Water Birth: Dr Anagha Karkhanis DEBUNKS myths about the birthing option

If you are reading this article then I am assuming that you must be planning or just curious to know about Water birthing before you opt for the same. This birthing option is quite in with many celebs choosing this birthing option. For the unversed, during the water birth, the pregnant woman is submerged in a water tub and the person can either choose to deliver in the tub or just go through labour and later deliver out of water. The birthing option is milder for the baby and less traumatic for the mother too. Since the baby has already been in the amniotic fluid sac for nine months, birthing in an alike environment becomes helpful. Throughout the process of water birthing, the person's child healthcare practitioner keeps monitoring the baby's condition by using an underwater Doppler device. Water births can either be done at home or at hospital/birthing centres and it usually costs the same as a baby being delivered vaginally.

Many people are choosing water birthing as there are several advantages. Right from speeding up labour to serving as pain-inhibitors, to emotional and physical relaxation, it provides a host of benefits. The concept is quite relatively new for many and that's why there are a lot of myths associated with water birthing. And to debunk the same we asked Dr. Anagha Karkhanis, Senior Gynaecologist and Infertility Specialist and Director of Cocoon Fertility to reveal more details.

ALSO READ: Water Birth: Here's everything you need to know about the birthing option

Myth #1: Babies are unable to breathe underwater

When a baby is born, their lungs are still filled with fluid and their oxygen source still comes from the umbilical cord. The temporary composition post the baby’s birth in those initial few minutes of life tends to clear the lungs of any fluid. This is exactly why the baby’s first cry is so vital – it takes most babies a little bit to respire on land.
 
Myth #2: You will be unable to go in labour in the tub once your waters have broken: 

For most mothers, the water bag tends to break quite early in labour. This myth occurs owing to the belief that water tends to flow upwards towards the vaginal canal, but it has been researched that water does not travel up to the canal. As long as everything in birth is developing normally, there is no apparent reason to believe that water will cause infection post your water has broken.
 
Myth #3: It is impossible to listen to the baby's heartbeat when mom is submerged in water: 

This is absolutely untrue because during water birthing waterproof Dopplers are used for auscultation or to listen to the baby to monitor the fetal heartbeat.