Categories: Pain Relief For Midwives For Parents Labor and Birth

The relaxation and pain-relieving benefits of water are well-known; many women who have had babies in and out of water will attest to this.

Once you have decided to have your baby with a midwife, and decided on the birth setting that feels right to you, you should explore other resources which can enhance your birth experience. Are you interested in waterbirth? In addition to the relaxation and pain-relieving benefits of water, laboring in water allows the woman to move freely and change position unhampered.  This is helpful to the baby's descent in the birth canal. Babies born in water tend to be quiet and calm, although alert. Barbara Harper, R.N., is the doyenne of waterbirth, and her site, www.waterbirth.org will tell you about the advantages of this option. The site includes a number of photographs of women laboring and giving birth in the tub. Barbara's organization, Global Maternal/Child Health Association, Inc. is working to change in the way families prepare to give birth. GMCHA provides up-to date educational materials for pregnant couples and refer them to practitioners who support them in making informed decisions about their health care and who view birth as a completely natural process, not a medical event. You can rent a birth tub from GMCHA or from www.aquadoula.com.

Karil Daniels' Waterbirth Website at www.waterbirthinfo.com was the firstnwaterbirth site on the internet. It provides extensive and in-depth information on waterbirth, including a tutorial, a Waterbirth Photo Gallery, details on preparation for and benefits of waterbirth, dozens of firsthand waterbirth stories, and information about the multiple award-winning video, "WATER BABY: Experiences of Water Birth" (endorsed by many top experts in the field) and the Waterbirth Resources List, which includes 700 listings of practitioners and facilities that provide waterbirth services and support.