What are the benefits of a water birth?
• It relieves pain women who labor in water are far less likely to use medical pain relief – in one study, only 24% of first-time moms who had a water birth needed pain-relieving drugs compared to 50% of those who didn’t use water to give birth. • It reduces stress and anxiety which, in turn, lessens your perception of pain and gives you confidence in your ability to give birth. • It supports your weight and makes it easier for you to stay upright, helping your pelvis to open up so your baby can pass through. The buoyancy of the water also makes it easier to change positions to help you cope with your contractions. • It reduces the risk of tearing The water softens the tissues of your perineum (the area between the vagina and back passage) making them more supple and able to stretch to accommodate your baby’s head as it passes through. This also means you’re less likely to need an episiotomy. • It frees feel-good hormones Relaxing in warm water stimulates your body to produce pain-reli
