Water Birth in the Philippines: Benefits, Risks, and Hospitals

For many expectant mothers, preparing for childbirth means thinking about how they want to deliver their baby. But another important question is how they want to experience labor itself.

Some mothers choose medical pain relief options, while others explore non-medication approaches such as breathing exercises, massage, movement, and laboring in warm water. For healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies, using a birthing tub may be one option for making labor more comfortable.

But laboring in water and actually giving birth in water are not exactly the same thing—and current medical guidelines make an important distinction between the two.

A birthing tub is a tub filled with warm water that allows a mother to experience hydrotherapy during labor and, in some cases, give birth in the water. Although water birth has recently gained more attention through celebrities and social media, giving birth in water is not a new practice.

Today, water birth is also available to eligible mothers at select hospitals, clinics, and birthing facilities in the Philippines.

The ideal water temperature in a birthing tub is generally maintained between 97°F and 100°F (36.1°C to 37.8°C). The warm water may help ease labor discomfort and allow mothers to feel more relaxed.

Every pregnancy is different, and the way a woman gives birth does not make her more or less of a mother. Each birth story comes with its own circumstances.

According to Mother Baby Center, mothers interested in water birth need to meet certain health criteria. These may include having a full-term, low-risk pregnancy; no infection or major medical conditions; a singleton pregnancy; no history of high blood pressure; no bleeding disorders; no pregnancy or labor complications, and meeting the facility’s required pre-pregnancy BMI criteria.

Ultimately, whether water birth is appropriate should be discussed with the mother’s OB-GYN or healthcare provider.

For mothers who meet the necessary health and pregnancy criteria, using a birthing tub during labor and birth may offer several benefits.

Mommy Gracie Maulion of Tipid Mommy, who gave birth to her second child via water birth in 2021, shared that experiencing this kind of birth had been a dream of hers.

In her post, she described several benefits from her experience. For her, water birth helped ease contraction pain, encouraged a calmer and more relaxing labor, provided a gentle transition for her baby, and supported her postpartum recovery.

For some women, laboring in a birthing tub may make it easier to move and reposition themselves. The warm water can also help the body relax and ease muscle tension, potentially making labor feel more manageable.

Mommy Gracie was able to experience childbirth without anesthesia, followed by Unang Yakap, delayed cord clamping, and breastfeeding.

She also emphasized the importance of having a supportive OB who understands and respects your preferred birth approach. Even as a second-time mom, she prepared for the experience and took an online class with Doula Ros Padua, which she found especially helpful for learning breathing techniques and other practical strategies she could use during labor and delivery.

Here are some hospitals and birthing facilities that have offered water birth services in the Philippines. Because services, medical teams, and eligibility requirements may change, contact the facility directly to confirm current availability.

St. Luke’s Medical Center, one of the country’s major private hospitals, offers water birth services.

On its website, St. Luke’s lists several potential benefits of water birth, including a lower risk of severe perineal tears, little or no need for episiotomy, less need for perineal repair, shorter labor and hospital stays, higher rates of successful VBAC, reduced need for regional or IV anesthesia, and comparable maternal and newborn outcomes with fewer reported complications.

Clinica Antipolo Hospital and Wellness Center has been described as Rizal's first and only water birth facility in Antipolo. Dr. Cecile Margaret M. Estera and Dr. Rosemarie Blanco are Waterbirth International practitioners affiliated with the hospital.

Located in Kawit, Cavite, The Birthing Place has been described as the first DOH-Accredited water birth facility in the Philippines.

Located in Bacoor, Cavite, Mother and Child’s Cradle of Health offers services including prenatal care, normal delivery, gentle birth delivery, newborn care; and family planning.

According to Dr. Martin Manahan, water birth delivery may feel less painful because mothers can labor in a more comfortable position. He also describes the experience as more personal and emotionally meaningful for mothers.

Makati Medical Center has a specialized tub designed for labor and water birth.

Other facilities and medical professionals in the Philippines also offer or advocate for water birth. Before making plans, ask your healthcare provider whether you are a suitable candidate and confirm that your chosen facility has trained professionals and appropriate equipment and protocols for water birth.

Water birth may offer a gentle and natural option for some mothers, but every pregnancy and birth comes with different circumstances. Whatever a mother’s birth story looks like, bringing her baby safely into the world is already a meaningful and triumphant experience.

For mothers who are eligible, exploring water birth may open the door to another gentle and empowering way of experiencing labor—one that allows them to make informed choices about what feels right and safe for themselves and their babies.

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