What are the benefits of water
for labor/delivery?
Women have been
instinctively birthing in water for thousands of year. That alone says something very important regarding the benefits of
it's use for women during labor and birth. By laboring in water, women are allowed critical freedom from gravity’s
pull on the body and sensory stimulation. Her body is more relaxed and able to produce endorphins, the pain inhibitors associated
with labor. It has also been shown that women who are hypertensive often experience a significant drop in blood pressure
upon entering a warm water bath because the hormones that are released during stress, which tend to raise blood pressure,
are not being produced to such a great extent.
The physical relaxation achieved by laboring in a warm water bath also
promotes mental relaxation. It relieves much of a woman’s anxiety and fear. Pain perception is greatly influenced
by anxiety level. When a woman is more at ease, she is better able to focus inwardly on the birthing process. This in turn makes
the desire for pain medications that can have a negative effect on both mom and baby less likely. The water also helps the
perenium become more elastic, thus reducing the risk of tearing.
There are also significant benefits for the baby.
The relaxed physical and emotional state of the mother carries over to the baby, making birth more positive for both of them.
If a baby is born in water, s/he has the ability to enter the world in a more natural way, with the comfort of familiarity
(surrounded by water) after the stress of birth. This softens the shock and sensory overload of being born into a fairly
cold, dry, and often busy environment.
Birth Partner: Remember to bring your swimming suit or appropriate clothing so that you may also join
the mother in the labor tub. This is a perfect time for quiet bonding. Offering support, both physical and emotional during
this time is a great way to assist mom during contractions.
Monitoring
Monitoring your contractions
and your baby's heart rate can easily be accomplished in the tub through our telemetry monitoring system. The telemetry monitor
is a portable box that connects to the monitor leads around your body. The portable box transmits the heart rate and contraction
readings to the fetal monitor in your labor room. You can walk, shower, and get in the tub while being monitored.
