You must have seen pictures of women giving water birth on the internet as giving water birth is in trend again.
Water birth is childbirth that occurs in water as it is believed that water birth results in a more relaxed and less painful experience. In the U.S even some birthing centers and hospitals offer water births.
To deliver a water birth, you need to have a tub to deliver which you can buy or even rent. So in case you are thinking to give water birth, there are few things that you must keep in mind.
Your bathroom should be big enough for the tub to fit in. You can sterlize the tub before the due date to make sure it’s all clean and germ-free. In case you have a small bathroom you can make the set up in another room.
The pool must be big enough for you to squat and change positions. The water should be at least 40 centimeters deep. The pool has to be big enough for you to sit and lounge comfortably with your belly submerged and you to be able to get out quickly if required.
The bottom color of the pool must be light in color so that it is easy to evaluate the fluid in the tub. The temperature of the water should be kept between 97 – 100 Fahrenheit.
Rethink about the size of the tub if your partner will also be there with you.
Risks involved in water birth:
You or your baby might catch an infection.
- The umbilical cord may snap even before your baby comes out of the water.
- The temperature of your baby’s body can be too low or too high.
- Your baby might breathe in the bathing water.
- The baby may not be able to breathe and can have seizures.
Conditions in which you should not go for this:
- You are younger than 17 or older than 35.
- You have diabetes
- In case you are going to give birth to twins or multiples.
- The baby is premature
- If you already have some kind of infection.
Precautions you must take while giving water birth
If you are planning to give water birth, talk to your doctor first. Find out if it can be done in the hospital where your gynae can be present.
