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Here’s a new waterbirth videos series answering all your questions about water birth.
You see, when I even entertained the idea of having a water birth, I was shot down by so many well meaning friends and family that I almost didn’t investigate it further. “Ooh, it’s not safe” one said … or more condescending comments like, “Sweetheart, that’s just for hippies, just do what the doctors tell you to do!”
Boy, am I glad I didn’t listen! … My experience of birthing my baby girl in the water was the MOST WONDERFUL & BLISSFUL time in my ENTIRE LIFE!
I guess the reason I didn’t listen to all the negativity was because when I asked all of my “Advisers” who among them had actually had a waterbirth – NONE of them had.
I began going to childbirth classes (NOT the hospital ones – I personally did Hypnobirthing, but there are lots of others to check out) and when I saw numerous waterbirth videos of women laboring so comfortably in pools, baths and spas I KNEW that was what I wanted.
Over the next few weeks I became a bit obsessive and started searching YouTube for all the waterbirth videos I could find! – Lucky for you, I have found all the best ones and put them on this website :)
However, this particular page is dedicated to waterbirth videos – QUESTIONS: See below for the most commonly asked questions about water birth and if you have any more then leave a comment below. Enjoy!
Waterbirth Video QUESTION 1 – Benefits Of Water Birth For Mother
To watch more videos that will answer more questions about water birth click here.
Showing posts with label water birth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water birth. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Water Birth - American Pregnancy Association
Found on the American Pregnancy Association website
Water Birth is the process of giving birth in a tub of warm water. Some women choose to labor in the water and get out for delivery. Other women decide to stay in the water for the delivery as well. The theory behind water birth is that the baby has been in the amniotic sac for 9 months and birthing into a similar environment is gentler for the baby and less stressful for the mother.
It is the belief of midwives, birthing centers and a growing number of obstetricians, that reducing the stress during labor and delivery also reduces fetal complications. Water birth should always occur under the supervision of a health care provider.
Water Birth is the process of giving birth in a tub of warm water. Some women choose to labor in the water and get out for delivery. Other women decide to stay in the water for the delivery as well. The theory behind water birth is that the baby has been in the amniotic sac for 9 months and birthing into a similar environment is gentler for the baby and less stressful for the mother.
It is the belief of midwives, birthing centers and a growing number of obstetricians, that reducing the stress during labor and delivery also reduces fetal complications. Water birth should always occur under the supervision of a health care provider.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
More expectant moms choosing water births at local hospital
Found on the 9news website
DENVER - What was once considered alternative is now becoming more mainstream: One Denver hospital is finding more expecting mothers choosing the option of water births.
At the University of Colorado Hospital, a big free-standing Jacuzzi tub is set up and filled up in a room in the birth center. It is about three feet deep.
She and her husband say there is also a lot of peace of mind having this natural option in a hospital.
Originally published February 8, 2010
DENVER - What was once considered alternative is now becoming more mainstream: One Denver hospital is finding more expecting mothers choosing the option of water births.At the University of Colorado Hospital, a big free-standing Jacuzzi tub is set up and filled up in a room in the birth center. It is about three feet deep.
Moms-to-be, like Jessica Breese, say it is a great option to help manage pain and discomfort during a natural child birth.
"To me being in a confined tub made it really secure, it kind of made it my cave," Breese said. "I felt protected and left to do my own thing."
She and her husband say there is also a lot of peace of mind having this natural option in a hospital.
Patients are coming from as far away as Nebraska for the option.
"People are seeking it and wanting it so they are willing to make the trip to our practice," Jessica Anderson of the University of Colorado Hospital, said. "It speeds up t
heir labor and it is a more peaceful and gentle birth for both mom and baby."
heir labor and it is a more peaceful and gentle birth for both mom and baby."The moms work with a midwife during the delivery.
University of Colorado Hospital says it is the only hospital in the metro area offering water births in its birth center.
It says that other hospitals in Colorado and around the country are now looking to its program as a model.
(KUSA-TV © 2010 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Is Water Birthing Safe?
Found on the Fox News.com website
Originally published Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen made news recently by giving birth to her son Benjamin in an unusual way: at home in her own bathtub (Unusual way? When did water birth become unusual?). It wasn't an accident or surprise delivery; instead she did it as part of a growing trend called "water birthing," considered by some women and midwives to be a healthier, more natural alternative to traditional hospital births.
Mothers who choose water birth go through labor and delivery immersed in warm water (not always. Many Moms choose to get in and out of the tub), believing that pain will be less severe and the experience more enjoyable and relaxing. Some studies have shown that mothers who choose a water birth request fewer painkillers than women who don't, and fewer drugs translate into the perception of a safer and more natural birth (definitely more natural).
If it's good enough for a celebrity supermodel, water birthing advocates suggest, then it's good enough for most women. But is it good for the baby?
The research isn't clear.
In a 2002 study published in the journal Pediatrics titled "Water birth: A near-drowning experience," researcher Sarah Nguyen questioned the safety of water births and described instances of infants inhaling water and feces following underwater deliveries. In a follow-up commentary, other researchers concluded, "At this point, we are convinced there is no evidence to support any benefit of underwater birth for the neonate, and plenty of evidence to suggest harm [including] the potential for drowning, hyponatremic seizure activity, infection, and pneumonia."
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not recommend water births, suggesting instead that children born in hospitals are safer — if for no other reason than professional medical help is immediately available in case of complications (does a water birth have to be at home? There are several hospitals in my area that have birth tubs in the room. If hospitals are incorporating them in their birthing suites how dangerous is it? You know hospitals would NEVER offer anything they think is dangerous). Unless your bathtub happens to be located near a neonatal unit, emergency medical help may not be available during the baby's first minutes of life.
Of course, there is some risk to both the child and the mother during any birth, whether it occurs in a bathtub or a hospital. All births are natural, yet some births are safer than others.
Found on the Natural Child.org website
"Why doesn't the baby drown?"
To me this was the obvious concern; after all, anybody who doesn't consciously hold his or her breath underwater is in fear of drowning. The answer is so logical and so simple. A baby doesn't drown during a water birth because the baby is already in water in the womb. It takes air for breath and when a baby comes from water into water without the introduction of air, the lungs remain collapsed and no water can enter. Once the baby is brought to the surface and its face hits the air, breath is drawn and life on earth begins. Knowing these facts, it is clear that water birth is a safe way for a baby to be born.
Resources found on the Waterbirth International Website
1. Waterbirth Recommendations - RCOG and RCM Joint Waterbirth Recommendations -
2. Guidelines for safe Water use
3. Safety Recommendations for Pool Use
You will also fund several articles and Reviews on the Water Birth International website. Click Here to visit them.
Originally published Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen made news recently by giving birth to her son Benjamin in an unusual way: at home in her own bathtub (Unusual way? When did water birth become unusual?). It wasn't an accident or surprise delivery; instead she did it as part of a growing trend called "water birthing," considered by some women and midwives to be a healthier, more natural alternative to traditional hospital births.
Mothers who choose water birth go through labor and delivery immersed in warm water (not always. Many Moms choose to get in and out of the tub), believing that pain will be less severe and the experience more enjoyable and relaxing. Some studies have shown that mothers who choose a water birth request fewer painkillers than women who don't, and fewer drugs translate into the perception of a safer and more natural birth (definitely more natural).
If it's good enough for a celebrity supermodel, water birthing advocates suggest, then it's good enough for most women. But is it good for the baby?
The research isn't clear.
In a 2002 study published in the journal Pediatrics titled "Water birth: A near-drowning experience," researcher Sarah Nguyen questioned the safety of water births and described instances of infants inhaling water and feces following underwater deliveries. In a follow-up commentary, other researchers concluded, "At this point, we are convinced there is no evidence to support any benefit of underwater birth for the neonate, and plenty of evidence to suggest harm [including] the potential for drowning, hyponatremic seizure activity, infection, and pneumonia."
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not recommend water births, suggesting instead that children born in hospitals are safer — if for no other reason than professional medical help is immediately available in case of complications (does a water birth have to be at home? There are several hospitals in my area that have birth tubs in the room. If hospitals are incorporating them in their birthing suites how dangerous is it? You know hospitals would NEVER offer anything they think is dangerous). Unless your bathtub happens to be located near a neonatal unit, emergency medical help may not be available during the baby's first minutes of life.
Of course, there is some risk to both the child and the mother during any birth, whether it occurs in a bathtub or a hospital. All births are natural, yet some births are safer than others.
Found on the Natural Child.org website
"Why doesn't the baby drown?"
To me this was the obvious concern; after all, anybody who doesn't consciously hold his or her breath underwater is in fear of drowning. The answer is so logical and so simple. A baby doesn't drown during a water birth because the baby is already in water in the womb. It takes air for breath and when a baby comes from water into water without the introduction of air, the lungs remain collapsed and no water can enter. Once the baby is brought to the surface and its face hits the air, breath is drawn and life on earth begins. Knowing these facts, it is clear that water birth is a safe way for a baby to be born.
Resources found on the Waterbirth International Website
1. Waterbirth Recommendations - RCOG and RCM Joint Waterbirth Recommendations -
2. Guidelines for safe Water use
3. Safety Recommendations for Pool Use
You will also fund several articles and Reviews on the Water Birth International website. Click Here to visit them.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
My Journey to a VBAC
Posted by Kim:
One of my amazing friends on Facebook posted this video and I thought it was fantastic and wanted to share it with you. What an inspirational story of a woman who used her first birth experience to charge the outcomes of many other women's birth experience. It is not only inspirational that she was able to complete a VBAC, but in fact it was amazing that she had the courage and passion to become a doula, birth educator, lactation consultant, midwife and finally the mother of a natural birth. What a blessing.......
One of my amazing friends on Facebook posted this video and I thought it was fantastic and wanted to share it with you. What an inspirational story of a woman who used her first birth experience to charge the outcomes of many other women's birth experience. It is not only inspirational that she was able to complete a VBAC, but in fact it was amazing that she had the courage and passion to become a doula, birth educator, lactation consultant, midwife and finally the mother of a natural birth. What a blessing.......
My Journey to a VBAC from Lindsey Meehleis on Vimeo.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Embracing the Miracle
The bond between a parent and child is the the foundation for the rest of the child's life. The attachment created in the womb, during birth and the first precious hours after or the absence of this critical bond, determines much about the child's resiliency and what kind of adult they can grow up to be. How do your birth choices affect this critical and essential event? Is it possible for babies to be born gently and for the mother to give birth in joy, experiencing pleasure instead of pain? Barbara blends the latest science, heart, soul and humor to present a riveting and challenging case for everyone to examine.
Join us for this wonderful presentation, delicious food, and discussion.
Light refreshments and beverages are included in the price of admission.
**Babes in arms are welcome.
Proceeds from this event will benefit the new midwifery program at IHW: http://www.instituteofhealthandwellness.com/
About Barbara Harper
Barbara Harper is a registered nurse as well as a midwife, doula and childbirth educator. An internationally recognized expert on waterbirth and childbirth reform, she lectures and consults within hospitals, universities and community groups worldwide. The Oregonian newspaper, in 2005, referred to her as “the Billy Graham of waterbirth,” as she travels around the world spreading the good news that birth can be an ecstatic and gentle experience. She was recognized in 2003, by Lamaze International for her contributions in promoting normal birth on an international level. Barbara has published three editions of the best selling book, Gentle Birth Choices, now translated into seven languages, including Chinese in 2007. She has produced two remarkable videos, Gentle Birth Choices and Birth Into Being: The Russian Waterbirth Experience. She has two new books in the works – “The Complete Guide to Waterbirth”, which will be out early 2010, followed by, “Embracing the Miracle: How Pregnancy, Birth and the First Hour Influence Human Potential,” to be released in 2011. Barbara has dedicated her life to helping heal the way babies are welcomed into the world and to helping parents and providers understand the benefits of the use of warm water immersion during labor. She is the founder of Waterbirth International, a socially conscious organization whose mission is making waterbirth an available option for all women. Barbara is the mother of three, her two youngest sons born at home in water. She is a new resident of Lighthouse Point, Florida, after spending 27 years on the West Coast. But is rarely home, as her work has taken her to 44 countries and over 1000 cities! Her next international journey is back to China for a four city lecture tour.
Visit her website at www.waterbirth.org
Friday, April 24, 2009
Review - Ecstatic Goddess
Posted by Kim:
Another great review! As seen on the Ecstatic Goddess blog!
When most people think of a hospital birth, they have images of
pregnant women in hospital gowns. Unfortunately, hospital gowns were designed for use on bedridden patients. They are not made for mobility, and they leave your entire backside exposed. After using a gown for my first birth I was sure that I wanted to wear my own clothing for my second birth. I also encourage my doula clients to do the same, but we've encountered a problem: modern clothing is not designed for birth. In order to listen to your baby, a nightgown or tshirt needs to be hiked up, exposing your entire bottom half. Underwear, shorts and pj pants can feel restrictive and messy. Moms are often reluctant to "bare it all" in a hospital setting with lots of staff and bright lights, and we know that in order to have a satisfying birth, moms need to feel relaxed. So what's a gal to do?
For the longest time I didn't have a great answer, and then I found BINSI! The first time I saw the BINSI skirt and tank, I fell in love. BINSI was designed by mother and doula Carri Grimditch who, like me, hated the hospital gown she wore during her first birth.
BINSI skirts provide complete freedom of movement and sit below your belly. They include beads so that you can personalize them during a blessingway or baby shower. During birth, these can be a great visual reminder of supportive wishes from your friends and family.
BINSI tops have breastfeeding clasps and are designed to be used with medical equipment if needed, including monitoring equipment, IVs, epidurals and more. They can be removed easily if needed due to snaps along the sides of the tops.
Besides being breathable and perfectly suited for a growing pregnant body, BINSI wear is machine washable, an absolute must with birth gear. To me, it's the perfect prenatal and birth clothing that helps you feel pretty and covered on your very special day.
I've been recommending BINSI to my clients for over a year now, and although my upcoming birth will be at home, I am seriously considering picking out my own BINSI tank and skirt to wear during those last pregnant weeks (which will be in sweltering August) and to keep in my "just in case" hospital birth bag. The comfy Go Go top might be a great thing to wear in my birth pool too.
Now you have a chance to try BINSI, for free!! Kim Taylor, co-owner of BINSI, is offering Ecstatic Goddess readers a chance to win their choice of either an in stock top or skirt. What a great Mother's Day gift for yourself or an expectant friend. To enter the draw, simply email me at ecstaticgoddess@hotmail.com. One winner will be chosen on May 6, 2009. In the meantime, please visit www.birthinbinsi.com to check out a great selection of lovely birth wear. My fellow Canadians can purchase BINSI at www.birthsource.ca.
Fashionably yours,
Another great review! As seen on the Ecstatic Goddess blog!
When most people think of a hospital birth, they have images of
pregnant women in hospital gowns. Unfortunately, hospital gowns were designed for use on bedridden patients. They are not made for mobility, and they leave your entire backside exposed. After using a gown for my first birth I was sure that I wanted to wear my own clothing for my second birth. I also encourage my doula clients to do the same, but we've encountered a problem: modern clothing is not designed for birth. In order to listen to your baby, a nightgown or tshirt needs to be hiked up, exposing your entire bottom half. Underwear, shorts and pj pants can feel restrictive and messy. Moms are often reluctant to "bare it all" in a hospital setting with lots of staff and bright lights, and we know that in order to have a satisfying birth, moms need to feel relaxed. So what's a gal to do?For the longest time I didn't have a great answer, and then I found BINSI! The first time I saw the BINSI skirt and tank, I fell in love. BINSI was designed by mother and doula Carri Grimditch who, like me, hated the hospital gown she wore during her first birth.
BINSI skirts provide complete freedom of movement and sit below your belly. They include beads so that you can personalize them during a blessingway or baby shower. During birth, these can be a great visual reminder of supportive wishes from your friends and family.
BINSI tops have breastfeeding clasps and are designed to be used with medical equipment if needed, including monitoring equipment, IVs, epidurals and more. They can be removed easily if needed due to snaps along the sides of the tops.
Besides being breathable and perfectly suited for a growing pregnant body, BINSI wear is machine washable, an absolute must with birth gear. To me, it's the perfect prenatal and birth clothing that helps you feel pretty and covered on your very special day.
I've been recommending BINSI to my clients for over a year now, and although my upcoming birth will be at home, I am seriously considering picking out my own BINSI tank and skirt to wear during those last pregnant weeks (which will be in sweltering August) and to keep in my "just in case" hospital birth bag. The comfy Go Go top might be a great thing to wear in my birth pool too.
Now you have a chance to try BINSI, for free!! Kim Taylor, co-owner of BINSI, is offering Ecstatic Goddess readers a chance to win their choice of either an in stock top or skirt. What a great Mother's Day gift for yourself or an expectant friend. To enter the draw, simply email me at ecstaticgoddess@hotmail.com. One winner will be chosen on May 6, 2009. In the meantime, please visit www.birthinbinsi.com to check out a great selection of lovely birth wear. My fellow Canadians can purchase BINSI at www.birthsource.ca.
Fashionably yours,
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