Using Water in Labor
Water: a life-saving mix of sustenance and comfort. We drink water, use it in our cooking, clean our clothes and dishes with it -- and now we are even having our babies in it. While actual birthing in water happens infrequently, using water during labor is a universal experience. It can help women feel more comfortable with the contractions and help the uterus relax, thereby lessening their pain. When women who have used water in labor speak about it afterward, they talk in tones of relief, using words such as "it felt so much better," "I couldn't believe the difference," and "I wish I had gotten in the tub sooner." While women having hospital births are, in most parts of the country, unable to immerse themselves during labor or birth, they can still utilize the benefits of water in a variety of ways.
Something as simple as a washcloth can be transformed into a representation of love and admiration as a woman works so hard to birth her baby. When a husband holds a cold, wet cloth to his wife's forehead, she knows that, in that moment, he understands the significance of her work. When her mother places yet another warm towel on her daughter's lower back, she says to her baby girl, "I remember."
Washcloths - These can be used cold or hot depending on what the mom is wanting at the moment. Sometimes the caretaker will hold a cold one in one hand and a hot one in the other! Using water from the sink in labor room (if in the hospital) or from a filled bowl (if at home) keeps the water at a steady temperature. Often, just the cold water from the faucet is not cold enough, so wrapping ice in the cloth is just what the woman wants. Be careful not to put the ice directly on her skin; it can cause an ice burn. To keep warm water at the same temperature, using a crock pot (at home) is a great idea. Put two washcloths in the pot, wringing one out and using it. Then, once it cools, trade them out, again using a hot one. Women love this.
You can use a washcloth anywhere the mom wants it used: her lower back (hot or cold), her forehead (cold), her chest (cold), wiping her arms or legs (hot or cold) or giving a gentle foot massage (hot or cold).
Shower - Many women find the spray from the shower soothing and if there are strong splashes of water, the pressure can feel great. Leaning on the shower wall while feeling the hard spray beating on the lower back, labor seems manageable for awhile longer. If she needs even more pressure, someone can press on her back while the shower is going. If they need to because they have company at home or are in the hospital, the helper can wear a bathing suit for modesty's sake. Mom can also turn around, letting the water sprinkle down the contracting uterus; this is extremely relaxing.
Bathtub - Whether she has a soaker tub or a standard shallow bathtub, lying back in a pool of water floats the sensations away. Women tend to find contractions, when done in the water, are far less painful than on land. It is as if the uterus "floats" towards the surface, the baby lifting off the nerve endings inside the body.
Women having home births will frequently rent a birth pool, a self-contained, 4'x6' plastic enclosure. A common brand is the AquaDoula and they have a heater on the side, keeping the water a comfortable 100°. Family members or spouses can also get into the water if the pool is large enough, comforting the mom with their presence and the counter-pressure of their hands.
Birthing in a birth center, tubs are a frequent place you can find laboring moms. While not all birth centers permit birthing in the tub, all of them allow laboring in one.
Most hospitals in the United States do not having pools or tubs, but do offer showers to women who are not tethered by monitors. Even women with IV lines are usually permitted to shower, the IV insertion site being covered with a waterproof bandage.
Drinking Water - Lastly, not enough can be said about drinking water in labor. The baby is immersed in water inside the uterus and that amniotic fluid is completely exchanged about every six hours. In order to keep the flow healthy, mom must have water coming in every once in awhile. A woman's blood volume expands during the second half of pregnancy and fluid intake impacts this as well. A dehydrated mother can have preterm labor contractions, merely drinking water or having an IV drip with fluids can be enough to stave off those early contractions. (But if you are having contractions at any time during your pregnancy, be sure to alert your care provider immediately!) During labor, women must stay hydrated to complete the work. Imagine a marathon runner not drinking water every quarter of a mile; the work of birthing a baby is harder than running a marathon! Some midwives believe that electrolyte water is better than plain water during labor since so many calories are burned and women can unbalance their electrolytes in the process. Be sure to ask your care provider what he or she recommends. Even if women are in the hospital, water can be gotten via ice chips, albeit a lot of them, but it is a way to help keep yourself hydrated.
Water, a vital part of our everyday lives, takes on a whole new purpose for birthing women.
Barbara E. Herrera is a Licensed and Certified Professional Midwife who regularly attends to women birthing at home and in the water. As a home birth midwife, natural birth is second nature. She also helps women who want to birth naturally in the hospital, but need an extra hand (called a doula). If you have more questions, contact her here: http://www.AmaMamaMidwifery.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
Something as simple as a washcloth can be transformed into a representation of love and admiration as a woman works so hard to birth her baby. When a husband holds a cold, wet cloth to his wife's forehead, she knows that, in that moment, he understands the significance of her work. When her mother places yet another warm towel on her daughter's lower back, she says to her baby girl, "I remember."
Washcloths - These can be used cold or hot depending on what the mom is wanting at the moment. Sometimes the caretaker will hold a cold one in one hand and a hot one in the other! Using water from the sink in labor room (if in the hospital) or from a filled bowl (if at home) keeps the water at a steady temperature. Often, just the cold water from the faucet is not cold enough, so wrapping ice in the cloth is just what the woman wants. Be careful not to put the ice directly on her skin; it can cause an ice burn. To keep warm water at the same temperature, using a crock pot (at home) is a great idea. Put two washcloths in the pot, wringing one out and using it. Then, once it cools, trade them out, again using a hot one. Women love this.
You can use a washcloth anywhere the mom wants it used: her lower back (hot or cold), her forehead (cold), her chest (cold), wiping her arms or legs (hot or cold) or giving a gentle foot massage (hot or cold).
Shower - Many women find the spray from the shower soothing and if there are strong splashes of water, the pressure can feel great. Leaning on the shower wall while feeling the hard spray beating on the lower back, labor seems manageable for awhile longer. If she needs even more pressure, someone can press on her back while the shower is going. If they need to because they have company at home or are in the hospital, the helper can wear a bathing suit for modesty's sake. Mom can also turn around, letting the water sprinkle down the contracting uterus; this is extremely relaxing.
Bathtub - Whether she has a soaker tub or a standard shallow bathtub, lying back in a pool of water floats the sensations away. Women tend to find contractions, when done in the water, are far less painful than on land. It is as if the uterus "floats" towards the surface, the baby lifting off the nerve endings inside the body.
Women having home births will frequently rent a birth pool, a self-contained, 4'x6' plastic enclosure. A common brand is the AquaDoula and they have a heater on the side, keeping the water a comfortable 100°. Family members or spouses can also get into the water if the pool is large enough, comforting the mom with their presence and the counter-pressure of their hands.
Birthing in a birth center, tubs are a frequent place you can find laboring moms. While not all birth centers permit birthing in the tub, all of them allow laboring in one.
Most hospitals in the United States do not having pools or tubs, but do offer showers to women who are not tethered by monitors. Even women with IV lines are usually permitted to shower, the IV insertion site being covered with a waterproof bandage.
Drinking Water - Lastly, not enough can be said about drinking water in labor. The baby is immersed in water inside the uterus and that amniotic fluid is completely exchanged about every six hours. In order to keep the flow healthy, mom must have water coming in every once in awhile. A woman's blood volume expands during the second half of pregnancy and fluid intake impacts this as well. A dehydrated mother can have preterm labor contractions, merely drinking water or having an IV drip with fluids can be enough to stave off those early contractions. (But if you are having contractions at any time during your pregnancy, be sure to alert your care provider immediately!) During labor, women must stay hydrated to complete the work. Imagine a marathon runner not drinking water every quarter of a mile; the work of birthing a baby is harder than running a marathon! Some midwives believe that electrolyte water is better than plain water during labor since so many calories are burned and women can unbalance their electrolytes in the process. Be sure to ask your care provider what he or she recommends. Even if women are in the hospital, water can be gotten via ice chips, albeit a lot of them, but it is a way to help keep yourself hydrated.
Water, a vital part of our everyday lives, takes on a whole new purpose for birthing women.
Barbara E. Herrera is a Licensed and Certified Professional Midwife who regularly attends to women birthing at home and in the water. As a home birth midwife, natural birth is second nature. She also helps women who want to birth naturally in the hospital, but need an extra hand (called a doula). If you have more questions, contact her here: http://www.AmaMamaMidwifery.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
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