker in the water. Since the
baby is moving downward and out of the birth
canal, it does not follow logically that bacteria can
travel upward and into the birth canal. A mother is
more apt to get an infection from too many vaginal
exams; probes, Aminihooks or scalp hooks before
laboring in water after her membranes have
ruptured.
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So long as you clean the tub beforehand, use

clean water, a new hot water hose and a
disposable tub liner (if your tub calls for one,)
risk of infection is small. Because the mother
and the baby share the same antibodies, there
is no risk of the baby "catching" anything from
the mother. Note, however, that if the water
has been in the tub for more than 24 hours
change the water as a sanitary precaution.
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Conclusions

Take the time to do the research. This

has been a great learning experience for
me getting to know the importance of
gentle birthing and the healing powers
of water.
An expectant mother should feel
empowered and have control over the
birth of her baby.
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The birth experience will have a

profound impact on the lives of the
mother and baby- a positive birth will
continue to affect the child in many
ways after the birth

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Resources ~each of these websites have

their own great links pages~ Check them out!

www.waterbirth.org
www.waterbirth.com
www.waterbirthinfo.com
www.midwiferytoday.com

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