If you’re expecting and prefer a pregnancy without medical intervention, you may prefer a water birth. Water births have a slew of advantages that make the experience enticing, but like all types of delivery, there are some considerations for expecting mothers to reflect upon. In this blog, Cascade Health Care uncovers four things you should know about water births.

You’ll Still Need a Midwife

When some folks imagine a water birth, they may assume it’s just them, their partner, and other immediate family members they want at their child’s birth. However, for a safe delivery in any setting, you will need a medical professional present.

Midwives correspond with your physicians to provide the best possible care during your pregnancy and labor. Midwives go through ample training and certifications to ensure safe and healthy deliveries. They’ll maintain your baby’s heartbeat using a waterproof fetal Doppler, receive the baby, and perform other procedures that take precise training to do properly.

It Doesn’t Have To Happen at Home

Contrary to popular belief, water births don’t have to take place in your home. If you’re intimidated by hosting your birth at home or simply don’t have the necessary space for a water birth, you can go to a birth center. Some hospitals also offer water births. Work with your midwife and physicians to decide the safest and most comfortable place for your delivery.

Water Births Are Not for Everyone

Water births work best if you have a low-risk pregnancy. Complications or circumstances, such as vaginal bleeding, a baby in breech position, a previous C-section, preeclampsia, or the birth of multiples, might call for a traditional hospital birth instead. If your baby needs continuous electronic monitoring or immediate medical attention after birth, it’s easier for medical professionals to provide those services outside of a water birth. Once again, talking to your midwife about your options and your baby’s needs will help you decide what’s best before, during, and after birth.

Water Births Have Many Benefits

Among the important things you should know about water births are the many benefits this experience offers. The warm, buoyant water can make labor easier and less painful. Lying in the warm water helps your body relax and acts as a natural pain reliever. It’s easier to move around in the water than it is on a bed, giving you a better sense of control during labor. Contractions may also feel shorter and less intense because of the water. This factor is particularly appealing for women who want to have a natural birth without anesthesia or epidurals.

Water births also make room for both you and your partner. Larger birthing pools have space for your partner to be at your side throughout the entire process, making the experience better for both of you.

Water births create a unique experience for you and your baby. By working with your midwife and other medical practitioners, you can make your delivery as safe and comfortable as possible, no matter where or how you choose to give birth.