You do not need to have a special pool to labor or birth your baby in water.  Any bathtub will do just fine, although a standard sized tub may not be comfortable or roomy enough for you.  Most mothers find it much more satisfying to have enough depth to submerge themselves, enough room to use a variety of positions comfortably, and sloped or cushioned walls.  Please take these ideas into consideration when deciding if your own bathtub is adequate.

Pools and pool kits designed specifically for birthing may be rented or purchased for a fee ranging from $25.00 to $250.00, depending on your needs and preferences. Information is available at the following websites:

www.yourwaterbirth.com

www.waterbirth.org

“When a woman in labor relaxes in a warm tub, free from gravity’s pull on her body, with sensory stimulation reduced, her body is less likely to secrete stress-related hormones. This allows her body to produce the pain inhibitors—endorphins—that complement labor.

The baby emerges from the water and is “caught” by the mother, father, or birth attendant. While in the water the child has freedom of movement in familiar fluid surroundings. A baby’s limbs can also unfold with greater ease during those first moments when he leaves the mother’s body and enters the water. The water offers a familiar comfort after the stress of the birth, reassuring the child and allowing his bodily systems time to organize.

The same element, familiar and secure for the baby, is comforting and relaxing for the mother.”

- Barbara Harper, R.N. Gentle Birth Choices. Rochester, Vermont: Healing Arts Press, 1994.
Pages 134, 135