The American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) member birth centers have read with concern the recently released ACOG/AAP Committee Opinion, "Immersion in Water during Labor and Delivery". AABC agrees that published randomized controlled trials provide evidence...
Articles for Professionals
Cochrane – Immersion in Water in Labour and Birth (Review)
This review includes 12 trials (3243 women): eight related to just the first stage of labour: one to early versus late immersion in the first stage of labour; two to the first and second stages; and another to the second stage only. We identified no trials...
Calvin McCulloh – Corvallis, OR – First Waterbirth at Good Sam
Kate McCulloh already was at the hospital, in active labor with her second son, when she and her husband, Matt McCord, learned that a birth in water was an option. She dove at the opportunity: “Hell, yeah; let’s do it.” About 90 minutes later, at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday,...
Seven Secrets of Successful Waterbirth
In this article published in Essentially MIDIRS. Barbara considers what constitutes a successful waterbirth.
Helping Women Achieve What They Want in a Hospital
Today, with more and more media attention given to home birth, gentle birth and waterbirth, women across the country are asking how to get that type of experience in their local hospitals. Hospitals and providers have questions, too, and some places are...
The Use of Water During Childbirth
MIDIRS overview of waterbirth practice and evidence.
RCOG RCM Joint Statement
Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives support labouring in water for healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies. [pdf-embedder url="https://waterbirth.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/rcog_rcm_birth_in_water.pdf"...
Waterbirths Comparative Study from Iran
Comparison of waterbirth with conventional vaginal delivery: A non-randomized controlled trial from Iran
Reevaluating Waterbirth Temperature Guidelines
Barbara Harper discusses factors around waterbirth water temperature considerations.
Collaborative Waterbirth Audit
A collaborative audit between ten units with data collected during 2001. This paper explores the issues of 'waterbirth' evidence- based practice. [pdf-embedder...