About Homebirth
We assist families who choose to birth in the comfort, privacy and safety of their own homes. For healthy mothers attended by a certified midwife, homebirth is proven to be as safe as hospital birth, more satisfying and less likely to employ unnecessary interventions or end in an unnecessary cesarean section.
Birth at home is gentler for the mother, baby and entire family. In a hospital, unnecessary medical interventions and other insensitive practices can create an unpleasant experience. Research in perinatal psychology proves what we already know intuitively; that “the newborn is a sentient, feeling, remembering, aware being and that the experiences in the womb and at birth have a profound influence on his or her future health and human behavior”. How we are born is important!
Homebirth is a safe, satisfying and serene choice for babies, mothers, fathers and siblings.
Why Choose a Waterbirth
Water boasts many benefits including it’s ability to decrease pain during a natural drug free labor. We encourage all who are interested to experience the benefits of water birth themselves! The benefits of laboring in the water are:
- Decreased pain
- Increased ability to cope with labor
- Easier breathing because of water vapor
- Oxygenated muscles (also reduces pain)
- Increased circulation to the baby
- Ease of mobility
- Lowered blood pressure/less anxiety
- Deeper relaxation
- Reduced tearing (which makes a much easier and less painful recovery)
Water birth is very safe for both mother and baby. For added safety and comfort we carry waterproof equipment to monitor the baby’s heart rate while the mother remains in the water.
In early pregnancy, the baby experiences the womb as an ocean of warm amniotic fluid. The size of the watery womb is vast compared to the size of the baby. Gradually, as the baby grows, the amniotic ocean shrinks into mere pockets of insulation around the baby.
During labor, waves of uterine contractions mimic the waves of an ocean swell that arrive gently and infrequently at first, but build in frequency, size and power. The mother and baby ride the waves together to birth the baby.
One can imagine that being born into a pool of warm water may momentarily ease the baby’s transition from the warm, watery womb to the cooler air environment of the extra-uterine world.
Warm water can also be soothing for the mother during labor and birth. Water is shown to be as effective as morphine for pain relief during labor. Warm water may also help the mother’s skin to stretch when the baby’s head crowns.
There are many studies in the scientific literature to prove that waterbirth is safe. Air on skin is the stimulus to breathe. While underwater the baby is not stimulated yet by air and does not draw the first breath until he/she emerges from the water.
We recommend this tub to our clients. Other items you’ll need for a waterbirth are a fishnet to scoop out labor debris from the water and a new garden hose to fill the tub.
For more on waterbirth and tubs, visit Waterbirth International www.waterbirth.org/.
