Laboring in Water vs. Giving Birth in Water—They Aren’t the Same Thing

You’re planning to use a birth pool during labor.

Does that automatically mean you’re planning a waterbirth?

Not necessarily.

One of the biggest misconceptions about waterbirth is that getting into a birth pool means you have to stay there until your baby is born.

You don’t.

Laboring in water and giving birth in water are two different things—and you can benefit from one without choosing the other.

Let’s break it down.

What Does “Laboring in Water” Mean?

Laboring in water—also called water immersion during labor—simply means using warm water for comfort during contractions.

You might spend part of active labor in a birth pool and then get out before pushing.

You might get in, get out, walk around, change positions and climb back in later.

Or you might use the pool throughout much of labor and decide at the last minute that you’d rather deliver somewhere else.

The birth pool is a tool, not a commitment.

And that's an important distinction.

What Is a Waterbirth?

A true waterbirth means the baby is actually born beneath the surface of the water and then gently brought to the surface.

The laboring parent may have spent hours in the pool beforehand—or climbed into the water shortly before pushing.

After baby is born, the newborn is brought above the surface and kept above water while the transition to breathing air begins.

So while every waterbirth involves being in water at the moment of birth, not every person who labors in water ultimately has a waterbirth.

Why Labor in Water if You Aren't Sure You Want a Waterbirth?

Because warm water can be incredibly comforting during labor.

Water immersion may help some laboring people feel more relaxed and better able to cope with contractions.

Then there's buoyancy.

When you're heavily pregnant and contracting, suddenly feeling lighter can be a pretty big deal.

In a sufficiently deep birth pool, buoyancy can make it easier to move between positions without fighting gravity and the full weight of your body.

You may find yourself:

• Kneeling

• Squatting

• Leaning over the side

• Floating

• Sitting

• Moving onto hands and knees

• Changing positions between contractions

Instead of thinking, How am I going to get myself into that position?, you may simply move there.

Does Laboring in Water Mean You Have to Stay in?

Absolutely not.

This might be one of the most important things to understand when planning a waterbirth:

You can get out.

Maybe you suddenly want to walk.

Maybe you're too warm.

Maybe you want to use the bathroom.

Maybe your body is telling you that you want to push somewhere else.

Maybe your provider wants to perform an assessment.

Or maybe you climb into the pool convinced you're going to birth your baby there and, twenty minutes later, think:

Nope. Get me out of here.

That's okay.

Birth plans are preferences—not contracts.

Can You Get Out and Then Get Back In?

Depending on your circumstances and your provider's recommendations, often, yes.

Some people alternate between water and land throughout labor.

You might spend an hour in the pool, get out to use the bathroom and move around, then return later when contractions intensify.

There's no prize for staying in the pool the longest.

The goal is to use the environment in whatever way best supports your labor while following appropriate safety guidance.

Why Would Someone Labor in Water but Give Birth on Land?

There are plenty of reasons.

Sometimes it's simply preference.

A person may love the water during contractions but instinctively want firmer footing when pushing.

Others may want to use a birth stool, bed, floor mat or another position outside the pool.

And sometimes the decision is medical.

Your provider may recommend leaving the pool if there are concerns about you or your baby, if additional monitoring or assessment is needed, or if circumstances arise that make continuing in the water less appropriate.

Leaving the pool doesn't mean the birth pool “didn't work.”

If it helped you through hours of labor, it already did its job.

What If I Plan a Waterbirth but Change My Mind?

Then you change your mind.

Seriously.

You don't owe your birth plan a particular ending.

You can spend months imagining your baby being born into the water and decide during labor that you want to deliver somewhere else.

You can also enter labor thinking you'll probably use the pool only for pain relief and discover that when pushing begins, you don't want to leave.

Birth can be unpredictable.

That's why having options can be more useful than having rigid expectations.

Can Everyone Who Labors in Water Give Birth There?

Not necessarily.

Eligibility for water immersion during labor and eligibility for underwater birth aren't always identical.

Some hospitals or birth centers allow patients to labor in tubs but require them to leave the water before delivery.

Individual providers and facilities may also have specific waterbirth criteria.

Certain changes during labor may mean someone who was originally planning to deliver underwater is asked to leave the pool.

This is something worth asking about before labor.

If you're considering waterbirth, ask your provider:

“Do you support laboring in water, actual underwater birth—or both?”

Those aren't necessarily the same question.

A Birth Pool Doesn't Lock You Into a Waterbirth

Perhaps the best way to think about a birth pool is this:

It's another option in your labor toolbox.

Just like movement, counterpressure, breathing techniques, massage, heat, birth balls and different labor positions, water can be used when it feels helpful—and left behind when it doesn't.

You don't have to know exactly where your baby will be born before labor even begins.

Maybe you'll labor in the pool and deliver on the bed.

Maybe you'll move between water and land.

Maybe you'll climb into the pool and never want to leave until your baby is resting against your chest.

All of those experiences are valid.

Because using water during labor doesn't have to be all or nothing.

The goal isn't to achieve a particular kind of birth.

The goal is to have options, support and an environment that helps you navigate the birth that's actually unfolding.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Water immersion and waterbirth may not be appropriate in every pregnancy or birth. Discuss your individual circumstances and your birth setting's policies with a qualified maternity care provider.