Mom gently moans as her contraction flows over and through her body. Submerged up to her chest, her pregnant belly rises and falls every few minutes. Tiny splashes can be heard as she reaches for the side of the pool, tightening her fingers as the surge crests in her uterus. Her husband, sitting behind her, listens as the midwife gives a quiet play-by-play.
"I can see the head," she whispers.
"Here, bring him here. Exactly like that. Little pushes are great. Just like that."
The soon-to-be mother presses her chin to her chest, giving downward pressure onto the baby's head. The midwife can see tufts of the child's hair flowing through the moving water. The birth is so close.
"That's wonderful. A little bit more... exactly like that."
The woman has beads of sweat on her upper lip and forehead, but she shows no sign of giving up; she is determine to push this baby through her body and out into the world.
His head slides out slowly, eyes tightly closed, cheeks full and lips in the shape of a kiss. Mom reaches down as the midwife reminds her she is going to be the one to "catch" the baby. As the infant slides slowly out, his arms pop through and mom reaches under his arms and feels the rest of the body slip into the water; she holds him tight and lifts him from his watery nest, the liquid slipping down as he moves up. He opens his eyes, looks around and gurgle-y murmurs his hello.Doesn't this sound so peaceful? Is this something you might be interested in? Finding the right care provider will give you the opportunity to have the birth of your dreams. It is a rare hospital that allows births in the water. Even if they have tubs for laboring, it would be unusual to have a submerged birth.
Birth centers, on the other hand, are much more conducive to having a baby in the tub; most of them have large bathtubs or birth pools to utilize during labor and as the baby is born.
If you are having a homebirth, waterbirths are almost a certainty to be offered or allowed. Many midwives even rent the pools that women use for their births, some of which are 4x6'! Other midwives have their clients get (what are called) "fishy" pools... kiddie pools you can buy anywhere kids' summer pools are sold. If you are pregnant, be sure to ask your provider about the possibility of designing a birth just like the birth above... gentle, peaceful and filled with drops of love; the epitome of a waterbirth.
Barbara E. Herrera is a Licensed and Certified Professional Midwife who regularly attends water births in San Diego, California. As a homebirth midwife, natural birth, including births underwater, are normal and familiar. To contact her, click http://www.AmaMamaMidwifery.com
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