Childbirth: Laboring in Water and Water Delivery
Topic Overview
Laboring in water
Some hospitals and birthing centers offer tubs or whirlpools for
laboring. If yours does, talk to your health professional about laboring in
water. The warm water supports your body and helps you to relax. For many women, laboring in water has been proved to:1
- Reduce labor pain.
- Reduce the use
of or need for pain medicine.
- Lower the mother's blood pressure.
- Help some women move along a slow labor and avoid a need for
forceps, vacuum, or cesarean delivery.2
Some time 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.
References
Citations
-
Cunningham FG, et al. (2010). Abnormal labor. In Williams Obstetrics, 23rd ed., pp. 464–489.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
-
Cluett ER, et al. (2004). Randomised controlled trial
of labouring in water compared with standard of augmentation for management of
dystocia in first stage of labour. BMJ, 328(7435):
314–320.
Credits
|
By
|
Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
|
Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
|
Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
|
Last Revised
|
November 2, 2011 |
Last Revised:
November 2, 2011
Cunningham FG, et al. (2010). Abnormal labor. In Williams Obstetrics, 23rd ed., pp. 464–489.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Cluett ER, et al. (2004). Randomised controlled trial
of labouring in water compared with standard of augmentation for management of
dystocia in first stage of labour. BMJ, 328(7435):
314–320.
