Water Births and Hydrotherapy - 'With-Woman' Observer

Welcome to U.O.U - With Woman Perspective of birth

I adore all things hydrotherapy and water birth.

It was something I very quickly gained experience in and observed many different midwives support women as a student midwife. I got lucky. I feel very blessed. I got to work with incredible community midwives and birth centre midwives throughout 3 years. A special shoutout to Kay. Somebody who taught me one of the most important lessons of being a midwife. A midwife is the guest invited to a woman's labour and birth. But little did she know this is what I learnt from her simply by watching her. I was never taught those words but I did not need to. I practised it.

Water births is something I feel very confident in. The beauty of less is more is a principle difficult to achieve in the modern world of midwifery (& obstetrics...). But in a pool birth, it is all about the hands off approach until the baby is born. The hands off approach AND a guiding voice to help women slowly breathe their babies into the world. This is an ELITE skill. In this modern world, there's this need to 'fix', 'cure', 'treat', 'identify' 'resolve' things. I am definitely not stating we should stop researching and finding ways to treat and cure illnesses and conditions. Birth has become more complex than it was ever before known as. We know more but have we also forgot what we already know? Are we losing the art of childbirth and what nature provides us that was passed onto generations and generations of women and families over the centuries?

I believe birth is normal. Most of the time. If an oxytocin inducing environment is maintained on an individual basis, birth would most of the time be positively experienced. Brith is magical... whether that is a water birth, instrumental assisted birth or surgical birth. The ultimate reason for this post is about water birth and hydrotherapy. An oxytocin inducing environment may be bright lights, loud music and making lots of noise. This can be very comforting for women.

An oxytocin inducing environment may be dimmed room with fairy lights, meditation mantras and using water. The main concept of birth should be keeping the space sacred and safe.

I have observed the magic of hydrotherapy and the ease it brings. So I am a huge advocate of this. Women all over the world use this and I have first hand witnessed many births in the water. To be an observer is something I never take for granted and I pray the world learns again about the power of hydrotherapy for both mother and baby.

Thank you for reading.

Lots of love and prayers,

Hajera