NHS Forth Valley – Water Birth

What Should I Wear?

You can wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Some women prefer to be naked when giving birth in water for freedom of movement and immediate skin-to-skin contact with the baby. Others wear a cropped top, bikini top, or t-shirt. The most important thing is that you feel relaxed and comfortable. You may find it useful to bring a towelling dressing gown to keep warm when out of the pool.

Using a Birthing Pool

Forth Valley Royal Hospital offers the opportunity to use a birthing pool for labour and birth. There are two birthing pools in the labour ward, available for use when not already occupied. Using water during labour can help you feel more relaxed, secure, and in control, which may help you move freely and achieve a more straightforward birth. If you are interested in using water for labour or birth, talk to your team midwife or include your wishes in your birth plan.

Labouring in Water

Benefits of using water during labour include:

Less painful contractions
Reduced need for pain-relieving injections or epidural
Shorter labour
Less need for drugs (oxytocin) to make contractions more effective

Birth in Water

Research is limited, but there are rare risks for babies born under water, including:

Risk of drowning
Cord rupturing (splitting apart)
Infection

Can I Have a Water Birth?

A water birth may be suitable if:

You are healthy and between 37 and 42 weeks pregnant
You have had an uncomplicated pregnancy with no serious medical illnesses or complications
Your BMI was less than 35 at your first appointment
Previous pregnancy and labour were normal (if applicable)

Safety

Your midwife will create a calm, relaxed environment and disturb you as little as possible, but will regularly check your baby’s heartbeat, your blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate. Water temperature should not exceed 37.5°C. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and hyperthermia.

When Should I Go Into the Water?

Labour should be established before entering the pool. Every woman wishing to enter the pool will be assessed individually.

Pain Relief

You can use gas and air (entonox) while in the pool. If you request an injection of diamorphine or an epidural, you will need to leave the pool. After a diamorphine injection, wait at least 2 hours before re-entering the pool, depending on your individual reaction.

The Birth

As birth approaches, you can choose whether to birth in the water or out of it. Your baby will be allowed to birth with no-one touching, and your midwife will guide you to ensure the baby is not stimulated to breathe before reaching the water’s surface. The midwife will gently raise your baby to the surface head first, and the baby will start to breathe and must not be placed back into the water. The baby can then be placed close to your abdomen. You may notice your baby is blue, has eyes open, and is very calm.

The Third Stage (Placenta)

You can choose:

Active management: Syntometrine injection to help deliver the placenta (you will be asked to leave the pool)
Physiological management: Remain in the water for delivery of the placenta, provided there is no excessive bleeding or delay

More research is needed about the risks and benefits of delivering the placenta under water.