Waterbirth

Waterbirth is the art of labouring and giving birth to your baby in water.  The bouyency and warmth of the water is said to help women move around more easily, help with pain relief, and the progress of her labour may be faster.  The evidence suggests that the warm water environment (preferably with low lights and quiet) allow the mother to be in complete control where she can rely on her own instincts, and release her own body's endorphins.


Endorphins are a natural morphinelike substances produced by the body in reaction to stress and pain.  It is a very powerful form of pain relief that alters the woman's conciousness and helps her to cope with her labour.  It is this same substance that causes her to become suddenly 'alert,' awake and fully aware when her baby is born.  For anyone who is lucky enough to have witnessed this phenomena  can see that the labouring woman will go into "her own space" or level of consciousness as she connects with her baby and copes with the pain of labour.  She may not be aware of time or even people in the room - she does not mean any offence to the ones she loves :-) it is her body's wonderful endorphins helping her through this intense experience.

The benefits of water: Actually that goes for anyone who has pain in their body, we all the know the effect water has on us for pain :-)

• It supports your uterus and your back.  It reduces anxiety and helps relax you.
• It is said to reduce the risk of perineal tears
• Reduce the need for pain relief
• The baby adapts gently to life outside the womb
• Better for baby if mum has less pharmacological pain relief

For the women considering a waterbirth as one of their options, there is a certain criteria.

• Low risk. In other words, there have been no concerns regarding you or baby during the pregnancy, you must be more than 36 weeks pregnant and your baby is positioned in the womb with his/her head down in the pelvis (not breech).  Although some midwives do carry out breech waterbirths.
• You are in established labour.  Established labour is where your neck of the womb or cervix is at  least 4cms dilated. Getting in the water too early in labour, may slow it down, hence why we do not like you getting in too early.
• If your waters have broken, the fluid must be clear.  Any colour other than clear, means your baby has opened his/her bowels in your womb, this means we need to monitor your baby more closely.
• You have not already had pain relief that makes you sleepy eg. pethidine.

 It is one of the wonderful ways to give birth and an option you may choose.  Speak to your midwife about waterbirths.  Some links here may help :-)

http://www.homebirth.org.nz/stories/stories.html
http://www.waterbirthinfo.com/menu.html

Plaster off - Yippee

WOW!  Is it really all this time since my last blog?  Well, I have my plaster off now, thank goodness.  Funny thing, I thought it would be 100% better as soon as the plaster came off, but no, I didnt expect the aches and pains I thought I would get.  I shouldnt winge because it could have been worse - but HEY, it is my dominant hand, so maybe I cant winge a smidge :-)  Anyway it will recover in time - so I just have to be patient. 

Well our time in the US was just AWESOME!  Wonderful catching up with great friends and family, ah just bliss.  Cept for trippin' ass over tit (excuse my French) - and breaking my arm.  Oh well.  I was seriously thinking this week whether I should do a lactation consultant course OR continue with my masters.  Hmm, will mull that one over.