Water birth
- Cally
- May 11
- 5 min read
Homebirth and water birth are often synonymous, and if you're planning a homebirth, chances are you've seen countless photos and videos featuring big blue inflatable birth pools. In this post we answer some common questions about why you might choose to labour and birth in water, and how to have a water birth at home.
The earliest Western accounts of women birthing in water date back to early 19th century France - but there are stories of ancient Greek, Egyptian and other ancient cultures birthing in water that date back much further. Water birth is linked to a range of benefits for both mother and baby including reducing pain and the need for pharmacological pain relief, decreased likelihood of perineal tearing, shorter labour, lower stress levels for mother and baby, and greater maternal satisfaction with the birth.
Unfortunately water birth in a hospital setting is often difficult to access due to limited facilities and strict criteria that excludes many women. The guarantee of having the option to birth in water is what draws many women to homebirth - so let's take a look at how you can plan for a water birth at home.
Do I actually need a birth pool, or can I just use a regular bath or shower?
The short answer to this is yes, you absolutely could labour and/or birth in your regular shower or bath. Many women do. However, there are some reasons a birth pool might be more practical or comfortable.
Comfort
Inflatable birth pools have an inflatable base, which is much more comfortable to kneel/sit on than ceramic or tiles - it's like kneeling on an inflatable camping matress.
The sides of the pool can also be more comfortable to lean or lie down on than a regular bath tub.
Location
The pool can be set up anywhere you like, so you aren't limited to labouring and birthing in your bathroom. Some women even set up the pool outdoors!
Support
The pool can be set up in the middle of your space, which allows greater access for your support team to be able to attend to you - for example, your midwife is able to monitor you and baby while your partner holds your hand or rubs your back, and they aren't vying for space.
The pool itself is also bigger than a standard bath, which is great if you want your partner, older children or another support person in with you to be able to get in with you.
Where do I get a birth pool from?
Most homebirthers choose to hire birth pools and use a disposable liner for hygiene purposes. If you're under the care of a private midwife, they can often arrange this for you at an additional cost and drop the pool off to you at around week 36 of your pregnancy. Some doulas and birth keepers may also offer this service. If you're birthing in a publicly funded program, check to see if this is included in their service.
There are also birth supply companies that hire out pools along with other equipment such as birth slings and tens machines. You could also choose to purchase your birth pool, either direct from the manufacturers or second hand on Facebook marketplace or local homebirth groups. Birth pools now come in different sizes, including mini birth pools which can be perfect for apartments or other small spaces. Other colours like white, beige and even pools are also available if bright blue isn't your vibe.
Homebirth Victoria has a birth pool hire thread on the Facebook group too, simply search 'birth pool' in the group.
Popular birth pool hire/buy businesses:
Many people ask about the kids looking pools, homebirthers do use these!
How do I set it up?
Your pool should come with an electric air pump, which takes around 10-15 minutes to fill the pool with air. It's best to inflate halfway, then fit the liner and finish inflating - it will be much harder to get the liner on a fully inflated pool. Some people like to add fairy lights for decoration between the pool and the liner.
You can (and perhaps should!) inflate the pool well before labour begins - this allows you to get it into place, check you have all the parts and very importantly, check for any holes/air leaks. If you are setting up the pool in a carpeted area you may like to place a plastic dropsheet underneath. If the pool is sitting inflated for a long time you may just need to top up the air once labour begins. Don't forget, midwives and doulas are highly experienced with birth pools and are happy to answer any questions or talk you through the set up of your pool. Your pool will come with detailed instructions too, and even if you've hired or purchased second hand these instructions should be available on the manufacturers website.
To fill the pool, you'll need a hose and a tap adapter (available from Bunnings). The hose should be new to avoid potential bacteria contamination, and many people choose to use a food grade hose for that reason (also available at Bunnings or outdoor/camping supply stores). Adapters come in different sizes so again best to check that everything fits before labour begins. If you're having trouble fitting it to your tap, ask your midwife or post in the HBV group for help.
There are common adapters, but it really depends on your tap!
When labour does begin, you can fill the pool halfway with cold water. Then when you're ready to get in, your support team can top the pool up with hot water. Depending on your water pressure the pool should take around 45-60 minutes total to fill. Standard tap water is safe so you don't need to filter or add anything to the water. The water should be body temperature (36-38 degrees), which can be measured using a baby bath thermometer. Birth pools retain heart quite well, but if the water does start to cool your support team can use buckets to empty some water out and add in more hot water with the hose. Don't worry, you likely won't even notice this is happening!
What happens after the birth?
You may like to stay in the pool to birth your placenta, or even give baby their first feed! There's usually no rush to get out. However, when you are done with the pool you'll need a water pump which you can use to pump water back through the hose and down the sink. If there is any debris in the water you will need to remove it first with a sieve or net so it doesn't clog the hose. The liner can be disposed of and the airpump will quickly deflate the pool ready to be packed away. If you've hired your pool through a private midwife, they will handle emptying and packing up the pool while you rest in bed with your new baby!
Written by Cally, HBV volunteer & homebirth mum
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