Questions & Answers

Whether or not a hospital offers water birth depends entirely on the hospital. A lot of the bigger hospitals have it as an option now and there are plenty of pain medications you can have while you labor in a tub (anything they give laboring women IV can be given while you're in a tub).

I think everyone's experience can be different. My friend did water births with both of her children and absolutely loved it. She gave birth in a hospital and said it helped lessen the pain when she compared it to how she felt before she got in the tub. I wasn't able to do a full water birth due to a med I have to be on during pregnancy, but I was able to labor in the tub and maaaaan did that feel good. It was amazing how much it took the edge off of my contractions when I was in that water. I loved it and wished water births were an option for me. My hospital also offers the water births so a little different than what the previous commenter has for experience. There are always risks with ANY kind of birth, but I have not heard anything about there being MORE risk from water birth. Good luck!! :)

Well, normally a water birth is a natural birth, so yes it hurts, and most of the time you won't have an option for pain relief since they are mostly not done in hospitals. All births run a risk for baby's health. Some hospitals offer water births, most are in a birthing center - where if you have any issues for yourself of baby they/you have to be transported to nearest hospital.