Waterbirth

Waterbirth is a safe and comforting method of birthing your child. We offer this option at Home Sweet Home Birth. The birth center has a built in tub just for that purpose. Mothers who have experienced birthing in water, have glowing comments about the increased comfort of the water. They are able to move about with ease, the warm water relaxes them which in turn decreases the amount of

pain they experience. If you are the kind of woman who loves to take a bubble bath to relax and relieve tension or to soothe sore, tired muscles, you will probably be the kind of woman who benefits from waterbirth. When babies are born into the water, they experience passing from one watery environment into another. This makes their transition into this gravity and air filled space gentle and smooth. The water muffles the sounds in the room and maintains the warm temperature of the womb. They float and unfold and look around, taking in their new world from the familiarity of water. Many water born babies seem to not even know that they have been born. They lay contentedly in their mother's arm

Babies will not drown when they are born into water. They are still being supplied with oxygen from the placenta and since they have never had air in their lungs, the tiny air sacs have not expanded. When their face comes into contact with air, this stimulates them to take a breath. After that, they have what is called the "dive reflex", this reflex causes the baby to hold it's breath and the glottis to close when its face is in water. This reflex is present at birth and lasts for about the first six months of the baby's life. Home Sweet Home Birth is very experienced in the art of waterbirth. We provide birthing tubs for our home birth clients. We will keep the water at the temperature that you want it and take care of emptying the pool and taking it down and cleaning it for you after you have given birth. We have 5 different styles of tubs available. Two are solid wall tubs and three are inflatable. The inflatable tubs require a disposable liner that is BPA

free. You will be asked to purchase the liners and we provide the pools for free. Another advantage of waterbirth is privacy. Because the birthing woman is submerged in the water, her body is not in direct view of those attending her. The water acts as a type of veil between her and those outside the water. Many daddies get in the tub and catch their baby with guidance from the midwife. We will help you to prepare for this if it is something that you would like to do. We believe that the first person to touch the baby should be the baby's parents. Waterbirth also promotes immediate and prolonged contact with the mother and father as the water and pool act as a barrier between the new family and the others in the room.

If there is a need to reach the baby or mother during and after the birth, it is very easy to reach in and provide care such as stimulation to breathe and to assist in the delivery of the placenta. The tubs are made to be just the right size to allow for a midwife to reach the mother and baby from the outside. When birth is allowed to unfold in its most natural state, the rate of complications is reduced. Waterbirth is a very good way to insure that the birth remains undisturbed. Because of this factor, very few complications are experienced by our clients. We take pride in this fact and will continue to provide our mothers with the highest quality care available and the lowest rates of cesarean sections and other "emergency" situations in the surrounding area.