During childbirth, water relieves pain thanks to the law of buoyancy, better known as Archimedes' law. According to this law, a body immersed in a liquid experiences a buoyancy force proportional to the volume of liquid displaced by the body. Simply put, water lifts a woman. When a woman in labor plunges into a deep pool, she hardly feels the bottom of her body, as the water supports her bones and muscles. This releases energy for the uterus.
The muscles of the hips, back, abdomen and birth canal relax. Martha decided to try the waters during her seventh birth. She felt severe pain in her lower abdomen, but could not cope with it using standard techniques. Once in the water, after a while she found a comfortable position and was able to completely relax. As soon as the internal tension that tormented her went away, the pain stopped.
The deeper the mother dives into the water, the more volume she pushes out and the more her tissues relax. Those who suffer the pain of childbirth on their back are especially pleased to receive such almost instantaneous relief. When the back muscles relax, the internal tissues relax, allowing the child to move more freely.
Water birth ideally follows the principle that what is good for the mother is good for the baby. Water is relaxing, and a relaxed mother promotes better health for her baby. Stress and anxiety trigger an increased release of stress hormones, which can have harmful effects on both mother and fetus.
To protect vital organs, stress hormones redistribute blood flow to them, taking it away from less important organs. If blood flow to the uterus is reduced, the baby may suffer from lack of oxygen. Therefore, the child is more likely to receive the amount of oxygen he needs if his mother lies down in a pleasant, warm bath.
Contractions in water are perceived as oncoming waves. In water, a woman is left to her own devices and can improvise without any restrictions. Water allows her body to take any position, so you can choose one in which contractions will cause the least discomfort.
In water, a woman relaxes her consciousness and can surrender to her instincts, freeing herself from external tension. Water deceives the pain perception mechanism. The immersion acts as a full body massage, stimulating skin receptors. As a result, the nervous system is loaded with pleasant sensations and blocks the path to pain signals.
Studies have shown that water birth is safe and easier. Women in labor with high blood pressure experienced a sharp drop a few minutes after immersion in water. Water is a clean, practical, smart and safe way to ease labor.