Pregnancy is a time of immense joy and happiness. You are eager to welcome your little bundle of joy in the best possible way. But it has its own challenges, as it also brings a time full of anxiety and decision making. The most important decisions center on delivery and pain relief. Recently, water birthing has gained popularity due to its benefits which include less pain. Water birth is a process in which part of your labor or delivery, or both, takes place in a pool of warm water. The benefits of water birth include less pain, less need for painkillers, less chance of perineal wounds and tears, and a comfortable environment for the mother. So should you consider water birthing as a mom-to-be? is it safe?

We caught up with Dr Madhu Goyal, Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Fortis La Fame, to give her expert advice on water birth and whether you should consider it or not. Dr. Goyal explains that you should consider a water birth if you meet the following criteria:

1. You are full term

Full term pregnancy is a pregnancy that has reached at least 37 weeks of gestation. In this stage, the baby is fully developed and ready for delivery. Premature labor requires more monitoring and is not suitable for water birth.

2. The baby’s head is down

The baby should be in head down position. This is the ideal position for vaginal delivery. Breech (feet or buttocks first) cesarean delivery is preferable to transverse (where the baby is in a horizontal position).

High blood pressure, preeclampsia, or diabetes – both gestational and long-term – can make delivery more complicated and require close monitoring.

Water births prevent the close monitoring of mother and baby that is essential for the management of these clinical conditions.

Twin delivery requires constant monitoring. Also, such delivery may require additional intervention.

Obesity will make the process of entering and exiting easier birthing pool Difficult. Therefore, if there is an emergency it will be difficult to get out of the water, so water birth is not advised for such women.

The absence of infections such as herpes or other communicable conditions is important for water delivery. Water can be a vector of infection that can be transmitted either to the child or, alternatively, to caregivers. Clean and healthy environment is very important for the safety of mothers and babies.

“Any condition that puts the mother at higher risk and would require constant monitoring will prevent a water birth. If you are one of those low-risk, healthy moms looking for a normal delivery without a lot of painkillers or an epidural, you can definitely think about a water birth,” says Dr. Goyal said.

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