Waterbirth Coalition of Canada

Waterbirth Coalition of Canada Advocating and educating for access to waterbirth in all settings across Canada

💧 MYTHBUSTER MONDAY 💧🚫 MYTH: Waterbirth is only for low-risk pregnancies.✅ FACT: While waterbirth is most commonly offer...
08/03/2026

💧 MYTHBUSTER MONDAY 💧

🚫 MYTH: Waterbirth is only for low-risk pregnancies.

✅ FACT: While waterbirth is most commonly offered to people with healthy, low-risk pregnancies, every pregnancy is unique. The decision about whether water immersion during labour or waterbirth is appropriate should always be made in partnership with your healthcare provider.

Research has shown that warm water immersion during labour can help reduce pain, promote relaxation, encourage mobility, and support the natural progression of labour for many families. In some situations, even if a waterbirth isn’t appropriate, labouring in water may still be an option.

The most important factor isn’t the myth—it’s individualized, evidence-informed care. Every birth plan should be based on your health, your baby’s well-being, and the guidance of your care team.

At the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada, we’re committed to replacing misinformation with education, empowering families to make informed decisions, and supporting safe, respectful maternity care.

💙 Education. Evidence. Empowerment.

👇 What other myths about waterbirth have you heard? Tell us in the comments, and your myth might be featured in an upcoming !

BirthEducation Pregnancy LabourSupport Midwifery Obstetrics PerinatalSupport InformedChoice NaturalBirth BirthWithoutFear EmpoweredBirth JustAddWater

🎉 Today, the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada turns THREE! 💙💧Three years ago, we started with a simple but powerful vision...
08/01/2026

🎉 Today, the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada turns THREE! 💙💧

Three years ago, we started with a simple but powerful vision: to ensure that every family in Canada has access to safe, evidence-informed waterbirth education, advocacy, and support.

What began as an idea has grown into a national movement.

Over the past three years, together we have:

💙 Educated thousands of parents and birth professionals.
💙 Introduced innovative products designed to improve waterbirth safety.
💙 Built partnerships with healthcare providers across Canada.
💙 Expanded access to evidence-based training and certification.
💙 Advocated for informed choice and respectful maternity care.
💙 Continued to champion the normalization of physiological birth in water.

None of this would have been possible without our incredible community.

To every parent who trusted us…
To every midwife, nurse, physician, perinatal support worker, doula, educator, and researcher who believes in our mission…
To every volunteer, partner, supporter, and friend…

Thank you.

Your encouragement, passion, and commitment inspire us every single day.

As Barbara Harper reminds us:

“How do we increase the normalcy of birth? …Just add water.”

As we celebrate this milestone, we’re even more excited about what lies ahead. Together we’ll continue expanding education, supporting healthcare providers, advancing research, improving access to waterbirth across Canada, and ensuring every family has the knowledge to make informed choices about their birth.

Here’s to the next chapter.

Here’s to empowering families.

Here’s to changing birth—one family, one community, and one birth at a time.

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Waterbirth Coalition of Canada! 🩵💧

Education is power. Knowledge is power.

🌐 www.waterbirthcanada.ca

EvidenceBasedBirth Midwifery PerinatalSupport BirthEducation CanadianBirth WaterbirthAdvocate JustAddWater EmpoweredBirth NormalBirth ThreeYearsStrong

🌊 Feature Friday: Ottawa Birth and Wellness CentreFeatured Centre: The Ottawa Birth and Wellness CentreToday’s Feature F...
07/31/2026

🌊 Feature Friday: Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre

Featured Centre: The Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre

Today’s Feature Friday takes us to our nation’s capital to celebrate one of Canada’s leading midwife-led birth centres.

The Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre provides families with a warm, home-like environment while maintaining the safety standards expected of a modern birth facility. Designed specifically for healthy, low-risk pregnancies under the care of registered midwives, the Centre offers an empowering alternative to traditional hospital birth while remaining close to emergency services should they ever be needed.

Highlights include:

* 🛁 Large birthing tubs designed for labour and waterbirth
* 🛏️ Spacious private birthing suites with queen-sized beds
* 🔥 Soft lighting and fireplaces to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere
* 🎵 Bluetooth speakers so families can personalize their birth environment
* 🤱 Dedicated breastfeeding and postpartum support
* 👨‍👩‍👧 Family-friendly spaces including a comfortable family lounge
* ❤️ Fully funded through Ontario Health for eligible Ontario residents under the care of an appointed midwife.

At the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada, we love highlighting Canadian facilities that prioritize informed choice, physiologic birth, and respectful maternity care. The Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre is a wonderful example of how thoughtful design and evidence-informed midwifery care can create a safe, empowering birth experience for families.

Waterbirth PhysiologicBirth BirthCentre CanadianBirth BirthWithoutFear EmpoweredBirth OntarioMidwives WaterbirthCoalitionOfCanada

07/28/2026

👶💦Did you know that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has released new national guidance recognizing doulas as valued partners in maternity care?💦👶

This landmark Committee Statement, "Partnering with Doulas in Clinical Settings," outlines how doulas, physicians, midwives, nurses, and hospitals can work together to provide more respectful, collaborative, and patient-centered care.

The guidance emphasizes that successful partnerships are built on mutual respect, communication, and a shared commitment to keeping birthing people at the center of every decision.

The Evidence Supports Doula Care

ACOG has long recognized that continuous labor support, including support from doulas, is associated with improved birth outcomes and should be considered an important part of maternity care.

As committee member Angela Daniel shared:

"This guidance demonstrates what is possible when we come together with mutual respect, a shared purpose, and a commitment to keeping birthing persons at the center of every decision."

For more than 40 years, Barbara Harper has taught that the best birth outcomes come when every member of the birth team—physicians, midwives, nurses, doulas, and families—works together to protect physiology, respect informed choice, and support safe, evidence-based care.

Collaboration is not just better for providers, it is better for mothers, babies, and families.

✨ Read the full ACOG Committee Statement here :https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-statement/articles/2026/08/partnering-with-doulas-in-clinical-settings

Waterbirth International and Barbara Harper will continue to build bridges that strengthen maternity care for everyone
💧🌍 Learn more at waterbirth.org 🌍💧

07/28/2026

So delighted to see this as RCOG policy, and much appreciation to authors, especially obstetrician Andrew Weeks who has been advocating for 'optimal cord management' for decades..
"The minutes after birth are now recognised as a time of remarkable change within the baby and we have learned that interfering with this natural process can cause potential harm...
Early cord clamping will result in the baby having a lower blood volume as it is estimated that a baby at full term will receive around 30% of its total blood volume from placental transfer via the umbilical cord. The decision on timing to clamp the umbilical cord should be based on observations of the baby, its heart rate and breathing rather than a predefined interval after birth. Also, the palpable pulsation of the cord is unrelated to the blood flowing back and forth therefore it should not be used to guide the time when clamping occurs. Clamping at the placental end allows some blood in the cord to transfer to the newborn. There are other benefits to the baby from the placental transfer of blood such as transfer of stem cells."
Free full text here https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1471-0528.70269?campaign=wolearlyview

💧 MythBuster Monday 💧Let’s set the record straight about waterbirth. 🌊❌ MYTH: Waterbirth makes labour longer and more di...
07/27/2026

💧 MythBuster Monday 💧

Let’s set the record straight about waterbirth. 🌊

❌ MYTH: Waterbirth makes labour longer and more difficult.

✅ FACT: Research shows that water immersion during labour may be associated with shorter labour, reduced use of pain medication and more positive birth experiences.

Warm water can help the body relax, ease muscle tension and reduce stress, allowing the birthing person to work with their body’s natural rhythm.

✨ Why water may help:

💙 Encourages relaxation and muscle release
💙 Provides natural comfort and pain relief
💙 May reduce the use of some pain medications
💙 Supports freedom of movement and position changes
💙 May help the birthing person feel calmer and more in control

Every birth is unique, and waterbirth is not appropriate for every person or every situation. When planned for an eligible pregnancy and supported by trained, experienced healthcare professionals, water immersion can be a valuable option during labour and birth.

🩵 EDUCATION. EVIDENCE. EMPOWERMENT.

Because informed choices lead to positive birth experiences.

💬 What other waterbirth myths have you heard?

Share them in the comments so we can keep the conversation flowing!

🌐 Learn more, get support and feel empowered at www.waterbirthcanada.ca

Just add water. 💧

InformedChoice PositiveBirthExperience BirthEducation EducationEvidenceEmpowerment JustAddWater

Congratulations Agnes Ndunguru ,Registered Midwife ,Pregnancy,waterbirth Africa for being Waterbirth Canada‘s first mont...
07/24/2026

Congratulations Agnes Ndunguru ,Registered Midwife ,Pregnancy,waterbirth Africa for being Waterbirth Canada‘s first monthly nominee of world Waterbirth hero to be chosen on world Waterbirth day 2027. With several nominations coming in in your name, we are proud to make you the first nominee. Please read Aggie’s bio below and give her a follow. She is doing amazing work. ❤️. Agnes Ndunguru, affectionately known as “Midwife Aggie,” Registered Midwife (Bsc.Midwifery) whose passion for midwifery was ignited during her childhood near a maternity waiting home. With over a decade of experience in Midwifery Aggie has earned national and international recognition for her outstanding contributions to maternal and newborn healthcare.
A founder and CEO of Audentia Birth center, which implement the Midwifery Model of Care, Located in Dar es Salaam,Her unwavering dedication has seen her honored as a United Nations Champion for Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5 and awarded four high-profile accolades for her service to pregnant women and newborns. In 2018, her innovative leadership at Sinza Hospital’s labor and delivery ward significantly reduced mortality rates and elevated patient care standards, guided by her rallying slogan: “usisubiri vichanganye” (don’t wait, for severity).A pioneer in maternal care, Aggie pioneered waterbirth services in Tanzania and advocated for the adoption of birthing tools such as balls and stools. She further cemented her impact by organizing the nation’s first waterbirth and gentle birth training for birth workers, marking a significant milestone in maternal healthcare education. Through her pre-birth classes, she empowers expectant mothers with the knowledge and confidence needed for safe delivery. (Cont in comments)

💙 Barbara Harper Quote of the Week 💙“Birth should be a safe, sacred, and empowering experience—for every mother, every b...
07/24/2026

💙 Barbara Harper Quote of the Week 💙

“Birth should be a safe, sacred, and empowering experience—for every mother, every baby, everywhere.”
— Barbara Harper (Water Birth International⁠)

Every family deserves access to respectful, evidence-informed maternity care and the freedom to make informed choices about how and where they give birth.

At the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada, we believe that when families are educated, supported, and respected, birth becomes more than a medical event—it becomes a powerful beginning.

🌊 Together, we’re working toward a future where safe waterbirth is accessible to every family who chooses it.

EmpoweredBirth Waterbirth

🎉 WE’RE TURNING 3! 🎉Three incredible years ago, the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada was founded with one simple mission: ...
07/23/2026

🎉 WE’RE TURNING 3! 🎉

Three incredible years ago, the Waterbirth Coalition of Canada was founded with one simple mission: to improve access to safe, evidence-informed waterbirth education, advocacy, and innovative products for birthing families and healthcare providers across Canada.

Because of YOU—our community of midwives, nurses, physicians, perinatal support workers, doulas, educators, and families—we’ve grown into a national voice for waterbirth. Thank you for believing in our mission and helping us create positive change.

💙 To celebrate our 3rd Anniversary, we’re giving back with an exclusive offer!

🚨 30% OFF our Canadian-made Waterbirth Evacuation Sling starting Saturday July 25th until Aug 7th! 🚨

Designed with safety, strength, and emergency readiness in mind, our evacuation sling is:
✔️ Weight tested to 600 lbs
✔️ Features 8 ergonomic lift handles
✔️ Quick-drain design for rapid evacuation
✔️ Trusted by hospitals, birth centres, and homebirth providers

Whether you’re updating your emergency equipment or purchasing your first sling, now is the perfect time to save.

🎂 This special anniversary pricing is available for a limited time only!

Thank you for supporting our vision of making waterbirth safer, more accessible, and more respected across Canada.

💙 Here’s to the next chapter!

Midwives PerinatalSupport HospitalBirth HomeBirth Waterbirth AnniversarySale CanadianMade JustAddWater

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