Why Labour in Water?
It is a well recognised fact being up right and mobile in labour aids the baby progress though the mother’s pelvis. But why should using water in labour be so beneficial? Well! Immersing your body in warm water is relaxing.
Just remember how wonderful it feels to lay back in a deep, warm, scented bath after a long, strenuous day’s activities. Research has shown that using a birthing pool for labour helps you to relax and therefore cope better with your contractions. This means you experience less pain and reduces your need for pain relieving drugs, so you feel more in control. Less pain means you produce less adrenaline, a hormone which interferes with the production of oxytocin (the love hormone) which is responsible for effective labour. This in turn helps to shorten the length of your labour. It also reduces the need for drugs that accelerate your labour when progress is slow.
Research suggests that there is less chance of perineal trauma ( the area between the vagina and back passage) during a water birth. Above all, research has shown that women who labour in water have a more enjoyable experience and are more likely to achieve a natural birth.
Given these facts, why don’t more women use water in labour? Perhaps the answer could be that women just don’t know the benefits of using water. Or perhaps it could be due to lack of enthusiasm of maternity unit staff towards water births. If you think you may like to use water in labour it is worth considering has your maternity unit a birthing pool? If so, how often is it used? This will show if there are enough trained staff willing and available to support use of the birthing pool. Evidence suggests you need one midwife throughout labour and two for the actual birth.
"Why water in labour?" by Chrissy Hustler. published in ABC Dorset