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Waterbirth
A Gentle Birthing Choice
By Debora Geary
ional vaginal delivery. In a different study conducted in London, England, researchers found that women choosing waterbirth to deliver their first babies had less perineal trauma (episiotomies or tearing) and spent 90 fewer minutes in labor.
Midwives who attend waterbirths note that one of the most striking benefits of waterbirth is pain management. According to Linda Cole, certified nurse-midwife and executive director of the Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center in Knoxville, Tenn., water is a wonderful environment for reducing labor pain. "The waterbirth tub is best entered in good active labor (around the time many women in the hospital receive an epidural)," she says. "It is apparent to the observer that there is profound relaxation for the laboring woman gained by entering the birth tub."
The watery environment is also great for babies. "The warm water makes a gentle transition for babies, and it is observed by our midwives that these babies emerge calm, yet very alert," says Cole. "The infant enjoys continued warmth from the water after the birth, as he/she is held in its parent's arms in the tub."
In addition to the mom and baby, a waterbirth can be special for others attending the birth. Fathers often choose to be in the birthing tub with their partners, and many dads catch their babies as they emerge into the world.
Midwives really enjoy the experience as well. "The midwives at our center all love the waterbirths that occur there," says Cole. "They are empowering for both the women giving birth and the midwives attending those births."
Cole emphasizes the dangers of waterbirth are few, especially in the hands of an experienced professional midwife. She occasionally moves women out of the tub if the baby's shoulders are tight or if they have trouble monitoring the baby's progres. Also, at her center, women are assisted out of the tub to deliver the placenta, so they can more safely monitor the amount of blood loss.
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