THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING A WATER BIRTH
Photo Credit: Unsplash / @jernejgraj
If you can mentally check off all the following boxes, having a water birth could be the relaxing, gentle approach to birth you’ve always wanted.
[ ] Low risk pregnancy
[ ] Healthy mum and baby
[ ] Single baby pregnancy
[ ] Baby in the optimal head down position
[ ] Term pregnancy
BENEFITS
Why do birthing parents opt for giving birth immersed in warm water? Picture yourself in the bath with a vibey playlist, candles, low lighting, uninterrupted, allowing all your stresses to melt away. Feel the tension leave your muscles and lean into the well-deserved rest after a busy day. Think about the relief you feel when you run an injured finger under the tap. Now put yourself in the shoes of your unborn child, imagine being in the warm, safe cocoon of your mother’s womb for 9 months, where all sounds are muffled and lights are dim. Would you prefer to emerge slowly from familiar water into the warm embrace of your mum? Or would you rather be pulled out abruptly into bright lights, noise and lots of unfamiliar faces?
Water lightens the load of your bump and allows you the buoyancy to move into different birthing positions with ease, so you can intuitively find the one that feels best for you. Being upright in a pool allows gravity to assist your baby’s descent through the birth path and immersion can help soothe your body through contractions. It offers a gentle transition for your baby from the amniotic sac to the birth pool, while they are still breathing through the umbilical cord, so there is no risk of drowning until after they leave the water. Water complements other holistic forms of pain relief like aromatherapy, massage, breathing or hypnosis techniques, and gas and air. However, if you require stronger forms of pain relief you may have to leave the water and wait a little while to receive an epidural, opiates or use a tens machine.
PREPARATION
If embracing your inner mermaid feels like the right way to go for your birth, there are a few things to consider and do beforehand for everything to flow seamlessly:
Figure out where you want to give birth. Availability of birth pools can be unpredictable in a hospital or birth centre, so try to give your medical team as much notice as possible. If you’d prefer a home birth, think about whether you want to buy or hire a pool, where you can find them, and how much money you’ll need to set aside.
For home births, get your partner to rehearse setting up the pool and time how long it takes, so you can be prepared on the day. Figure out how long a hospital transfer would take and the best routes if you change your mind or if complications arise.
Create an oxytocin-filled environment. Make sure the water remains a comfortable, safe temperature (under 37.5 degrees) with regular top ups, dim the lights, curate a relaxing playlist or put on a funny comfort show on TV, add neck support and surround yourself with uplifting words and photos.
Now for the practical prep. Keep the water clean with regular toilet breaks and a container to scoop any unexpected poop, use absorbent pads or a plastic sheet to prevent mess, have towels and a hat ready for the baby and a dressing gown ready for you to step into. Think about what you want to wear that will make you feel comfortable, while also granting your midwife visibility of the baby.
Decide if you want to birth your placenta in the water too if it’s safe. Remember you can change your mind at any time and, if in the moment, you want to leave the pool early or not get in at all, that’s completely your prerogative.
REASONS TO STOP
The main reasons your care team may advise you to get out of the pool early include; heavy bleeding, a change in the baby’s heart rate, a change in your blood pressure, your baby passing their first poo (meconium), if your labour progress has stalled, or if there are any other health concerns for you or the baby.
For more information on how hypnobirthing can help you plan your water birth or explore your other birth options, book your free clarity call.
Love, Megan
