The arrival of water birthing brings a new option for delivering babies at Good Samaritan Medical Center and gives mothers other opportunities for increased relaxation and comfort. The hospital’s Maternity Services and Special Deliveries program now offers the option of renting special birthing tubs filled with soothing water that could help reduce stress hormones and pain in labor. Birthing tubs can be used in both labor and delivery. The solace of water births can also produce feelings of a warm bath.
The buoyancy experienced during laboring in the water helps to lessen muscle tension and promote relaxation during labor, making breathing easier. That optimal oxygenation created is healthy for both mother and baby. Laboring in a water setting may also relax pelvic floor tissue and decrease the need for an episiotomy, less maternal blood loss and fewer pain medications. Some women find that relative weightlessness associated with water buoyancy can help with muscle support, repositioning and comfort.
