Vaginal Birth and Water Birth ✿

Vaginal birth:

• Most babies are born through vaginal birth.
• Labor feels different for every woman.
• You may decide to have medicine to help with labor pain.

Most women have their baby through vaginal birth. Vaginal birth means your uterus contracts (tightens up and then relaxes) to help push your baby out through the vagina. 

In this topic, find out about labor and childbirth. You may feel excited about having your baby but nervous about labor. Labor feels different for every woman. Learn about ways to cope with labor pain, including medicines and other methods, like breathing and relaxation. 

If your pregnancy is healthy, wait for labor to begin on its own. For some women, labor is slow to begin. Your provider may give you medicine to help induce (start) labor. If you’re thinking about inducing labor, find out why waiting until at least 39 weeks is so important for your baby. 

If you had a cesarean birth in a previous pregnancy, you may be able to have a vaginal birth in your next pregnancy. This is called vaginal birth after cesarean (also called VBAC). Find out more about VBAC to see if it’s an option for you.

Water Birth:

Water birth is when a woman gives birth in water. While water birth is gaining popularity with some women, there isn't enough research to know if it's safe. In fact, it may be harmful to some women and their babies. The trouble is that, like home birth, you don't know that water birth is safe for you and baby until after the baby is born and there have been no complications. Some women use warm water to help them deal with labor pain, but then come out of the birthing tub for a more traditional bed delivery. Others choose to experience all three stages of labor in water.  Whatever you decide, it's important you are cared for by someone who is medically trained in pregnancy and childbirth. This professional can be an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN), a family physician or a certified nurse-midwife. Not all health providers will perform a water birth. If you're considering a water birth, it's important to talk with your health provider. 

Water birth pros:

• Some women find a water birth to be soothing and relaxing.
• Floating in water may help a woman feel lighter and lessen body weight.
• Warm water may help relax the perineum (area between the vagina and the rectum) and make the delivery easier.

Water birth cons:

• Research is limited. We don't know if water births are safe for mom and baby.
• If the tub is not properly cleaned, it can lead to infection.
• The baby may gasp for his first breath while still underwater, causing him to inhale water.
• The umbilical cord may snap during water birth. This could lead to serious blood loss for the baby.