Water Birth Benefits

Benefits for Mother:

• Water is soothing, comforting, relaxing.
• In the later stages of labor, the water seems to increase the woman’s energy.
• Water birth coined as an “aquadural” or “wetepidural” and is safer, more effective and economical than an epidural.
• Pain significantly reduced by blocking nerve impulses of pain to the brain known as the Gate Theory of Pain.
• Fewer birth canal injuries, vagina, perineum and vulva .
• 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 relaxes the pelvic floor muscles, which reduces the incidence and severity of tearing and the need for an episiotomy and stitches.
• Reduction of labor length.
• 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.
• Reduction of Cesareans.
  Less blood loss during the birth due to deeper relaxation resulting in hormones such as Oxytocin kicking in quicker.
• Helps to relieve anxiety and promote focusing inward, as labor becomes more intense.
• Moist air assist better breathing for mother specifically if asthmatic
• Facilitates a dysfunctional labor by stimulating dilation of cervix.
• Can speed up normal labors, sometimes resulting in less than a two to four-hour birth in total.
• Effective tool to easing the woman into and through transition to pushing

Benefits for Baby:

• More blood to baby due to better blood circulation in mother.
• Provides a similar environment as the amniotic sac.
• Eases the stress of the birth, providing reassurance and security.
• Less problems with breastfeeding after birth.
• Less trauma to mother means less trauma to baby.