Thinking Of Having A Water Birth?

What Is Water Birth?

Water birth is giving birth to your baby in a pool of water or in a bath tub. Many people say that water birth has some distinct advantages and very few or no disadvantages. It is said that this form of natural child birth has advantages for both the mother and the child.

The History Of Water Births

In the 1960s, Igor Charkovsky- a Russian, was the first to do research on water births. Later on, Frederick Leboyer, a French obstetrician, talked about how being put in warm water helped a new born. He said that it reduced the chances of post birth complications in the child and helped it to adapt to its new surroundings faster and better. It was Michael Odent, a French man, who realized that when it was time for delivery, some mothers refused to come out of the water. He thought this over and having babies in water has become quite the norm since then. Nowadays, this is a very popular method of giving birth. It is also considered a better alternative to a caesarian birth. Today, most hospitals all over America and the United Kingdom offer water birth facilities.

The Benefits Of Water Births

There are many benefits to having a child water birth. The benefits are for both- mother and child. Mothers feel less pain during labor in the warm water. This is because of the decrease in the secretion of adrenaline from the mother’s body. The warm water is also very soothing. Another thing that happens is that the perineum becomes more elastic. Endorphins, the hormones that make you feel happy, are also released at this time. The benefits for the baby are that the baby’s surroundings in the mother’s womb are comparable to warm water surroundings, so it makes the transition from inside to the outside world much easier for the little one.

You should read more about water births and their benefits. Being well informed on these matters always helps. We wish you a safe and healthy pregnancy.