Why water births are here to stay in modern maternity care
Guido Baart
More and more maternity care facilities are integrating water births as a standard part of their offerings. But why? In this blog, the birth center in Amersfoort shares its long-standing success with birthing pools and explains why they can’t imagine working without them.
Born from positive experience
The desire to offer water births came from positive experiences at the Geboortehuis Utrecht. So when a new location was launched, integrating birthing pools was a natural step. The goal: to offer clients a comfortable and relaxing setting, without the logistical challenges that often come with a home water birth.
Popular among clients
And it was a bullseye. Today, around 60 to 70% of clients choose to give birth in water. The experiences are overwhelmingly positive: women report feeling more relaxed and comfortable, which often benefits the birth process itself.
Easy to implement
Introducing a birthing pool might sound like a major undertaking, but it’s surprisingly simple. In this case, it only required a faucet adapter for connecting a hose. Practical concerns, like access to resuscitation equipment and storage space when the pool isn’t in use, were quickly addressed.
Notably, the center deliberately chose an inflatable pool over a fixed one, mainly for reasons of hygiene and flexibility. An inflatable pool is easier to clean and store, whereas a fixed unit requires more planning and resources.
Working with a reliable partner
The center partnered with Birthpools, a trusted supplier from earlier projects. “Birthpools delivers high quality and is incredibly reliable. What I appreciate most is their friendly and helpful service. Communication is smooth, and if something comes up, they think along with you right away. That gives great peace of mind.”
Practical and comfortable
The birthing pool is considered highly user-friendly: easy to set up, comfortable to use, and sturdy enough for a variety of birthing positions. Equally important, clients value the calm and freedom of movement that a water birth provides.
Advice to doubters: just do Ii!
For healthcare facilities still unsure about investing in a pool, the advice is clear: just go for it. Start with a pilot if needed. Experience shows the pool quickly becomes popular and once you’ve worked with one, you won’t want to go without it again.
