Waterbirth

(written by Twyla Cluster)

Water Birth Resources

The idea of giving birth underwater was pioneered by Igor Tjarkovsky, a Soviet researcher and swimming instructor, in 1960. He has helped hundreds of women give birth underwater in a tank of warm water.

In 1977 a French obstetrician Michel Odent introduced mothers to a pool of warm water so that they could relax in labor and not feel inhibited; this also helped for pain relief. Some women decided to stay in the pool to give birth, and over the next 5-6 years thousands of women used the pool during labor.

By 1983 hundreds of women had given birth in water. In the 1980s water birth had spread across the world from France to America. By 1987 approx. 3,000 babies had been born underwater. At the garden hospital in London, Dr. Yehudi Gordon stopped giving pethidine to women in labor; warm water has taken its place.

Books

Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper

The Water Birth Book by Janet Balaskas

We Are All Water Babies by Jessica Johnson & Michel Odent

Water Birth: A Midwife’s Perspective by Susanna Napierala



Websites

Waterbirth International.org

Anesthesia.com.mx/articulo/waterbrt.html

Homebirth.net.au/

Homebirth.org.uk/water

Waterbirthinfo.com



Facebook



Bring Birth Home

Birthing From Within

Preparing For Birth

Birth Faith



Birth Pools



Birth Pool in a Box

Aquadoula

Blow Up Kid Pools

Own Tub