Will the baby choke on water during a water birth? What conditions need to be met for a water birth?

I think everyone has heard of water birth. Water birth was very popular abroad at first. Now many hospitals in our country have also started to perform water birth. Water birth is a very good way of delivery.

No, because when the fetus is in the pregnant woman's belly, it stays in the amniotic fluid and mainly breathes through the umbilical cord. When it is just born in the water, the doctor quickly takes it out before the umbilical cord is cut short. During this period, it can breathe through the umbilical cord and does not need to breathe with the lungs. Therefore, there will be no choking.

1. The baby has not yet started to breathe independently. When the fetus is in the mother's body, it mainly exists in the amniotic fluid. At this time, the fetus's lungs are contracted, and it mainly absorbs itching through the red blood cells in the umbilical cord blood. The water quality during water birth is similar to amniotic fluid, so the fetus rarely chokes on water at the moment of birth.

2. The hypertonic environment of the lungs prevents choking. Water is a hypotonic liquid, and the fetal lungs are a hypertonic environment. Even if water passes through the throat, the water will not enter the lungs. This is because the density of hypertonic liquid is high, which can prevent the mixing of hypotonic liquid.

3. Diving reflex This reflex is related to the larynx. The larynx is completely covered with chemical receptors, also called taste buds. In fact, there are 5 times as many taste buds in the larynx as on the entire surface of the tongue. When the liquid reaches the back of the pharynx and passes through the larynx, the taste buds identify what substance it is, the glottis automatically closes, and the liquid is swallowed instead of inhaled. Newborns are also very smart and can distinguish between amniotic fluid, water, milk or breast milk. Through this series of diving reflexes, newborns born in water are prevented from breathing in the water until they enter the air. From the above, it can be seen that babies born in water will not choke on water under normal circumstances, but there will be mistakes, such as the baby entering the water again after he has started breathing. This situation is very serious and mothers should pay attention to it and be sure to prevent it from happening.

1. The best age for water birth is between 20 and 30 years old. Those who are too young are not mentally prepared enough. Those over 35 years old can be considered "elderly mothers" and due to physiological reasons, it is appropriate to have a cesarean section.

2. For pregnant women who are ill or have a history of miscarriage, it is better to adopt a more cautious delivery method, because illness often triggers syndrome and causes unnecessary damage.

3. Pregnant women with giant fetuses (over 7 jin) are not suitable for water birth. Women who are older or younger; those with diseases; those who are unaware of the birth before delivery; those with giant fetuses; those with a history of miscarriage; those who are pregnant with twins or multiple births, premature births, or those whose amniotic fluid has been broken for more than 24 hours.

1. Have a history of miscarriage

Some women who have had miscarriages or have gynecological diseases that have not been completely eradicated cannot give birth in the water. Not to mention that the cold water will irritate the mother's fragile body, first of all, the underwater delivery time must be long. If the mother stays in the water for a long time, the water mixed with blood and sweat is actually very dirty, and the mother may be left with sequelae after giving birth.

2. Too old

The most suitable age group for water birth is generally under 30 years old, because the physical functions of women over 30 will decline, and this innovative delivery model is not mature enough, and it is likely to encounter many emergencies during delivery. Young mothers will be more tolerant both psychologically and physically.

3. The fetus is too large

Water birth requires that the fetus be taken out of the water after its entire body has come out. Because the baby grows in amniotic fluid from the beginning, there is no need to worry about the baby suffocating in the water. However, this process requires that the baby cannot be too big. If the mother does not control the baby's weight in the late pregnancy, resulting in the baby eating too well, for safety reasons, it may only be removed by cesarean section. As a type of natural birth, underwater birth will only be more stringent on the weight of the fetus. Generally speaking, if the baby in the mother's belly exceeds 7 pounds, doctors do not recommend the mother to take this risk.

Some hospitals do not use professional water birth equipment and have not received professional operation training. Unexpected accidents may occur, such as the death of newborns due to choking on water. At the same time, non-professional water birth equipment has difficulties in disinfection and how to prevent infection. In the United States, many hospitals only use bathtubs or SPA tanks for water birth. Therefore, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has not yet confirmed that underwater birth is a safe method of delivery. It is recommended that mothers who choose to give birth in water should be cautious when choosing a hospital. There are greater risks in using bathtubs, massage tubs and birth relaxation pools for water birth, especially if the water for birthing has not been sterilized, which is more likely to cause infection. Going to such hospitals for water birth should be carefully considered.