I was looking into the idea and when I went into my OB’s office for my 25 week pregnancy checkup and asked about it she told me out of the two hospitals in the area only 1 actually has a room with a tub and they will only let me labor is the water but will not let me deliver.. (for other reasoning I didn’t bother asking my OB further into why this is)
Is this some kind of health risk or any reason you know of that docs and hospitals won’t let woman actually deliver in the tub and just labor it in??
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A lot of doctors are concerned that water births could increase the risk of infection for both mother and baby, especially the mother. It also makes it difficult for them to determine the amount of blood lost from the mother after delivery. They need to monitor how much blood comes out after delivery and to make sure you don’t hemorrhage. It’s a safety precaution most hospitals would rather take. Plus, water births are known to decrease the intensity of the contractions, which is thought to slow labor. If labor slows, it may cause complications for you or the baby.
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This is the case in my hospital also.. (labour in the tub is fine but not delivery).
I have read an article that says there is a slightly increased risk of breathing difficulties in the baby from a water birth. I am not sure if that is valid research though.
But given that articles like this exist, hospitals need to cover their backsides. People sue for anything now days and if something did in fact go wrong I’m sure someone could find support that the waterbirth caused it even if that wasn’t actually the case.
Top that off with what I am sure would be a large sum for insurance to be allowed to perform a water birth.
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The only thing I could think of is if your water broke and you got into the tub, you could open yourself up for infections. They always say not to take a bath after your water breaks, so maybe its along those same lines? They just dont want to be held liable if anything were to happen.
Plus, hospitals are all about monitoring you when in labor, and they cant do that if you are in the tub.
I would look into a birth center if I was you. They are much more natural birth/water birth friendly.
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I was born in water and all the problems listed above are what my mom was told so she went to a midwife and it was no problem. If you really want to give birth in water look into a midwife!
Probably because hospitals are run and designed by men who have no real understanding about giving birth, lol.
I also think it’s $$$. They take up a lot of room and are probably a pain to clean afterwards.
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