11/14/2025
A repeated and cherished scene of home birth - pouring hot water into the tub. People ask us how we keep the tubs warm during birth, this is it! We fill the tub with its first round of water from your water heater and then add pots of boiling water as needed. We are constantly checking the tub temp to make sure it's “just right”, a cozy temp near 99-100 degrees F. We do not have it too hot or too cold for medical reasons, and also the birther’s preferences. As the birth continues to evolve, you may see the midwives taking a pot of water out of the tub to replace it with extra hot water. Occasionally, you will see us putting cold water in for the more impressive water heaters. Even before water births were popular, there was not a midwife at a home birth who did not have a pot of water boiling on the stove. I love how these seemingly simple acts are really a shared ritual between each birth. A reminder to both the birther and midwife, you are not alone.
Photo creds:
Birther:
Photographer:
Doulas: