Water Birthing vs. Natural Child Birth

Water Birthing vs. Natural Child Birth

By Margaret Gaia

Water birthing is normal and cleaner. It is about giving birth under warm water where the mother immerses in the water. Compared to natural child birth, water birthing is may have some benefits but some critics talk about risks to the infant like infection and water inhalation. This is the topic for this article – water birthing vs. natural child birth.

Benefits of water birthing

Proponents of water birthing defend this method of delivering an infant from the mother’s womb by citing some significant benefits. The principal benefit is the reduction of pain for the mother during labour and delivery

Water birthing vs. natural child birth is also a subject of debate. The infant is not stressed because the warm liquid works like hydrotherapy.

Water birthing also aids to stretching of the perineum and decrease the risk of skin tears. It is said that water slows down the crowning of the infant’s head as it offers to be a perineal support. The surgical procedure called episiotomy is less needed by water birthing.

Benefits of natural child birth

Based on a history and natural science, child birth by natural means is better than water birthing in terms of easier recovery for the mother. There are fewer post-intervention discomforts.

Natural child birth is executed without external intervention. Mothers who have adequately prepared for labour and delivery and are well nourished can expect a smooth and safe delivery of the baby.

Similarities and differences

Water birthing vs. natural child birth have to be compared and analysed for their similarities and differences.

One major similarity for both water birth and natural child birth  is that it does not require surgical operation unlike caesarean operation.

Another similarity of water birthing vs. natural child birth is that the newly born infant can join right away with the mother.

Both water birthing and natural child birth do not are free from the risk of cutting the perineum or the surgical procedure called episiotomy.

There are major differences though in water birthing vs. natural child birth. Natural child birth has lesser trauma for the mother than water birth. While water birth acts like pain management due to the encouragement by hydrotherapy and relaxes the mother, critics of water birthing cite possible infection of the baby from direct exposure to warm water.

Water birthing vs. natural child birth as a main topic of analysing which gives more confidence to the mother gives a difficult answer. Mothers who chose water birthing can actually have a longer time delivering their babies because water slows down labour. There is also the lack of facilities in hospitals in providing birth pools or water tubs for water births. Some mothers prefer to deliver in their homes in prior arrangement with midwives to do it inside bath tubs.

Natural child birth has remained to be the choice of most mothers in the world for lack of information and education about water birthing.

If you are to decide which is better for you, it is best to inquire from doctors and care providers for the pros and cons of water birthing and natural child birth.