Expanding Comfort and Choice: Waterbirth at Parkview Randallia Hospital

In the heart of Fort Wayne, Indiana, a quiet but profound shift is taking place in hospital-based maternity care. At Parkview Randallia Hospital’s Family Birthing Center, a growing number of families are now able to access the benefits of waterbirth—thanks to a forward-thinking team and dedicated support from Waterbirth International.

In August 2023, Barbara Harper spent two days at Parkview Randallia teaching Waterbirth International’s Waterbirth Certification Course to an enthusiastic, interdisciplinary group of nurses, midwives, and providers. This in-person training laid the foundation for a hospital-wide quality improvement initiative aimed at safely integrating waterbirth into the Family Birthing Center’s care model.

The implementation was comprehensive. Parkview’s team developed clear clinical guidelines, created new documentation workflows in the EHR, trained providers and staff using WBI protocols, and invested in portable hospital-grade birthing tubs. Their commitment to safety, comfort, and evidence-based care was unwavering—and it shows in the results.

Since launching the program, 26 families have welcomed their babies through waterbirth at Parkview Randallia. The data is compelling:

• Over 50% of birthing people experienced no perineal trauma
• 75% had second-stage pushing times of 30 minutes or less
• Neonatal APGAR scores averaged 8.04 and 8.96 at one and five minutes respectively
• The most common intervention? Immediate skin-to-skin contact

No newborns born in water required increased care or extended stays. This is the kind of data-driven success story that reinforces what we already know: when waterbirth is thoughtfully implemented, outcomes improve—and satisfaction soars.

Parkview’s leadership and vision—combined with Waterbirth International’s decades of global expertise—have created a model that other hospitals can follow. As Barbara reflects, “It’s about giving families real choices while maintaining the highest standards of care. Parkview has shown what’s possible when a hospital commits to both.”

To read more about the hospital’s waterbirth journey, visit their blog: Parkview: Considering a Water Birth

Waterbirth International is proud to support institutions like Parkview that are transforming birth culture from the inside out—one gentle, empowered birth at a time.