waterbirth

**mumma2be** · 17-12-2005 09:32

i want a waterbirth does anyone have stories on if they are good or bad?? the hospital near me does them i am scared that the baby will drown?

**JanetF** · 17-12-2005 10:38

Babies don't breathe underwater because they don't breathe in the womb. In a water birth a baby's head can be out of the mother's body for many minutes under the water with all its needs being supplied via the placenta. When the mama eventually pushes the baby out it is gently lifted to the surface and then begins to breathe. Wb babies are different from landbirthed babies in that they are sometimes so peaceful they're born asleep! The transition from womb to water to land is very gentle and the pain relief for mamas is great. There are many many books on wb too especially by Michel Odent, world authority and Ob, also Janet Balaskas has a great wb book.

Try these for more information:
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/watrbrth.html

The most recent Australian book on water birth:
http://www.clickonto.com.au/birth/

http://waterbirth.org/spa/index.php

PM me if you want any more.

**Ffrenchknickers** · 17-12-2005 11:31

I had a waterbirth for #2 and it was fantastic! I wouldnt do it any other way now

The water was great and best of all, bubs came out all clean!

**mummycloud** · 17-12-2005 11:33

I'm not too sure how safe they are. Every WB I whitnessed, the babies have taken a while to get going. They've all needed extra stimulation.
JanetF mentioned they are often born sleeping, so that may be why

There's also a risk of infection. I know someone who's baby got Meningitis and they said it was the water birth that caused it. They could have been wrong about that because that usually happens when there's prolonged broken waters (over 24 hours) or mum has a staph infection when she's pregnant and it hasn't been picked up. Who knows for sure though. I'm interested to find out how many water birth babies have gotten Meningitis.

**Ffrenchknickers** · 17-12-2005 11:37

Every WB I whitnessed, the babies have taken a while to get going. They've all needed extra stimulation

not mine

He was ready and rearing to go...I've never heard that before

**mummycloud** · 17-12-2005 11:42

LOL, I have only seen 4 waterbirths, so maybe I jinxed them all

**Ffrenchknickers** · 17-12-2005 11:45

Lol! Maybe you should stay away from waterbirths in future

hehe

**mummycloud** · 17-12-2005 11:55

LOL when I'm a Doula I'll have to have that on my resume, Oh well, there goes around 20% of my clients

**Ffrenchknickers** · 17-12-2005 12:02

hahaha.....

**JanetF** · 17-12-2005 13:06

These is actually a revised Apgar scoring system for waterbirthed babies because they do breathe more slowly. It doesn't cause any problems, they're just doing it more gently and because they're undrugged and still on their placentas they're just fine.