Reclaiming the Power of Giving Birth. . - BookCorners - Choosing Waterbirth - book review

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  Jan, 2002  by Jule Klotter

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

Choosing Waterbirth

by Lakshmi Bertram

Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.

1125 Stoney Ridge Road

Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 USA

Phone 894-296-2772

Fax 804-296-5096

www.hrpub.com

Softbound

ISBN 1-57174-152-6, 2000, 171 pp, $14.95

"Today, birth is commonly viewed as overwhelming and frightening and, because of this, many women no longer see it as a natural occurrence that they have the ability to get through," writes Lakshmi Bertram in her book Choosing Waterbirth. Her book, as its title indicates, is about waterbirth, its benefits, the contraindications, and more. Bertram used the waterbirth method to bring all five of her children into the world; yet each birth, as she explains in the book, progressed differently. She also tells how she prepared for the births and explains yoga exercises with the help of photographs. These exercises strengthen and stretch muscles in the abdomen and pelvic area that are used during birth. In addition, yoga teaches women body awareness, effective breathing, and conscious relaxation. All of the information in the book is designed to encourage women to overcome their fears and to trust their instincts and intuition throughout labor and delivery.

In the waterbirth method, the mother gives birth while in tub of water, heated at body temperature. As long as blood continues to flow through the umbilical cord, the baby will be receiving oxygen from the mother. Nevertheless, when the baby is born, the child is immediately brought to the surface so that (s)he can begin breathing air. Some women choose to leave the tub just before giving birth. As Sandra Amrita McLanahan, MD, writes in the book's foreword: "The physical benefits of the warm water include directly allowing the muscles to relax. Since tense muscles have higher oxygen requirements, this reduction in their strain helps ensure that optimum blood supply and nutrition can be available for creating balanced hormone release and, thereby, ease of delivery." The relaxation effect of being in a warm tub of water aids secretion of endorphins and oxytocin contributing to less painful and more effective contractions. Because the warm water can be so relaxing that it actually slows labor, the woman usually does not enter the tub until her cervix has dilated over 4 centimeters and contractions are regular. Even then, if labor begins to slow, she can exit the tub and walk or move about to encourage stronger contractions. Premature births, illness on the part of mother or infant, abnormal presentations (e.g. when the baby is exiting the birth canal foot first), and any complications with the placenta or delivery contraindicate the use of waterbirth.

In addition to using water and yoga to relax and help her through labor and delivery, Bertram found it important to understand the process of labor and delivery and the various stages. She explains this information for her readers to ease their anxieties about what is happening. She also offers suggestions that allow women to work with their bodies. She found the relaxation and breathing techniques taught in yoga very helpful. A pool of warm water, hot showers, massage, and counter pressure in the lower back may also encourage relaxation and ease pain. She also emphasizes the importance of creating a birthing environment that feels safe and secure; music, lighting, aromatherapy, trust in the people in attendance -- all can contribute to the feeling of safety and harmony. Once the baby has arrived, a new set of challenges begins. Bertram writes about breast feeding, baby massage, and the advantages of finding a safe way for newborns to sleep in the parents' bed. She also stresses the importance of getting prop er rest and attending to the children first, even at the expense of other household tasks.

Lakshmi Bertram concludes Choosing Waterbirth with these words: "Remember that birth, as a gift, was not meant to be scary. It was meant to test you, to prepare you for this greater journey of caring for your young. It was meant as an exercise in honoring yourself and in learning to depend on your strength. It was meant to make you feel more powerful and more capable than you were before the experience." Choosing Waterbirth is a wonderfully inspiring book, whether or not the process of waterbirth itself is of interest.

COPYRIGHT 2002 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group