{"id":6251,"date":"2020-11-10T22:52:52","date_gmt":"2020-11-10T21:52:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/singularmom.com\/birth-in-water\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T21:36:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T19:36:56","slug":"birth-in-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/singularmom.com\/en\/blog\/labor\/birth-in-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Birth in water"},"content":{"rendered":"
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He<\/span> water birth<\/strong>. That idea that many mothers fantasize about when the \u201cbig moment\u201d arrives. Something that many years ago was practically unthinkable and that today is a reality carried out as long as the pregnancy develops without complications or underlying pathologies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to the passage of time and advances, women not only can but must take an active role in our pregnancy, in our birth and, above all, in our lives. There are more and more birth alternatives and their conditions that we have to take into account to choose the option that best suits our needs and preferences.<\/span><\/p>\n

As we always say,<\/span> information is our most powerful tool and it is what will make our balance lean towards one side or the other depending on the advantages and disadvantages that we observe. Do you want to know more about the still somewhat unknown yet amazing water birth? Keep reading!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Do you know how many benefits water birth has?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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What is water birth?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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The birth<\/span><\/a>in the water It is a type of natural birth<\/strong> that, as the term indicates,<\/span> encompasses all births in which water becomes a protagonist more than birth. It brings together not only those births in which both the dilatation<\/a> such as the expulsive phase occur within water but also those in which only the expansion period occurs in this medium.<\/span> Water birth is a alternative that seeks to relieve and alleviate pain<\/strong>suffered<\/strong>. This<\/span> indicated in those pregnancies that have developed without major complications and with a spontaneous birth and low intervention. That is, those births in which the risks are minimal<\/strong> and in which the dilation and expulsive phase are expected to pass without major difficulties.<\/div>\n

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Benefits of water birth<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
Labor in water involves a gentle birth with different benefits for both mother and baby.<\/div>\n
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Benefits of water birth for the mother<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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If water birth stands out for something, it is because of its<\/span>analgesic benefits<\/strong>about the contractions<\/a>. Because… let’s put ourselves in a situation. Let’s imagine ourselves in a bathtub at a temperature of about 37\u00baC where we can even listen to music that relaxes us in this nervous moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apparently there is a lot of distance between this situation and the one that always appears in the movies where the pregnant woman remains on a stretcher screaming, sweating and dying of pain, right?<\/span>Water at this temperature causes a<\/span>pleasant feeling<\/strong>which makes<\/span> discomfort and pain are reduced thanks to that relaxation. There’s a reason they call it the \u201cepidural<\/a> natural”.<\/span><\/p>\n

On a psychological level it influences emotional health<\/a><\/span>\u00a0since it helps this moment to be lived as something<\/span> intimate and personal avoiding the \u201cdiscomfort of nudity.\u201d Furthermore, it favors<\/span>women empowerment<\/strong>making you adopt a more than active role in this important vital moment. Reduces the stress hormone, anxiety and fears.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, water<\/span> favors the feeling of lightness and ease of movement<\/strong>, improves blood circulation and oxygenation of the uterine muscles.This makes it possible to adopt a good posture that influences the descent of the baby’s head over the pelvis.<\/span>It also helps in<\/span> control pushing and prevent perineal tears which causes the appearance of tears or the practice of episiotomies<\/a> is reduced. Here you can read more about perineal massage<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Benefits of water birth for the baby<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
Maybe one of your biggest fears right now is:\u201cOkay, that’s all very well, but… is my baby in danger of drowning?<\/em>\u201d<\/em> The answer is negative since newborns have a<\/strong><\/span>immersion reflex<\/strong>that prevents them from making respiratory movements in the water<\/strong>. You just have to stop and think that… it has been in a watery environment in your belly!<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, this is considered a great benefit of water birth since it allows your baby a<\/span>easy adaptation to extrauterine life<\/strong>making the change not so abrupt. With water birth at the same time<\/span>promotes skin-to-skin contact<\/strong>which promotes improvement and<\/span> reinforcement of the maternal-fetal bond.<\/div>\n

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Water birth is still a great unknown. However, it is important to take into account the immensity of benefits it has for both the mother and the baby.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

Contraindications to water birth<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Despite the more than obvious benefits of water birth… there are some contraindications or disadvantages to this modality.<\/span><\/p>\n

We must first mention the<\/span> possibility of not achieving an optimal level of analgesia<\/strong>, that is, that pain in childbirth<\/a><\/span>do not remit. In this case you can always get out of the bathtub and have the option of an epidural. However, this will not be the only condition to take into account when leaving the water. It will be essential to do so in the event of any complication.<\/span> Relaxation and pain reduction These are key points to keep in mind but\u2026<\/span> they can make the birth process slows down<\/strong>. So when having a water birth, it is best to submerge yourself once the birth process is active.<\/span> Of course it must be emphasized that NOT all pregnancies are suitable<\/strong>for this mode of delivery. This is the case of those in whom there is fetal distress,multiple pregnancy<\/a>, premature pregnancy, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Where is water birth performed?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Until recently, water birth was an alternative that caused fears<\/span>which meant that it was hardly contemplated since there were also not many specialized centers that could provide guarantees and security regarding it.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, as the years went by and after observing the<\/span> increase in the number of pregnant women who want to try this modality there has been a increase in centers and hospitals<\/strong> that they do it that way.<\/span> Some hospitals that carry out this practice are the following:<\/p>\n