From water birth to drug free, your other delivery options in the capital
Determined to stay out of Australia’s hospital system, my mother decided early during her first pregnancy to have a home birth. My birth went off without a hitch. A doctor and midwife stood by for emergencies, but my father basically delivered me. About a year later my mother had her second child at home, and to this day calls my brother’s and my birth the best experiences of her life.
Today, many women are evaluating their choices for childbirth, as my mother did decades ago. For instance, former talk show host Ricki Lake’s documentary about the benefits of home birthing, the Business of Being Born, has gained popularity among moms around the globe, from New York to certain pockets of Beijing.
At the end of the day, only you and your doctor can decide the best course of action. But that doesn’t mean you should go into your first consultation empty-handed. Here’s some helpful information to get you thinking about your options.
Back to Basics
Methods of giving birth vary all over the world. The UK has a long history of midwifery and home birthing, while in the US it is increasingly common for women to have a Caesarean section or even plan to induce labor. Before the industrial era, many women gave birth in a squatting or kneeling position generally considered to be the most comfortable, allowing optimum positioning of the pelvis. As birth moved into hospitals, women adopted the standard lithotomy position (lying flat on their feet in stirrups).
The cons of a traditional hospital birth are highly debated, but no one would argue against the benefit of access to emergency medical care in a medical facility. Indeed, it is generally recognized that improved medical intervention during birth has helped reduce infant mortality rates around the world. Medical intervention is not always needed, though. A study by the university of British Columbia in Canada found that women experiencing normal pregnancies were more likely to receive painkillers and other interventions in a hospital than at home.
Into the Pool.
Women who have given birth in water tell of the enormous pain relief they experienced during labor, and also what they find to be a less traumatic experience for the baby. According to a study published by the British medical journal in 1999, water birth doesn’t present a greater risk than traditional birthing methods.
The first question a water-birth novice might ask is, “what if the baby drowns?” At the moment of birth, babies still receive oxygen from the umbilical cord. They don’t inhale immediately, and therefore do not take gulps of water. Though newborns can be left under water for minutes, experts recommend that you gently lift the baby out seconds after birth.
When in labor with her first child, Beijing resident Ivy Makelin loved the labor pool at Beijing united family hospital so much that she didn’t want to go out. Later, with baby number two on the way, Makelin was convinced that water birth would be the best option for her. BJU dose not currently allow mothers to give birth in the labor pool, so Ivy opted in December for Xin Jing’an Tai Maternity Hospital, a private Chinese hospital that has hosted water birth for more than five years. She made the right choice; after laboring for nine hours in December, maklin gave birth to a healthy baby boy in Xin Jing’an Tai birthing tub, and she couldn’t be happier.
If choosing a water birth at a Chinese hospital, you must either be confident with your language skills or have a Chinese speaker who can translate for you during consultations and on the day. Many hospitals have only recently introduced water birthing facilities, so be sure your doctor and midwife are not only comfortable but also experienced in this practice.
