Water Births & NYC

Hi L.,

Braden is right. You can't have a water birth at a hospital in NYC, unfortunately. While St Lukes/Roosevelt has a birthing center with great tubs, you can only labor in the tubs. Once you're ready to push, you have to get out.

I think the only way to do it is with a home birth. I've been trying to convince my husband that we should have our birth at home, but he's adamently against it. I've got until November, so I'll keep working on him. :)

Good luck!!
J.

I gave birth in a birthing pool, and it was a home birth (I live in Brooklyn). I have a friend who is planning on giving birth at a hospital in NYC( not sure which one) and she has set it up beforehand that she will have a pool there. Some hospitals with birthing centers offer it as an option.

You might want to try to find a midwife. I had a water birth at home with a midwife. I really enjoyed my experience, and I won't do it any other way. Good luck!

I am pretty sure St.Lukes/Roosevelt hospital is the only hospital in Manhattan that has a birthing center with tubs.

Find a Dr/midwife affililated with them and you should be good. They are on the west side

St. Luke's Roosevelt has a birthing center with 3 delivery rooms, your doc has to be affiliated with the birthing center AND you must take heir childbirth prep class in order to have the option of delivering at the birthing center. The delivery rooms have tubs that you can labor in, but when it comes time to deliver the baby they make you get out of the tubs. that is what I was told/saw on my tour there 2 years ago. Double check to see if the rules have changed.

As far as I have heard, there are no hospitals that have a birthing tub option - a real pity. Look into homebirth if you are comfortable with that option. Go to www.waterbirth.org to learn more about options.
Here is another good website:
http://mommypoppins.com/ny-kids/birth-place-alternatives-.... St. Vincent's is no longer an option, BTW.

If you are willing to go further away from NYC, there is a great birthing center in Rhinebeck (hudson valley) at Northern Dutchess Hospital that has a birthing tub.

Good luck!!!