Water birth is the process of giving birth while relaxing in a tub of warm water. Some women choose to labor in the water and get out for delivery. Other women decide to stay in the water for the delivery. Here are two of the BIG reasons moms should spend some time in a water birth tub during labor:
Pain management – Birthing tubs can be used for pain management. When you are in labor, your contractions may become so intense that you’ll need help managing the pain. One of our favorite ways to use the water birth tub is when the mom needs a weightless break. The effect of buoyancy lessens the mother’s body weight, allowing free movement and new positioning. Whenever possible, it is best to be fully submerged to your chest or shoulders. While any depth of warm water can help in coping with contractions, being fully submerged provides more buoyancy and warmth, which will provide the most pain relief.
Stress Relief – It is normal to experience anxiety during labor. Using a birth tub for even just a short period of time can lessen that anxiety and help lower high blood pressure. Who doesn’t want to enjoy a nice warm bath on an exhausting day? When you are relaxed physically, it is easier to relax mentally and focus on the birth process.
Lets not forget about baby! Your baby’s birth experience is just as important as yours. When your baby is born in the water, it eases your baby’s transition to the outside world. Your baby has been in a water-like fluid throughout the entire pregnancy, and with a water birth your baby will be born gently into the same environment that he or she is currently in… water! Water birth is safe. Your baby will continue to receive oxygen through its umbilical cord just as he or she did before birth. After your baby is brought out of the water, within a few seconds after the birth, he or she will take that first breath to fill the lungs with air.
At Celebrate Birth we want you to feel comfortable and secure during your labor. We offer two relaxing tubs for birthing as well as an inflatable tub for homebirths. Our tubs can help give you the relief you need to endure the intensities of labor. If you have questions about water birth, please don’t hesitate to give us a call: 863-680-2229.