Advantages for Baby
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• Easier more gentle transition from one womb of water to an external womb of water, weightless, warm, wet and soft
• Decreased trauma at birth
• More blood to baby due to better blood circulation in mother
• Baby doesn't receive the invasive stimuli to induce breathing, which results in less crying, babies after birth resulting in a calmer, more alert state
• More safe than unsafe alternative in childbirth
• Bacteria is dissipated in the water reducing infection to baby
• Cord cutting after birth is delayed until it stops pulsating
• Less problems with breastfeeding after birth
• Less trauma to mother means less trauma to baby
• Babies brought into a world with less violence have a greater potential to integrate into the world with less violence
Contraindications for a Waterbirth
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•Fearful Attendant - A fearful attendant translates into a fearful mother and a stalled labor. Make sure that someone you trust and respect attends your birth as a medical and non-medical caregiver.
•HIV or Hepatitis - This is at the discretion of the attending medical caregiver. Generally there is no reason to restrict an HIV positive mother from laboring or giving birth in water. Evidence shows that HIV virus is susceptible to the warm water and cannot live in that environment . Proper cleaning of all equipment after the birth needs to be carried out.
•Herpes - Because herpes is highly transferable, it is advisable not to utilize water as a labor or birth tool. However, you may discuss this with your medical caregiver.
•Inflexibility - If you are determined to have a waterbirth no matter what, you might want to rethink waterbirth. Every birth is different, so you need to remain flexible and realize that your carefully constructed birth plan may not become a reality in its entirety.
•Malpresentation - Position of the baby upon descent down birth canal (i.e., breech). Still, some medical caregivers will support water immersion and/or waterbirth for breech presentation (Franklin [bottom first] or Footling [feet first] breech). A prominent Ostend, Belgium Obstetrition uses a frank breech position as an indication for a waterbirth.
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