Presentation Information

The First Breath: Physiological Transition in Waterbirth

• Speaker: Agnes Ndunguru , Professor of Midwifery (PhD)
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits:

Abstract:

Newborn transition after waterbirth is characterised by a gentle and gradual shift from intrauterine to extrauterine life. By being born into warm water that mimics the womb environment, infants experience reduced shock and remain safely attached to the pulsating umbilical cord until they are lifted to the surface for their first breath. Crucially, respiration is not initiated underwater; the trigeminal nerve triggers the breathing response only upon exposure to air, sensing immediate changes in gravity and atmospheric composition.
Along with examining the examining the dramatic circulatory shifts that happen during this transition as the system moves from a sequential to a parallel configuration, this presentation will look at how practices such as delaying cord clamping enhance this transition by preserving blood flow and increasing ventricular preload. While bed births may initiate respiration three minutes earlier, water births ensure these physiological triggers are safely delayed until air exposure. Participants will leave with a solid understanding of the physiological transition a newborn goes through during waterbirth and the long term health impacts for the infant and how to best support the transition.