The waterbirth policy of South Australia is up for review. It is a mediocre policy set up to cover arse at the hospital. However maybe the review will improve things.

There are stories of pharaohs giving birth in the water and South pacific islanders have been giving birth in the water for centuries. Guyana women often birth at the local river, so if your considering labour and birth in water then your not the first.

Michael Odent‘s article in Midwifery today explains the land mark change in acceptance of waterbirth in 1999 when the medical faction finally had to accept that research shows that labour and birth in water is safe and advantageous.

So what does it to for me as a birthing woman?

When you get in the water the Ahh factor is immediate, because the warm water relieves stress, your adrenalin goes down letting your endorphins climb giving you natural pain relief. This also helps lower your blood pressure. Less women at hospital require pain medication and at home it’s a perfect way to relax during your labour. Women I birth with at home always have the option of a pool. The beauty of being in your own environment is you can get in and out of the water as you feel so it’s part of an organic plan and not set in stone once you feel you may have made a choice for your birth.

This study shows that not only did women have less trauma with a waterbirth but their blood loss was also less. This trial was done at hospital so the option of narcotic pain relief was available. At home the choice of water is an enhancer of your labour and birth experience instead of a stop gap to something more.

Journal of Perinatal Medicine
Cover date: July 2004
Author(s): V. Geissbuehler S. Stein J. Eberhard
Page(s): 308-314

Abstract text
Aims: This study compares neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality between waterbirths and landbirths (spontaneous singleton births in cephalic presentation, vacuum extractions are excluded). Methods: In this observational study covering nine years, standardized questionnaires were used to document 9,518 spontaneous singleton cephalic presentation births, of which 3,617 were waterbirths and 5,901 landbirths. Results: Landbirths show higher rates of episiotomies as well as third and fourth degree perineal lacerations. Waterbirths show a higher rate of births “without injuries”, first and second-degree perineal lacerations, vaginal and labial tears. After a waterbirth, there is an average loss of 5.26 g/l blood; this is significantly less than landbirths where there is an 8.08 g/l blood loss on average. In 69.7% waterbirths required no analgesic, compared to 58.0% for landbirths. Water and landbirths do not differ with respect to maternal and neonatal infections. After landbirths, there was a higher rate of newborn complications with subsequent transfer to an external NICU. During the study, there were neither maternal nor neonatal deaths related to spontaneous labor.

What about the third stage of labour in the water? This is something I’m sure that will be on the agenda of water birth policy makers. It is recommended that women get out of the water prior to the third stage. Is this necessary if the woman is feeling comfortable? I think more than half the women I birth with in water feel like they want to get out before birthing the placenta. It is common to feel a little cold after the birth and this isn’t ideal for mother or baby. I am led by the mother on this and have no problems either way. It has been mentioned that blood loss is difficult to estimate in the water. I suppose it is difficult to estimate if you’ve never seen it before however on a regular basis you would be pretty accurate. Plus for me the woman’s condition is way more important than the blood. Some women loose 250 mls and feel terrible and others 600ml and feel fine. I would certainly been aiding a symptomatic woman even with very little estimated loss.
Best of all you can even do it in your own bath!

Related posts:

1. More About Waterbirth
2. Waterbirth FAQ
3. Waterbirth Pool Reviews
4. Maternity Review – Push For Midwifery
5. Water Birth