Since the beginning of the 80-ies throughout the world has becomespread an unusual way of giving birth - into the water. In the West, this method is called "Russian", since it was developed by our compatriot and contemporary IB Charkovsky. The essence of the method is that the fetus gets from the uterus through the birth canal, not into the air, but into the aquatic environment. And this significantly softens the impact of external factors on the newborn. It is also significant that in the aquatic environment the mother is in a relaxed, comfortable state and easier to control the tension of the uterus. Almost all those who give birth to the water say that such genera give a feeling of "incomparable bliss". It sounds, you see, a bit strange, but we have to take our word for it. Children born in the water and began to swim from the first days of life, demonstrate the wonders of health, physical and mental development. They go from 6-8 months, are not afraid of colds, they start talking early and do well in school. French obstetrician Michel Oden researched the advantages of childbirth in the water, using "pools" for this, that is, small baths. Having received the results of several hundred genera, he described them in his book "The New Birth of Childbirth". And when even a refined France took birth in the water, the whole world treated the new method with respect.
Benefits of giving birth in water
Benefits of being born in water sound quiteconvincingly, but, as a rule, preference is given to traditional childbirth. Nevertheless, interest in childbirth in the water is not weakening. Water is the most effective, affordable, cheap and convenient way to relieve birth pain. We all remember Archimedes' law, according to which a body, immersed in a liquid, acts as a pushing force, proportional to the total fluid displaced by this body. In simple terms, water raises a woman. When the mother is plunged into the pool, she almost does not feel her body, as the water supports her bones and muscles. This releases energy for the uterus. The muscles of the hips, back, abdomen and birth canals relax. The deeper the mother is immersed in water, the more volume she pushes, and the more her tissues relax. Those who painfully endure childbirth on their backs, are especially happy to receive such, almost instant, relief. When the muscles of the back relax, the inner tissues relax, which allows the child to move more freely. Stress and anxiety in the process of giving birth cause an increased release of hormones, which can have a harmful effect on both the mother and the fetus. To protect vital organs in a state of stress, the body perceives the uterus as a non-vital organ. If the blood flow to the uterus decreases, the child may suffer from a lack of oxygen. A pleasant warm bath will help to avoid this. Skirmishes in water are perceived as incoming waves. In water, a woman is left to herself and can improvise without any restrictions. Water allows her body to take any poses, so you can choose the one in which the contractions cause the least discomfort. In water, a woman relaxes her mind and can give herself to instincts, free from external tension. When you are back in the swimming pool, check it out for yourself. Immersion acts as a permanent massage of the whole body, stimulating the skin's receptors, as a result of which the nervous system is loaded with pleasant sensations and blocks the way for pain signals. In the water, the mother is free enough to choose the most comfortable position for delivery. Below are some observations and recommendations for those wishing to try to give birth in the water. Of course, one desire to give birth in water is not enough. This can be done only under the supervision of a physician who has a good command of the necessary technique.
- Choose the optimum water temperature for you(usually it's body temperature or a little lower). The depth of the bath should be at least 60 cm, so that the water closes the stomach, when a woman is on all fours or squats. In order for the bath to move freely, it should be at least 2.2 m wide.
- The best time to dive is the beginningactive stage of labor (opening of the cervix for 5-8 cm). Too early immersion can inhibit childbirth (this can be useful if the latent period of labor is prolonged, the mother becomes tired, but can not fall asleep). Many women found the water particularly convenient during the expulsion of the fetus. Free movements of the mother help the child to make his way out, meeting the least resistance. Most women found that when the contractions rolled almost without interruption, the water brought them the desired relief. If you feel that the contractions are so strong that you can lose consciousness, the water will help you to recover.
- Strong battles, undoubtedly, are a signal to the fact that it's time to go to the bath. The supporting force of the water will relieve the pressure of contractions. Instead of suffering from pain, take a bath.
- If active birth begins to slow down whenimmersion in water, you better get out of the bath, be like, sit on all fours, to continue childbirth after rest. If the contractions resume with renewed vigor, you can return to your water shelter again.
- Water not only alleviates pain during labor,but can stop the dead stoppage of labor. Water can resume contractions, for example, you can immerse yourself in a bath, splash water on your nipples, which will cause an increase in the concentration of stimulating contractions of hormones in the body.
- If there are no contraindications, childbirth can be continuedin water and after the fetal bladder has opened. Although there is a theoretical risk of infection, during the studies of childbirth in the water, an increase in the number of infected women was not observed.
- Bath does not need to leave for fetal monitoring. You can do it right in the water or ask a nurse to listen to your belly with a fetoscope.
- Do not think that in water you will not do anything at allfeel. Water reduces pain, but can not remove it altogether. Much more important is how you can move in the water. Feel yourself a mermaid and start improvising.
- A direct stream of warm water can also helpat delivery. If you give birth at home, a shower or bath will become your friends. Sometimes it helps not only immersion, but also the sound of falling water. Use these sounds to imagine ocean waves or a waterfall.
- Dive into the tub when you want, just do not do it directly during the fight. Most women leave the water when time comes to push.
Is it possible to stay in the water during childbirth, not only during fights, but also after the opening of the cervix?
With a sufficiently experienced assistant and with the correctthe organization of labor in the water is completely safe. Modern medicine is reluctant to accept nontraditional methods and only begins to consider childbirth in the water as a way to go back to nature. Doctors of the hospital are not used to the idea of the possibility of using water to facilitate childbirth. Perhaps one day the delivery in the water will be universally recognized. But while this idea belongs to a larger area of fantasy than reality. Note that schools that practice childbirth in the water without immediate withdrawal of a child may be dangerous. According to their theory, the child is still left for some time to swim under the water to facilitate the transition from the uterus to this world. Adherents of this method believe that if the umbilical cord continues to pulsate, the child receives a sufficient amount of oxygen. But the placenta begins to separate from the uterus in a few seconds after childbirth, so oxygen can not reach the child in sufficient quantities. Opponents believe that the pulsation of the cord can not be considered a sign of adequate intake of oxygen. Perhaps we better adopt the experience of marine animals. Whales and dolphins push their newborns to the surface of the water immediately after birth. Undoubtedly, these mammals have a much greater experience of childbirth in the water than we humans do. Childbirth in the water is not a temporary fad. Over time, they will take their place in obstetrics. But do not think that you will spend hours enjoying a warm bath, get painless fights, and then quickly leave the bathroom and give birth. The greatest success can be achieved by combining the effects of warm water and vertical movements (walking, squatting, etc.). In our country supporters of the method of I.B. Markovskiy unite in clubs. There, a complex of preparatory measures for childbirth is carried out in the water, medical control over the birth itself is provided. After giving birth, the system of physical improvement of children is offered: hardening, swimming (in particular, in the winter in a hole), walking barefoot in the snow. Undoubtedly, the ideas of Markovsky should be studied, but amateur performance in relation to delivery in water is unacceptable, since it is fraught with the most serious consequences.
Birth of the placenta
The third period is postpartum (consecutive),the shortest and lightest stage. The birth of the placenta can last from 5 minutes to half an hour. A few minutes after the birth of the baby, the uterus begins to contract again to expel the placenta. In some women, these bouts are like strong spasms, others do not even notice this stage of childbirth. During the first contact with the baby, oxytocin is released. This hormone helps the uterus to contract naturally and finish its work. Isolation of oxytocin occurs also during the application of the baby to the breast (for this reason you can feel spasmodic contraction of the uterus during breastfeeding in the first days after childbirth). With the physiological management of childbirth, the provider of delivery allows nature to do everything on its own. The child is placed on the mother's abdomen at the place where the placenta is located. The umbilical cord is pinched and cut after it stops pulsating. Then the hormones that are produced in the mother's body contribute to the contraction of the uterus, and she rejects the placenta. If the birth of the placenta is delayed, you can speed up the process if several times strongly stumble. With the active management of labor, the doctor can decide that nature acts correctly, but too slowly. Then the umbilical cord is compressed immediately after the birth of the child, the mother is injected with oxytocin and the artificial contraction of the uterus is caused. Some women prefer active management of the third stage, since in this case the birth ends more quickly. In most cases of normal delivery without complications, the body itself will cope with its task. The doctor can only help him, giving the child to suck his breast as much as he wants. The parturient can make a hard massage of the upper part of the uterus (after birth, the upper part or the bottom of the uterus is located in the navel) to help her contract and give birth to the latter.
Possible complications
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