This is the definitive guide to using water during labour and birth.
Find out about one of the most effective ways to have a natural birth. Using a deep pool of warm water in labour can help to make your experience of giving birth shorter, easier and more comfortable, and provide you with an alternative route to medical pain relief. When birth happens under water, this can help to make the baby's entry into the world gentler and free from trauma. The benefits of a water birth are now widely recognised and birth pools are available in many hospitals and birth centres as well as being easy to hire and install at home.
In The Water Birth Book, natural childbirth pioneer Janet Balaskas offers straightforward, detailed and supportive advice for both parents and midwives.
This comprehensive and inspiring guide includes:
A historical and cultural overview of water birth
• The benefits of water in labour and birth
• How to choose whether a water birth is the best option for you
• How water can help through your pregnancy
• What to expect and how to prepare for your water birth
• The best way to use a birth pool
• The experience of water birth - personal stories
