Birth planning is an important process to see how you will feel about the method of contraception to be used, the place of birth, the choice of the person you want to be with you during the birth, and how you will feel about interactions such as forceps or suction cups. General information about water birth can be found below.
Water is an effective source of pain relief during labor. A hot shower reduces aches and pains and a long bath can be very relaxing at the end of a tiring day. This hot water can even be used to help relax and reduce pain during labor. Birthing pools have become increasingly popular and giving birth in water is now a real option for more and more women. In addition to all this, birthing pools can really help expectant mothers with reduced mobility during labor.
Birthing pools are larger, wider and at least 60 cm deeper than standard bathtubs. This allows the mother to easily move around in the pool and immerse her belly in the water while protecting it. Although not very common in Turkey, many hospitals in Europe and America have installable and portable birthing pools, which can be rented for use at home or in the hospital. Even if you do not want to give birth in a pool, you may want to rent a small pool to use at home during late pregnancy and early labor. In the last weeks of pregnancy, you can use a rented birthing pool to relax. These pools can be especially useful if you have trouble sleeping at night.
If you are interested in using water to relieve your suffering but cannot afford to rent or buy a pool, you can use water in some of these ways:
- You can sit in an inverted bucket or plastic chair under the shower.
- You can use a bowl to pour hot water over yourself.
- Some women may find it helpful to use a powerful shower head to keep the water pressurized on the lower back.