Benefits for Mother:

• Water is soothing, comforting, relaxing. Water birth is a form of hydrotherapy which, in studies, has been shown to be an effective form of pain management for a variety of conditions especially lower back pain (a common complaint of women in labor).
• In the later stages of labor, the water seems to increase the woman’s energy.
• The buoyancy lessens her body weight, allows free movement and new positioning.
• Buoyancy promotes more efficient uterine contractions and better blood circulation, resulting in better oxygenation of the uterine muscles, less pain for the mother, and more oxygen for the baby.
• Immersion in water often helps lower high blood pressure caused by anxiety.
• Water seems to alleviate stress-related hormones, allowing the mother’s body to produce endorphins, which are pain-inhibitors.
• Water causes the perineum to become more elastic and relaxed, which reduces the incidence and severity of tearing and the need for an episiotomy and stitches.
• As the laboring women relaxes physically she is able to relax mentally, concentrating her efforts inward on the birth process.
• The water provides a sense of privacy, which releases inhibitions, anxiety, and fears.

Benefits for Baby:

• Provides a similar (warm, watery) environment as the amniotic sac.
• Eases the stress of the birth, providing reassurance and security.

Risks involved in Water Births:

Although there are no proven disadvantages to birthing in water, it is still a controversial means of delivery.  Critics cite possible risks, including:

• Water aspiration. If the baby is experiencing stress in the birth canal or the umbilical cord becomes kinked or twisted, the baby may gasp for air, possibly inhaling water into the lungs. This would be rare because babies do not inhale air until they are exposed to air. They receive oxygen through the umbilical cord until they start to breathe on their own or until the cord is cut.
• The umbilical cord could snap as the baby is brought to the surface of the water. This is preventable by using caution when lifting the baby up to the mother’s chest.
• Another concern is that the water could increase the risk of infection. However, studies to date do not show increased risk of transferring bacteria from infant to mother or mother to infant.
• Slowed labor, due to the documented relaxing effects of water, may be seen as a benefit rather than a rsik.  Laboring in water is sometimes associated with a decrease in the intensity of contractions, and is thus thought to slow labor.
• Maternal blood loss. For care providers who are inexperienced in delivery in water, it may be difficult to assess the amount of maternal blood loss. Although there are well-developed methods of determining maternal blood loss in water, many providers prefer to deliver the placenta out of water for this reason.

Water births may be discouraged in the following situations, and should be discussed with your health care provider:

• If you have Herpes: Herpes transfers easily in water, so you will want to discuss this thoroughly with your health care provider.
• If your baby is breech: Though water birth has been done with bottom or feet first presentations you will want to discuss this thoroughly with your health care provider.
• If you have been diagnosed with excessive bleeding or maternal infection.
• If you are having multiples: Though water births have been successful with twins around the world, you will want to discuss this thoroughly with your health care provider.
• If preterm labor is expected: If a baby is two weeks or more prior to due date, water birth is not recommended.
• If there is severe meconium: Mild to moderate meconium is fairly normal. Since meconium floats to the surface in a tub, your health care provider will watch for it and remove it immediately, or help you out of the tub.
• If you have toxemia or preeclampsia: You will want to thoroughly discuss this with your health care provider.

For more information, check out:

Wikipedia (includes history and studies associated with water births)

Waterbirth.org

WaterBirthInfo.com

AmericanPregnancy.org,

YourWaterBirth.com (Offers supplies for an at-home water birth, such as pools, hoses, thermometers, protective floor covers, birth kits, and more)

Oh ya… and remember my doctor who kept telling me he was too small? 4 kilo! That’s almost 9 pounds! So there! You should have seen the midwives struggling to pull him out. Ha ha!

The answer seems to be: PROBABLY NOT. I think your body will give birth when it’s ready. Wiki Answers claims that none of these so called “natural remedies” will start labour unless you have already begun to dialte, anyway.  So bring on your spicy foods, vigorous walks, frequent sex…. I have a feeling none of it really makes a difference in the end.

Here they are:

1. Easier time pushing that baby out (second stage labor)!Make sense that if you are in good shape, your body will have more strength to push. Even during a long labor, a fit woman will be able to cope better than one who did not exercise at all.

 2. Easier, healthier all-around pregnancy. Women who exercise feel more positive and report less weight-gain, suffer less back and pelvic pain, sleep better and eat better. They are happier and less likely to suffer depression. You will also feel better and have more energy after birth.

3.  Strong pelvic floor muscles assist in birth. During pregnancy, hormones enable the pelvic floor to stretch adequately during childbirth. If these muscles are toned, they will allow a baby to pass through during childbirth and return to normal afterwards. If not, they can be damaged, over stretched and weak.

4. Pregnancy is a great time to start fresh! Many woman who have not exercised previously, commit to a new fitness plan when they become pregnant.  They want to begin a new, healthier way of life so they can have the best pregnancy experience possible… and a healthier baby too!

5. Exercise benefits your child! Babies born to women who worked out were leaner than those who did not. (Fatter babies are not necessarily healthier babies.)  Studies have shown that children born to exercising mothers are less likely to be obese. Further studies show that children of exercising mothers scored higher on tests of general intelligence and oral language skills, in addition to physical performance.

You should consult a fitness expert before embarking on any new exercise programs, especially during pregnancy! But you will find that once you start, the benefits are obvious. So what are you waiting for?

Hmm, maybe this helps some women through the labor, but is that really the first thing you want your baby to hear as it enters the world? Especially from mommy?!

Today, hypnosis is used therapeutically in many areas of medicine, dental anesthesia and personal therapy sessions. Yet many misconceptions regarding hypnosis remain. If you are a skeptic, there are a few things you should be aware of, says Kerry Tuschhoff of iVillage:

Natal Hypnotherapy has some more info if you want to learn more, and also offers a birth preparation CD which “guides mothers into a deeply relaxed state using breathing techniques, guided imagery and visualisation.”  The CD continues with a detailed visualisation of giving birth, with soothing predictions of how you will feel and respond to the sensations and changes during labour.

Anyone out there actually used hypnosis to give birth? Tell us about it!