Re: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hypno birthing

[jo hunter]

Hi Helen and Mary, I birthed all 4 of my children in water. The first in a birth centre and the last 3 at home. With my 3rd, he decided to arrive before the midwife did and I was supported by my husband and 2 girlfriends. The top half of my body was leaning over the pool edge, hands on the floor and the bottom half emersed in water. As his head came out I lifted my bottom out of the water and my girlfriend was unsure as to whether his head could go under again. She was holding onto the back of his head and pushing it up - keeping it out of the water, which was causing some pain and feeling like I was being torn (which I wasn't). I told her to stop it and pushed his head down myself, which went back under the water (I have a video so I am able to tell you exactly what happened). I birthed him into the water, then turned around to greet him. He was absolutely fine, which leads me to believe that it is only once the baby takes a breath that they should not be placed back beneath the water. Would love to hear others experiences of this - particularly midwives experienced in facilitating water birth. For me it felt very natural to be in water to give birth, in fact I couldn't imagine birthing on land. What I'm trying to say is that things that are right for some are not right for others. I know of many women who loved to be in the pool during labour but felt they needed to be grounded for the actual birth. Live and let live - waterbirth, hypnobirth, homebirth, as long as the woman comes away from her experience feeling powerful and positive and that any decisions made were her decisions. Cheers Jo Hunter ----- Original Message ----- From: Mary Murphy To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 7:35 PM Subject: Re: Re: [ozmidwifery] Hypno birthing Helen wrote: > Certainly as a midwife there seems to be a few do's and don't to learn and > there are various "waterbirth workshops" being run for midwives to the > extent that I feel if you weren't experienced in waterbirthing you might > endanger the baby's life - e.g. the mother must either stay in the water or > get out of the water during crowning but mustn't interchange between the > two!!! correct me if I am wrong.........that worries me........ Helen, the more waterbirths I attend, the less I do.  Actually, the only don'ts I observe is 1. don't have the water too hot-altho I am not truly convinced this is a problem as sooo many women have very hot baths in pregnancy and on the otherside, maternal fever in labour  by itself, does not kill babies either.  2. If the baby's mouth is born out of water, I usually don't put the head underwater again, I birth the baby in the air.  Once again, it is because I don't really know if the baby will gasp or not.  More a lack of confidence in my own knowlege.  Waterbirthing is a wonderful way to keep everyone away from the woman and let her do it her way and a gentle entry into the world for the baby. cheers, MM