Most women who labour and or birth in water love the experience. Very few get out of the pool to give birth. The warmth is soothing to the contractions and the depth and buoyancy enhances mobility.
It is not a new concept and there are reports of women giving birth in water throughout history. Women need to feel safe in labour and often find themselves in small dark areas. A birthing pool has the same protective, warm and cocooned feel. Women who have water births have less intervention and report far less pain. Babies that are born in water appear less traumatised by birth. Indeed often they do not even realise they have been born until they get stimulated by their mothers with touch and speech.
There is no evidence that there is any risk associated with a normal birth in water. There is evidence re water temperature and at Kent Midwifery Practice we encourage women to choose how warm or cool they want the pool to be. The Midwives at Kent Midwifery Practice are very experienced in water birth. Helping women achieve a water birth is not an extra skill for a midwife but an intrinsic part of normal birth. Having a pool at home is very easy to inflate to fill and to empty and gives dad a worthy task! We are happy to advise about the types of pools and further discuss the benefits of a water birth. Many happy clients are also happy to share their stories.