Should I Have a Water Birth? What to Know Before You Decide
If you’re pregnant and starting to think seriously about your birth preferences, there’s a good chance a water birth has crossed your mind.
Maybe you’ve seen videos of women labouring in warm pools and thought it looked calm, private and completely different from the hospital birth you had imagined.
Or perhaps your midwife, antenatal class or a friend has mentioned using a birth pool and now you’re wondering:
Is a water birth safe? Does it actually help with pain? Can anyone have one? And could it be right for me?
The good news is that you don’t need to have all the answers right now.
A water birth can be one option within your birth preferences, rather than something you have to commit to months before your baby arrives.
And importantly, there is a difference between labouring in water and actually giving birth in water.
What is a water birth?
A water birth means your baby is actually born while you are in a birthing pool.
This is different from water immersion during labour, where you use warm water to help you through contractions but get out before your baby is born.
You can use a pool for part of your labour without planning to have a water birth.
You might:
Get into the pool during established labour and find it really helpful
Labour in the pool for several hours and then decide you want to get out
Use the pool for pain relief but leave before your baby is born
Plan to have a water birth and change your mind
Decide you would rather stay out of the pool altogether
All of these are completely valid.
Your birth preferences are there to support you, not to give you another thing to achieve.
What are the benefits of using water during labour?
Warm water can be a really useful tool during labour.
Many women find that being immersed in warm water helps them feel more comfortable and relaxed, particularly during contractions.
Being in the pool can also give you more freedom to move and change position. You may be able to kneel, squat, lean forwards, sway or find another position that feels instinctive to you.
For some women, the combination of warmth, movement, privacy and focused breathing can make contractions feel more manageable.
Water can also create a quieter, more private environment, which some women find helps them feel more relaxed and in control.
And there is evidence that water immersion during labour can reduce the need for some forms of pain relief.
It’s worth remembering, though, that every labour is different. What feels amazing for one person might not feel comfortable for another.
Does a water birth help with pain?
One of the main reasons women choose to use a birth pool is for pain relief during labour.
Warm water doesn't remove the sensations of labour, but it can help you feel more comfortable and supported while your body is working.
The warmth may help you relax your muscles, while being able to move freely can help you find positions that feel better during contractions.
Some women describe the water as helping them feel calmer and more able to cope with the intensity of labour.
And you don't necessarily have to choose between a pool and other forms of pain relief.
Your options will depend on your maternity unit and individual circumstances, but thinking about water as one tool in your birth toolbox can be much more helpful than viewing it as an all-or-nothing decision.
Is a water birth safe?
For women with a straightforward pregnancy and no complications that would make water immersion unsuitable, water birth can be an option.
However, whether you can use a birth pool will depend on your individual circumstances and the policies and facilities available at your maternity unit.
Your midwife or maternity team can talk you through whether using a pool is appropriate for you.
There are also situations where you may be advised to leave the pool during labour or where a water birth may not be recommended.
This could include changes in your or your baby's condition, concerns about your baby's heart rate, significant bleeding or other complications that require additional monitoring or medical care.
This is why it's important to think about your preferences while also staying open to your birth plan changing.
Can you have monitoring during a water birth?
Depending on your circumstances and your maternity unit, your baby's heart rate can usually still be monitored while you are in the pool.
Your midwife will discuss what type of monitoring is appropriate for you and your baby.
The exact options available can vary between maternity units, so it is worth asking your midwife or birth team what is offered where you plan to give birth.
If you're planning a water birth, you could ask:
“What monitoring can I have while I'm in the pool?”
and
“What would mean that I need to get out?”
Knowing the answers beforehand can help you feel much more prepared.
What happens when your baby is born in the water?
If you remain in the pool for the pushing stage and have a water birth, your midwife will guide you through the birth.
When your baby is born, they are brought gently to the surface.
Babies should not be lifted out of the water until their head and body have been born, and your midwife will support you with this.
Your maternity team will also make sure the water temperature and environment remain appropriate throughout your labour.
The exact process can vary depending on your circumstances and local maternity guidelines, so your midwife is the best person to talk to about how water birth is managed at your chosen unit.
What if I plan a water birth but change my mind?
You can.
This is one of the most important things to remember when thinking about your birth preferences.
You might spend weeks imagining yourself having a water birth and then get into the pool and decide you want to be somewhere else.
Or you might initially feel unsure about the pool and then discover that being in warm water is exactly what you need.
Your preferences can change during labour.
There is no prize for staying in the pool.
There is also no failure in getting out.
The goal isn't to achieve a particular type of birth. The goal is to have access to the support and care you need as your labour unfolds.
What if the birth pool isn't available?
This is another reason not to make your entire birth plan depend on having a water birth.
Birth pools can be limited by availability, staffing, infection-control requirements, maintenance or other circumstances within a maternity unit.
If you arrive in labour and the pool isn't available, you can still use many other comfort measures.
Movement, different positions, breathing techniques, massage, counter-pressure, heat, relaxation and other forms of pain relief may all form part of your birth plan.
Thinking about what you want the pool to give you can be helpful.
Is it warmth?
Privacy?
Movement?
A sense of calm?
Being able to change position?
Once you know what you are hoping to get from the pool, you can think about alternatives too.
Who can have a water birth?
Whether a water birth is suitable depends on your individual pregnancy, health, your baby's wellbeing and the policies of your maternity unit.
Some women may be offered water immersion but not be advised to have their baby in the pool.
Others may be advised not to use a birth pool at all.
This is something to discuss with your midwife or maternity team rather than relying on general advice online.
If you are considering a water birth, ask your maternity team:
Am I suitable for water immersion?
Am I suitable for a water birth?
When can I get into the pool?
How warm will the water be?
What monitoring can I have in the pool?
What would mean that I need to get out?
Can I use other forms of pain relief in the pool?
What happens if the pool isn't available?
Can my birth partner be in the room with me?
These questions can help you understand what your options actually look like where you are planning to give birth.
Water birth doesn't have to be part of a perfect birth plan
Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to create the “right” birth plan that our preferences can start to feel like a checklist.
Water birth can be a lovely option, but it doesn't need to become something you feel you have to achieve.
You can plan to use the pool and change your mind.
You can plan a water birth and end up giving birth on land.
You can go into labour unsure about the pool and discover that you love it.
And you can decide that water birth isn't for you at all.
The most useful thing you can do is understand your options, talk them through with your maternity team and think about the things that might help you feel safe, supported and comfortable during labour.
Your birth preferences can give you a direction without having to predict exactly how your birth will unfold.
Thinking about a water birth?
If you're pregnant in Glasgow and considering a water birth, antenatal education can be a really useful place to explore your options.
At Nest Glasgow, we talk about birth preparation in a way that goes beyond simply writing a birth plan.
We look at what is happening in your body during labour, ways to work with contractions, movement and positions, breathing, relaxation and the different options available to you.
Because the more you understand about your choices, the easier it can be to make decisions that feel right for you and your baby.
If you're preparing for birth and want to learn more about your options, you can explore our pregnancy classes and birth preparation sessions at Nest Glasgow.
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