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Warm water immersion during labor and birth can be a great way to help alleviate pain and discomfort. It offers warmth, weightlessness and relaxation especially when the laboring mother is able to submerge her belly and lower body. This is accomplished easily with the use of a birthing tub. Alma Midwifery Center has large birthing tubs in the birth rooms, and we have portable tubs available for use during homebirth, for a small fee. They are wider and deeper than a regular bathtub, more like the size of a small hot tub. This larger size combined with the weightlessness of water immersion offers moms greater ease of movement during labor and birth. Water immersion during early labor can slow down progress sometimes, so your midwife may ask you to wait until active labor to get into the tub. During active labor water immersion has been known to speed up progress, perhaps due to the profound relaxation experienced. Many women take this comfort measure a step further and birth their babies into the water.
Waterbirth offers a gentle transition from mother’s womb to the outside world. Waterborn babies are birthed into an environment much the same as the amniotic sac- warm and watery. It is an intermediate step that allows the baby to adjust slowly to this new life. Babies do not begin the breathing process until they sense a change from a watery environment into the air. It is for this reason along with others that there is no risk of drowning for healthy waterborn babies. It is also for this reason that waterborn babies take a little longer than dry land birthed babies to initiate the breathing process. They may be a bit bluer in color at first, but are fine when they “catch up”. It is recommended to bring the baby to the surface of the water as soon as the body is born.
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Benefits of waterbirth include:
~Pain relief and relaxation for mom- less need for pain medications.
~Less perineal tearing.
~High satisfaction rating from moms.
~Gentle transition for babies.
Waterbirth does not:
~Increase maternal infections or illness.
~Increase infections or illness in babies.
Waterbirth is a safe and natural way to facilitate a gentle entrance into the world for your baby.
If you would like to learn more about water immersion for labor and birth please contact the Alma Midwives. You may want to visit Waterbirth International for information, studies on waterbirth, waterbirth birth stories and more.
Mom and Dad greet their waterbirthed baby boy, who is only a few minutes old. |
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Was your baby born in water? Join the growing list at Waterbirth International. 10,000 babies by 2006!
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~ ALMA Midwifery Service ~ Licensed Birth Center ~ Homebirth ~ Waterbirth ~ ~ Phone 503.233.3001 ~ FAX 503.233.7686 ~ 1608 SE Ankeny St. Portland, OR. 97214 ~ |
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