Water Birth:

Water birth is the birth cycle in a warm water bath. Many girls choose to work and get out for distribution in the rain. Other women also decide to stay for delivery in the rain. The concept behind water birth is that birth in a similar environment is more comfortable for the infant and less painful for the mother since the baby has been in the amniotic fluid sac for nine months.

Midwives, maternity centres, and an increasing number of obstetricians agree that reducing labor and delivery pressure can mitigate risks of the fetus.

What are the benefits of water birth?

Benefits for Mother:

• Warm water is calming, stimulating and relaxed.
• The fluid has been shown to increase the strength of the female in the later stages of pregnancy.
• The buoyancy effect decreases the bodyweight of a person, allowing for free movement and new positioning.
• Buoyancy facilitates more effective uterine contractions and better blood flow leading to improved uterine muscle oxygenation, less mother pain, and more baby oxygen.
• Immersion of water also helps to reduce anxiety-induced high blood pressure.
• Water appears to reduce the hormones associated with stress, allowing the body of the mother to produce endorphins that serve as pain inhibitors.
• Water makes the perineum more flexible and secure, increasing the tearing frequency and extent and the need for an episiotomy and stitches.
• He is able to relax emotionally with a better ability to focus on the birth process as the laboring woman relaxes physically.
• As water provides a greater sense of privacy, inhibitions, anxiety, and fears can be reduced.

Benefits for Baby:

• It provides an amniotic sac-like climate.
• Ease birth pressure, thus increasing reassurance and feeling of safety.

What are the risks to the mother and baby?

Over the last 30 years, there has been very little work on the dangers of water birth as water birth has grown in popularity. Several reports in Europe have shown comparable perinatal mortality rates between fluid births and typical births. According to an article written by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, there may be a theoretical risk of water embolism that happens when water enters the bloodstream of the mother

If the baby has pressure in the birth canal or if the umbilical cord is kinked or bent, the baby may gasp for air with the risk of inhaling water.

This would be a rare occurrence because babies typically do not inhale until they are exposed to air. Through the umbilical cord, they continue to receive oxygen until they start breathing independently or until the cord is removed. The biggest potential risk is that as the infant is taken to the water surface, the umbilical cord will break. Caution can be used to avoid this by raising the baby to the head of the mother.

What situations are not ideal for water birth?

• If you have Herpes: Herpes transfers easily in water, so with your health care provider you should discuss this risk thoroughly.
• If your kid is breech: while water delivery was achieved with first presentations on the bottom or foot, this threat should be discussed in detail with your healthcare provider.
• If one of the following has been diagnosed: heavy bleeding or maternal disease.
• If you have multiples: while water births around the world with twin births have been positive, this threat should be addressed carefully with your doctor.
• When premature labour is expected: if a baby is premature (two weeks or later before due date), it is not advised to give birth to water.
• If there is severe meconium: it is quite normal to have mild to moderate meconium. Because meconium floats in a tub to the surface, your health care provider will watch over it and immediately remove it or help you out of the tub. Usually, Meconium washes off the baby's face and even comes out of the mouth and nose while the baby is still underwater. If the water gets contaminated and conception is inevitable, the mother will raise her pelvis out of the water to give birth to the child.
• If you have toxemia or preeclampsia, the risk should be addressed carefully with your health care provider.