Childbirth: Labouring in Water and Water Delivery

Overview

Labouring in water

Some hospitals and birthing centres offer tubs or whirlpools for labour. If yours does, talk to your doctor or midwife about labouring in water. The warm water supports your body and can help you to relax. Labouring in water also may reduce the chance that you'll use an epidural for pain management.^{footnote 1}

Sometime before you are ready to push your baby out, you will have help getting out of the tub.

Delivering in water

A water birth is the delivery of a baby while in a tub or pool of warm water. More research is needed to find out the benefits and risks to delivering in water.

If you are thinking of a water birth, discuss it with your doctor or midwife.