Transforming Hospital Birth from the Inside Out: Aurora Sinai Medical Center’s Waterbirth Suite

At the heart of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Aurora Sinai Medical Center has become a quiet beacon of change in hospital-based maternity care. Through thoughtful design, committed leadership, and training rooted in compassion and evidence-based practices, the hospital now offers families something both revolutionary and timeless—a fully integrated waterbirth suite within a major medical institution.

This transformation began with a call for support. Emily Malloy, CNM, reached out to Barbara Harper and Waterbirth International for guidance. What followed was a deep and meaningful collaboration—one rooted in mutual respect and the shared vision of restoring dignity and calm to the birthing process.

Barbara’s consultation with Aurora Sinai led to specific design recommendations for the creation of their waterbirth suite. From the physical layout of the space to clinical protocols and comfort measures, the goal was clear: create an environment where physiology, safety, and trust are supported equally.

But the commitment didn’t end with construction. Every birth care provider at Aurora Sinai—including obstetricians, midwives, nurses, and support staff—underwent formal training through Waterbirth International. This whole-team approach ensured consistency in care, deep understanding of waterbirth principles, and a united vision across disciplines.

Importantly, Aurora Sinai has also contributed meaningfully to the growing body of clinical research on waterbirth. In a pilot randomized controlled trial led by Emily Malloy, CNM, PhD, and her team, hospital water birth was compared with traditional land birth to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes.

The interim findings, recently presented, are compelling:

• Participants who gave birth in water reported significantly less need for epidural or IV narcotic pain relief (37.3% vs. 82.8%)
• Satisfaction levels were notably higher among waterbirth participants, as measured by the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (Mdn=33.0 vs. 29.0; P = 0.009)
• No adverse events occurred, affirming waterbirth as a safe option for low-risk pregnancies within a hospital setting

These early results support what we have long known from years of clinical practice: waterbirth, when offered with proper screening and provider training, improves the birth experience while maintaining excellent outcomes.

In a recent news feature, the hospital’s birthing suite was celebrated for offering families real choices in how they welcome their babies. “It’s a huge step in bringing the midwifery model and the principles of gentle birth into the hospital environment,” says Barbara. “Aurora Sinai listened not just to the evidence, but to the needs of their community.”

At Waterbirth International, we are proud to support hospital systems who choose to lead with empathy, courage, and innovation. Aurora Sinai’s story is one of many—and we are honored to continue walking alongside birth professionals around the world as they create safer, softer, and more human ways to be born.

🌐 Read the original article about Aurora Sinai’s new suite here.
🧪 Learn more about the randomized control trial NCT05175599