Water Birth at Birthways Family Birth Center
If you’re having a natural birth, a water birth might be worth considering. This isn’t just a trend, it’s a historical method of aiding labor and reducing pain, and it’s becoming an increasingly popular birthing method due to its benefits.
What is a water birth?
Simply put, water birth is the process of giving birth in a warm water bath. This can include going through active labor and the delivery in water or laboring in water and coming out for the delivery.
Being in warm water can help the mother relax, making birth easier and less stressful for her, and the water also makes a gentle transition for baby from womb to air.
Are the birth suites set up for water birth?
Yes, to accommodate our clients with a desire for a water birth, both of our birth suites are equipped with tubs specially designed for this purpose. These tubs are spacious enough for mothers to labor and give birth in the water with ease.
How long can I be in the water?
How long someone stays in the water is up to them. Meaning that you can choose when you want to enter the water and how long you want to stay in it based on your comfort and labor progress.
Sometimes mothers like to relax in the tub from the start of labor and come out to deliver their baby, while others like to stay in the water for the delivery. In the latter case, individuals typically leave the tub shortly after the baby is born, within 5 to 30 minutes.
What does water help with?
Benefits of water birth can include:
- Eases the feeling of pain
- Lowers the need for pain medication
- Reduces the gravitational force on your back, alleviating back pressure
- Reduces the risk of tearing during birth
- The buoyancy helps women relax, which may contribute to shortening labor
Transition is an especially great time to labor in the water. This is when your contractions begin to get more powerful and intense. Being in the water provides pain relief and makes it easier to handle the contractions.
To learn more about water birth, give us a call!