A variety of birthing options are available today, but more and more women are reportedly choosing home water births as the way their babies enter the world. Often a victim of controversies, mothers say that water birthing offers a relaxing environment and natural pain relief without anaesthesia. A mother of three, Kara Baker became wary of delivering her children in a hospital after having a “terrible” and “traumatic” experience during the birth of her first child. She welcomed her second child at a birth centre in St Louis, and though the experience was much better than the first. But Baker was still nervous. She had another water birth, and her third child was born at the same birth centre. As she became more comfortable in water birth, Baker live streamed the unassisted process at home, as the family welcomed the fourth child—a healthy baby girl. She uploaded the magical moment on her YouTube channel and the video is only gaining praises. Woman Delivers a Baby in Kansas Hospital Corridor, and The Photographs Will Leave You Speechless. 

The 28-year-old Baker lives in Missouri with her husband Bryce and their three children, four-year-old Brylie, three-year-old Barrett and 15-months-old Ash, and the newest addition to their family Molly. When she gave birth to her first child, Baker had a “terrible” experience. “Everything that took place was about money, not about what was best for my child,” she told the Daily Mail. “There was no doctor there to 'deliver' my baby only nurses, they did not practice delayed cord clamping or skin to skin, I was discouraged from breastfeeding, and the bill was $56,000,” she added. Because of the stress she went through her first birth, Baker decided that things had to be different when she delivered her second child. Natural Septuplets Birth: 25-year Old Iraqi Woman Gives Birth Six Girls & One Boy, All in Good Health. 

“I had an amazing natural water birth, but I was afraid as I didn't know what to expect because I had an epidural with my first,” says Baker. She and Bryce welcomed their second child at a birth centre in St Louis. Baker had a better experience this time but was still nervous. After watching a lot of mothers giving birth videos on YouTube, she learned that she had to “let go of fear” and enjoy the experience. “My third child was born at the same birth centre and I had another water birth, but this time I had no fear at all so I had no pain,” she said of third child Ash’s birth. Comfortable giving birth, the only thing that still bothered Baker and her husband was that they had to be away from their children while Baker gave birth. She decided to change this with her fourth pregnancy. Watch Video of Baker's Unassisted ‘Water Birth’ Labour Here. 

On March 23, she went into labour. Baker simply hopped into her bathtub, turned on the camera and 35 minutes later, she had their daughter Molly in her arms. She describes it to be the most beautiful experience. “By live-streaming the birth, I hope to change people's perspective of birth. I want to help people lose the stigma associated with birth. I want people to see that labour and delivery does not have to be painful and feared. Giving birth is what we are designed to do. It truly is a gift,” she explained in the same report.

Although, mums who opted for home water births have majorly shared positive experiences, may medical professionals still do not support the idea. They warn that unassisted births like Baker’s can be dangerous as not having a medical professional present can leave mother and baby in dangerous situations if something goes wrong. They recommend that women wanting to have a home birth should first confirm with their doctor and assure they their pregnancy is not in high-risk before making the decision. Mothers must also ensure they have a certified midwife or physician present to assist during and after childbirth.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 25, 2019 02:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).