“Solace and comfort” are words Tiffany Chetta uses to describe her experience. Teri Cline’s experience was relaxed and soothing. Both of these women were talking about the recent births of their babies, born in water.

            While natural childbirth is never pain-free, laboring in water can create a more gentle, comfortable birth experience. Brittany Hiller, a certified professional midwife with Treasure Valley Midwives, says that water promotes relaxation during active labor and transition. It is called the midwife’s epidural and is the ultimate natural pain relief. In the tub, a mom can change positions more easily, pressure on the abdomen is reduced, and a mom is almost weightless. Warm water soothes and relaxes. As a mom relaxes, labor progresses faster and is more efficient. Water minimizes the pain so that other methods of pain reduction are seldom needed. When a mom is anxious and having difficulty progressing, the comfort of the water helps her to relax and give in to the labor. As she gives in, she then has more control. A woman is able to let go of anxieties and focus on labor, allowing her body to work naturally.       

            For ultimate pain relief and the greatest benefits of water, Brittany encourages moms to stay out of the tub until the contractions are consistent and hard. If contractions slow down in the water, the mom should get out and move around.

             Water births are possible with a midwife at home or in a birthing center. None of the hospitals in the Treasure Valley allow water births. Most have tubs that a mom can labor in and then leave for delivery. That’s what I did with my first child. When contractions were uncomfortable, I sat in the tub. Within a few minutes my labor had progressed so that I felt the urge to push.

            Tubs can be rented through Treasure Valley Midwives or The Natural Alternative Midwifery Practice, or you can use your tub at home. It needs to be big enough to immerse your entire belly and for you to be able to move around and squat to push. It also needs to be deep enough for the baby to be born immersed in water.

            For Tiffany Chetta, water has always been a place of solace and comfort, so the idea of a water birth appealed to her. She planned a water birth for her first baby but ended up uncomfortable in the water. For her second baby, the water eased Tiffany’s hard labor pains. At The Baby Place Midwives and Birth Center, Tiffany experienced the kind of labor she desired. The water allowed her to have non-invasive relief during labor. When she felt the urge to push she waited for Colleen, her midwife, to bring the tub up to the right temperature so the baby would be born in a safe environment. Colleen guided the baby down the birth canal and both Tiffany and Colleen caught him.

            Teri Cline’s first two children were born in a hospital. For her third, she chose a home birth because of the lower cost and her desire to have a water birth. She rented a birthing tub, which was set up in her home and filled with hot water. She loved having her husband and children with her during the experience. In the tub, she could move into different positions. Her midwives, Jill and Paula from Treasure Valley Midwives, allowed her to feel the needs of her own body and have control over the birth. She allowed the natural process of birth to happen, and in doing so, surrendered to her body’s natural capabilities. Delivering in water was definitely more comfortable and soothing for her, as was being in her own home. Her baby is mellow, sleeps well, and loves being in water.

            Being born into water is a gentle way for babies to enter the world. The temperature of the water is kept close to that of the womb. A baby does not breathe in water because oxygen comes from the mom through the placenta and umbilical cord.

            Midwives are available for home births or at a birthing center. The Midwives Model of Care includes care during pregnancy and delivery, minimal technological interventions, and referral to a doctor if needed. Recent legislation requires midwives to be licensed and allows them to carry oxygen and other potentially life-saving medications. Discuss concerns about safety with a midwife. Ask to see birth statistics. Talk with other moms who have experienced midwife-assisted birth. Be informed to make the best choice for you and your baby.

            If a water birth is desirable, plan for it, but be ready to change if it doesn’t work. Be flexible with a birth plan and go into labor open-minded. Even if you decide not to birth the baby in water, laboring in the tub provides pain relief and relaxation, aiding in a gentle birth experience.

Docena Holm is a local freelance writer.

HYDROTHERAPY DURING LABOR

By Laura Larissa Scott

Nearly everyone loves the soothing power of soaking in a tub of warm water, as it gently relaxes away tension, anxiety, and sore muscles.

The labor and delivery nurses at Saint Alphonsus Family Maternity Center are glad to assist labor patients into the private Jacuzzi tub if the mother desires hydrotherapy and it has been approved by her doctor.  Hydrotherapy is also available in each labor and delivery suite at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, at both their downtown Boise and Meridian locations. Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Family Birthing Center of Nampa promote and recommend using warm water therapy during labor whenever possible.

Mothers who have used hydrotherapy during labor feel that it was a positive experience and was a valuable technique to reduce labor pain and anxiety.  The buoyancy of the warm water allows the laboring mother to move almost effortlessly.  This freedom of movement may improve circulation and relieve muscle spasms. It helps with pain reduction and in some cases, may actually help speed up the labor process. 

Not every hospital labor patient has the option to use hydrotherapy, and those who do are carefully monitored by their labor nurse and/or physician at all facilities. The baby’s heartbeat needs to be assessed at regular intervals so that if there is a problem, the mother can exit the water for further monitoring and care.

Ask your OB/GYN, physician, or your hospital labor and delivery nurse more about the use of hydrotherapy at your prenatal checkups and during the hospital’s childbirth preparation classes. This technique can be a satisfying alternative and soothing experience during labor.

Resources for Classes and Information:

• Saint Alphonsus RMC, saintalphonsus.org 
• St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center, stlukesonline.org
• Mercy Medical Center and Family Birthing Center, www.mercyoftoday.org

Laura Larissa Scott is a local contributing writer and also works at a Treasure Valley hospital.