Water Birth Plan
A birth plan template for laboring and/or delivering in water, either at home, birth center, or hospital.
About This Birth Plan
Water birth involves laboring in a birth pool or tub, and may include delivering the baby in water. The warm water provides natural pain relief and helps with relaxation.
Water birth requires specific facility accommodations and provider support. Not all hospitals offer this option, and certain medical conditions may make it inappropriate.
Water Birth Location
- Location: [Hospital / Birth Center / Home]
- Birth pool/tub type: [built-in / portable]
- Water depth sufficient for immersion
- Temperature control available (optimal: 95-100°F / 35-37.5°C)
- Room temperature kept warm
- Easy entry and exit from tub
- Pool set up and tested before labor
Birth Team & Support
- Provider experienced with water birth
- Midwife/doula trained in water birth
- Partner/support person able to provide comfort in water
- Support team to monitor water temperature
- Someone designated to refill warm water as needed
- Clear roles for birth team members
Labor in Water
- Enter pool when in active labor (typically 5-6 cm dilated)
- Freedom to enter and exit tub as desired
- Ability to change positions in water
- Access to food and drinks while in tub
- Dim lighting around pool
- Music if desired
- Privacy curtains or screens if needed
Monitoring in Water
- Intermittent fetal heart monitoring with waterproof doppler
- Monitor maternal vital signs regularly
- Check water temperature frequently
- Exit pool if concerns about mother or baby status
- Wireless monitoring if continuous monitoring needed and available
Pain Management
- Water immersion as primary pain relief
- Position changes in water
- Breathing techniques
- Massage from support person
- Hydrotherapy jets if available
- Option to exit for other comfort measures
- Understanding that epidural requires leaving water
Delivery in Water
- Deliver baby while in water if all is progressing normally
- Push in comfortable position (sitting, squatting, on hands-and-knees)
- Slow, gentle emergence of baby
- Allow baby to be born underwater and brought up gently
- Baby's head and body completely submerged until brought to surface
- Immediate skin-to-skin with baby (in or out of water)
- Keep baby's body in water initially for temperature regulation
- Bring baby to surface within 10 seconds of birth
Circumstances to Exit Pool
- Fetal distress or heart rate concerns
- Excessive bleeding
- Maternal exhaustion
- Meconium in amniotic fluid
- Maternal fever
- Prolonged labor or lack of progress
- Request for pain medication
- Provider recommends exit for safety reasons
- Understanding and acceptance of need to exit if necessary
Delivery of Placenta
- Exit pool for placenta delivery (recommended)
- Or deliver placenta in water if provider comfortable
- Monitor for excessive bleeding
- Keep baby skin-to-skin during placenta delivery
- Delayed cord clamping before cutting
Immediately After Birth
- Keep baby warm with towels
- Skin-to-skin contact immediately
- Delay cord clamping 1-3 minutes
- Exit pool after a few moments of bonding
- Breastfeeding initiation
- Newborn exam after bonding time
- Keep room warm for baby
Newborn Care
- All standard newborn care as per preferences
- Vitamin K: [Accept / Decline / Oral]
- Eye ointment: [Accept / Decline / Delay]
- Delay bath (baby already "bathed" in birth water)
- Rooming-in
- Breastfeeding support
⚠️ Important Considerations
- •Not all hospitals or birth centers offer water birth
- •Provider must be trained and experienced in water birth
- •Not suitable for high-risk pregnancies
- •May need to exit water if complications arise
- •Water temperature must be carefully monitored
- •Some providers allow laboring in water but not delivery
- •Home water birth requires special tub rental or purchase
- •Risk of infection if water not kept clean
- •You may not like being in water once labor intensifies
- •Cannot have epidural if staying in water
- •Rare risk of baby breathing underwater if not brought up properly
❓ Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider
Discuss these questions at a prenatal appointment to ensure your provider supports your birth plan:
- 1.Do you have experience with water births?
- 2.How many water births have you attended?
- 3.Is there a birth pool available at your facility?
- 4.Can I labor in water and deliver on land if I change my mind?
- 5.What are your criteria for entering the pool?
- 6.What circumstances would require me to exit the pool?
- 7.How do you monitor the baby in water?
- 8.Who controls the water temperature?
- 9.Can my partner get in the water with me?
- 10.How is the placenta delivered after water birth?
- 11.What safety measures are in place?
- 12.Are there additional costs for water birth?
Create Your Personalized Birth Plan
Use our interactive builder to customize this template and generate a printable birth plan.
Use Interactive Builder💾 Tip: Use your browser's print function (Ctrl/Cmd + P) to save or print this template for easy reference. Bring multiple copies to your birth location.
This birth plan template is a general guide. Always discuss your birth preferences with your healthcare provider to ensure they align with your specific medical situation, facility capabilities, and safety requirements. Birth plans are flexible guidelines - medical necessity may require changes.