Water Births

The High River Hospital is pleased to provide low-risk patients with the opportunity to labour and/or give birth in water.

We have three large birth pools in our newly renovated birthing rooms.  The pool is quite spacious and can be filled with enough warm water to cover you. After the pool is used, it is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by our housekeeping staff; this reduces the risk of infection.

Please click the button below to see more photos from Lacey’s water birth in our newly renovated High River Hospital.

Lacey's Water Birth Photos

Labouring in the pool:

During labour, you may use the pool as long as your labour is low-risk and baby does not require any continuous fetal monitoring.

  • Just like any form of pain relief, being immersed in water might not work well for everyone and it is easy to get out of the tub at any time.
  • If you get into the pool too early, contractions may slow or stop.
  • It takes time (about 15 minutes) to fill the pool and to make sure the temperature is correct.

Birth in the pool:

Your desire for water birth can be accommodated by any of the midwives or doctors certified in water birth as long as your labour is normal, low-risk, and a certified provider is available. There may be other doctors attending the birth as part of their water birth certification process.

The process:

  • Let your healthcare provider know you are interested in labouring and/or birthing in the water when you are first attending the clinic and reviewing the birth plan document (the green sheet).
  • By 32 weeks of pregnancy, read through the resources on the Water Birth International website. (Please note that there is information available on other websites but we cannot guarantee its accuracy.)
  • We recommend you listen to the 33 minutes podcast linked here or pinned on our Facebook page
  • Have a discussion with our midwives or water birth-trained doctors about your options for a water birth; review the advantages and disadvantages and be aware of the requirements to use the tub.
  • You will need to sign a consent form (linked here) which states that you are aware of the benefits and risks; this will be kept on your chart along with your green birth plan document.
  • When you come to the hospital in labour, have a discussion with your healthcare providers to decide if the pool is right for you.

High River Maternity birthing tub