Hydrotherapy is the use of water for physical or psychological benefits. The value of hydrotherapy for labor and birth has been known and used around the world for many years. There are two options for hydrotherapy during labor - Showering or Immersion Hydrotherapy. Both options provide many benefits for laboring women. So, let’s see what the “experts” have to say about it!

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) http://www.midwife.org/acnm/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000004048/Hydrotherapy-During-Labor-and-Birth-April-2014.pdfaffirms that:

• Warm water immersion hydrotherapy during labor provides comfort, supports relaxation, and is a safe and effective non-pharmacologic pain relief strategy that promotes physiologic childbirth. 

• High quality research demonstrates the use of hydrotherapy for pain relief during labor does not increase risk for healthy women or newborns when evidence-based, clinical guidelines are followed. 

• Results from observational research on warm water immersion hydrotherapy during birth are less conclusive. Researchers indicate that women who experience uncomplicated pregnancies and labors with limited risk factors and evidence-based management have comparable maternal and neonatal outcomes whether or not they give birth in water. 

• Women should be given the opportunity to remain immersed during labor and
  birth if they wish to do so within the context of a shared decision-making process with their health care providers. This process includes ongoing maternal and fetal assessment as labor progresses. 

• To make an informed choice for the use of hydrotherapy, women should have access to information regarding the state of the science, including strengths and limitations, and documented benefits and risks of available pain relief options including water immersion and or water birth as demonstrated in the published literature. 

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) states that no maternal or infant infections have been attributed to water submersion with either intact or ruptured membranes. In November of 2016 the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Immersion-in-Water-During-Labor-and-Deliveryissued a recommendation, that immersion in water during the first stage of labor may be associated with shorter labor and decreased use of spinal and epidural analgesia and may be offered to healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies between 37 weeks and 41+6 weeks of gestation. It also states that there is insufficient research on the topic of water birth and calls for women to be made aware of this. So that informed consent to the use of hydrotherapy could be given.  

Evidence Based Birth shares evidence from many studies that supports the use of water in lowering pain in birthing women. Sharing that the majority of women who chose to use hydrotherapy during labor and or birth, report having significantly less pain than those who labored and birthed on land. Whether epidural pain relief was provided or not! Some say that it’s something about the relaxation in the water that causes women to have almost an altered state of relaxation. Which causes an altered view of the labor and birth, in which a more peaceful relaxed and supported experience is noted. Women who birthed on land have a more painful experience noted in their memory, including those who used medical pain relief. 

It is unclear the depth of risks involved in water birth itself. The risk of infant inhalation of water if re-submersion occurs does pose significant risks. And that definitely merits the need for proper research studies to be conducted. Among other unknown risks could be infections in a certain population, unsanitary water conditions etc. 

Every birth, whether on a hospital bed, in water, in the rainforest or in the comfort of your very own home poses a risk to mother and baby. But when we take a look at the natural process of birth, unhindered with charts and needles and monitors… It’s clear to see that water plays a hug roll in life itself! So why not birth in it?! I personally cannot wait to see more research completed on the benefits and risks associated with the use of hydrotherapy in labor and birth!!! 

So, when it comes to laboring &/or birthing in water, ask yourself one question… not “why should I?” but rather, “WHY NOT?!” 

Go here for more information on renting a birth pool for your birth!