Ocean Birth

[stardust599]

Don't babys have some sort of instinct not to open their eyes under water though?

Still not my thing, I wouldn't be giving birth in water unless it was sterile and the temperature measured correctly! xx

 

[hopeandpray]

Was the baby still getting oxygen from the umbilical cord? I feel stupid that a newborn knows to keep his eyes shut in saltwater and I always manage to open them i thought it was amazing birth but the seedy sounding music was distracting so incredible watching the baby swim

 

[KandyKinz]

Was the baby still getting oxygen from the umbilical cord?

It's hard to say and is very dependant on the temperature of the water... A sudden drop in temperature causes the vessels in the cord to constrict which is what happens in land... If the water is body temperature then the vessels will remain open and blood flow will continue to be good but as the temp decreases the temperature the blood flow decreases as well... Manipulation of the cord can cause decreased blood flow as well.

But babies are able to cope without oxygen for abit and they have an automatic reflex which makes them hold their breathe when placed under water (babies can be excellent swimmers! though the thought of baby swim lessons freaks me out!)... Also of note, when the baby is being born the baby is in an oxygen deprived state once the head is being born and before the shoulders are delivered as the cord is being compressed... This tends to cause little problems if the delay between the birth of the head and shoulders is less then 4 minutes (as baby's have adequate stores to deal with this).. but brain damage can occur if baby goes longer without adequate oxygenation.... Because of this normal oxygen deprivation before the birth I'd be reluctant to let baby "swim" for any prolonged period of time immediately following the birth.

 

[hopeandpray]

Thanks! love this section, so informative

 

[Pixxie]

Isn't amniotic fluid salty? I imagine that's why it doesn't hurt baby's eyes xxx

 

[KandyKinz]

Isn't amniotic fluid salty? I imagine that's why it doesn't hurt baby's eyes xxx

yeah there is salt in amniotic fluid... and when they do amnioinfusions they use saline which is a salt water solution.

 

[flubdub]

Isn't amniotic fluid salty? I imagine that's why it doesn't hurt baby's eyes xxx

yeah there is salt in amniotic fluid... and when they do amnioinfusions they use saline which is a salt water solution.

Why is it salty? Is there a reason, or just "one of those things"? You would think it would dry the babies skin out being salty.

 

[Pixxie]

It does something to their skin which is why they have vernix to protect them from it, not sure what exactly it does though! xx

 

[KandyKinz]

Isn't amniotic fluid salty? I imagine that's why it doesn't hurt baby's eyes xxx

yeah there is salt in amniotic fluid... and when they do amnioinfusions they use saline which is a salt water solution.

Why is it salty? Is there a reason, or just "one of those things"? You would think it would dry the babies skin out being salty.

OSMOSIS (sorry just remembering an osmosis dance some friends of mine created in biology class I think we were geeks!)

Osmosis occurs when water molecules move from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration.

Humans naturally have salt in the fluid in their bodies. If we're placed in water with no salt , then the water is going to be inclined to absorb into our bodies and it creates a puffy prune like appearance (So if amniotic fluid had no salt babies would come out water logged!)... If we're places in water with a higher concentration of salt then our bodies it would cause the skin to lose moistures and drying out would occur (which is why when you go swimming in the ocean you are suppose to stay really well hydrated).. But amniotic fluid has the same concentration of salt as what is normal in the human and fetal body so it is a isotonic solution so the same amount of fluid that is being absorbed into the skin is the same amount being released.....

 

[Pixxie]

Isn't amniotic fluid salty? I imagine that's why it doesn't hurt baby's eyes xxx

yeah there is salt in amniotic fluid... and when they do amnioinfusions they use saline which is a salt water solution.

Why is it salty? Is there a reason, or just "one of those things"? You would think it would dry the babies skin out being salty.

OSMOSIS (sorry just remembering an osmosis dance some friends of mine created in biology class I think we were geeks!)

Osmosis occurs when water molecules move from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration.

Humans naturally have salt in the fluid in their bodies. If we're placed in water with no salt , then the water is going to be inclined to absorb into our bodies and it creates a puffy prune like appearance (So if amniotic fluid had no salt babies would come out water logged!)... If we're places in water with a higher concentration of salt then our bodies it would cause the skin to lose moistures and drying out would occur (which is why when you go swimming in the ocean you are suppose to stay really well hydrated).. But amniotic fluid has the same concentration of salt as what is normal in the human and fetal body so it is a isotonic solution so the same amount of fluid that is being absorbed into the skin is the same amount being released.....

Check you clever clogs! Just kidding, I'm only jealous xxx

 

[KandyKinz]

Check you clever clogs! Just kidding, I'm only jealous xxx

I haven't a clue what that means
But if I were to guess I imagine you just nicely insulted me????

 

[flubdub]

Check you clever clogs! Just kidding, I'm only jealous xxx

I haven't a clue what that means
But if I were to guess I imagine you just nicely insulted me????

Dont you use the term clever clogs over there?
Yes, its a nice way of saying someone is clever x

 

[KandyKinz]

Nope..... we don't use that at all over here... There are lots and lots and lots of things you UK girls say that we don't here!

Coming on BnB has been a great learning experience and my inner thesaurus has been growing rapidly lol!

 

[PeanutBean]

I love the idea of a sea birth. I'm total water baby. The sea here is too cold though, only get to 14 C at it's hottest. Lots of our coast is also too polluted. But I'm surprised people seem to think all the oceans are dirty. Not true. Imagine having a private coastal pool in the tropics, sea temp of 30 C, wow that would just be incredible.

I'm surprised also at people saying their eyes sting in salt water. After all our eyes are always bathed in salt water. I find freshwater much more stingy and chlorinated is impossible!

Animals originate from the sea. Sea creatures are able to have salt water pass in and out if their bodies without issue. Internal bodily fluid have always been saline because of our marine origins. Freshwater fish had to evolve rather complicated systems to deal with the drop in salinity (see previous posts about osmosis ). Land animals had to evolve protective skin to prevent the body drying out. Saline is our natural state which is why foetuses grow in saline solution. I bet seawater is much nicer to birth in than fresh. I am jealous!

 

[flubdub]

I love the idea of a sea birth. I'm total water baby. The sea here is too cold though, only get to 14 C at it's hottest. Lots of our coast is also too polluted. But I'm surprised people seem to think all the oceans are dirty. Not true. Imagine having a private coastal pool in the tropics, sea temp of 30 C, wow that would just be incredible.

I'm surprised also at people saying their eyes sting in salt water. After all our eyes are always bathed in salt water. I find freshwater much more stingy and chlorinated is impossible!

Animals originate from the sea. Sea creatures are able to have salt water pass in and out if their bodies without issue. Internal bodily fluid have always been saline because of our marine origins. Freshwater fish had to evolve rather complicated systems to deal with the drop in salinity (see previous posts about osmosis ). Land animals had to evolve protective skin to prevent the body drying out. Saline is our natural state which is why foetuses grow in saline solution. I bet seawater is much nicer to birth in than fresh. I am jealous!

Thanks, thats a really informative post, and very interesing. You make some good points

 

[Pixxie]

I love the idea of a sea birth. I'm total water baby. The sea here is too cold though, only get to 14 C at it's hottest. Lots of our coast is also too polluted. But I'm surprised people seem to think all the oceans are dirty. Not true. Imagine having a private coastal pool in the tropics, sea temp of 30 C, wow that would just be incredible.

I'm surprised also at people saying their eyes sting in salt water. After all our eyes are always bathed in salt water. I find freshwater much more stingy and chlorinated is impossible!

Animals originate from the sea. Sea creatures are able to have salt water pass in and out if their bodies without issue. Internal bodily fluid have always been saline because of our marine origins. Freshwater fish had to evolve rather complicated systems to deal with the drop in salinity (see previous posts about osmosis ). Land animals had to evolve protective skin to prevent the body drying out. Saline is our natural state which is why foetuses grow in saline solution. I bet seawater is much nicer to birth in than fresh. I am jealous!

I agree if I had a private tropical pool that was nice and warm I would think again. The only reason I dismissed it immediately is because I live in Britain, the water here is cold and manky xxx

 

[lichunda1980]

I don't think so