Water Birth on Long Island
Midwife-supported labor and birth in warm water at our Hewlett, NY birth suites, serving families across Nassau County and Long Island.
What Is a Water Birth?
A water birth means laboring, and in many cases giving birth, while immersed in a tub of warm water. The warmth and buoyancy make contractions easier to move through, and being able to change position freely in the water helps many people cope without medication.
At Birthing Center Long Island in Hewlett, water immersion is available in every birth suite. You are not committing to anything by getting in the tub. Some people labor in the water and get out to push. Others stay in for the birth itself. Your certified nurse midwife stays with you and helps you decide as labor unfolds.
If you have been searching for a water birth center on Long Island, this page covers how it works here, who it suits, what the evidence supports, and what to expect on the day.
Laboring in Water and Giving Birth in Water
These are two different things, and the professional guidance treats them differently.
Laboring in water means using the tub for comfort during contractions, then leaving the water to give birth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says immersion during the first stage of labor may be associated with shorter labor and less use of epidural and spinal analgesia, and can be offered to healthy people with uncomplicated pregnancies between 37 and 42 weeks.
Giving birth in water means the baby is born while you are still immersed. Here the guidance diverges. The American College of Nurse-Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists support this option for healthy people with uncomplicated pregnancies. ACOG takes a more cautious position and recommends birth on land until more data are available. The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence considers the current evidence insufficient to either recommend for or against it.
We think you deserve to know that before you decide.
Our Water Birth Suites in Hewlett
Our birth suites at 1512 Broadway in Hewlett are built around the tub rather than treating it as an add-on. Each suite has a deep tub with room to kneel and change position, dimmable lighting, space for your partner and doula, a birthing ball, and somewhere comfortable for you to rest afterward.
We are a short drive from Woodmere, Lynbrook, Valley Stream, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, and Rockville Centre, and we care for families across Nassau County and western Suffolk. Families from Queens and Brooklyn come to us too, though the center itself is on Long Island rather than in the city.
The best way to know whether this is the right setting for you is to stand in the room.
The Certified Nurse Midwives Who Attend Water Births
Water births at our center are attended by certified nurse midwives, each licensed in New York State and holding advanced training in obstetrical emergencies and newborn resuscitation.
- Malki Schuler, MSN, CNM, C-EFM, LCCE, Certified Nurse Midwife
- Marisol Montoya, CNM, Certified Nurse Midwife
- Laila Morgan, CNM, Certified Nurse Midwife
Benefits of Laboring in Warm Water
Warm water immersion is one of the oldest and most reliable non-medication comfort measures in labor. Here is what it tends to offer, and what the evidence actually supports.
- Pain relief without medication. Warm water eases muscle tension and takes weight off your back and hips. ACOG notes that immersion during the first stage of labor is associated with decreased use of epidural and spinal analgesia.
- Shorter first stage for some people. The same guidance reports that immersion during the first stage may be associated with a shorter labor. This is an association, not a guarantee, and individual labors vary widely.
- Freedom to move. Buoyancy makes it far easier to change position, kneel, lean forward, or float. Movement is one of the most effective things you can do to help labor progress.
- A calmer room. Lower lighting, warm water, and fewer interruptions help many people stay settled between contractions. That matters more than it sounds.
What we will not tell you is that water birth guarantees a particular outcome. It does not. It is one option among several, and whether it suits you depends on your health and how your labor unfolds.
Preparing for Your Water Birth
You do not need to prepare much, but a little goes a long way.
Our water birth preparation classes cover what the tub feels like, which positions work well in water, and how your partner can support you from the edge or in the water with you. Prenatal yoga helps with the strength and flexibility that make position changes easier, and hypnobirthing gives you breathing and focus techniques that pair well with immersion.
Bring a swim top if you would like to wear one, a hair tie, a water bottle, and whatever helps you feel at home. Snacks for your partner are a better idea than people expect.
Is a Water Birth Right for You?
Water immersion suits most healthy pregnancies, but not all of them. Deciding is part of your prenatal care, not a form you fill in on the day.
Water immersion is generally an option if:
- You are carrying one baby
- Your baby is in a head-down position
- Your pregnancy has reached full term, which ACOG defines as 37 0/7 to 41 6/7 weeks for immersion during labor
- Your pregnancy has been uncomplicated
- You are able to get in and out of the tub comfortably
Immersion is usually not recommended if:
- Labor begins preterm
- Your baby is breech
- You are carrying more than one baby
- You have a fever or a known infection
- Your baby needs continuous monitoring
- You need pain medication that cannot be given safely in the water
- Bleeding or blood pressure concerns develop
Plans change, and that is normal. Plenty of people plan a water birth, labor well in the tub, and then choose to get out and push on the bed. That is not a failed plan. It is a labor going the way that labor went.
Your midwife reviews your history at your first prenatal visit and keeps the conversation open through your third trimester. If you are weighing your options, schedule a consultation with a midwife and bring your questions.
What Happens During a Water Birth
Early labor. You settle in, and your midwife checks you and your baby. Most people wait until active labor before getting into the water, since immersing too early can sometimes slow contractions.
In the tub. The water is kept at a comfortable, monitored temperature. You can move, kneel, lean on the edge, or float. Your partner can sit alongside you or, if you like, get in with you.
Monitoring. Your midwife listens to your baby's heartbeat at regular intervals using a waterproof handheld doppler, and checks on you throughout. You do not have to leave the water for routine checks.
Getting out. Sometimes it is the right call. Your midwife will ask you to leave the tub if your baby's heart rate needs a closer look, if labor stops progressing, if you need medication that cannot be given in the water, or if anything else needs attention outside the tub. This is a normal part of a well-run water birth, not an emergency by itself.
After the birth. Your baby is brought gently to the surface and straight to your chest. Skin-to-skin contact starts right away, and your midwife stays with you through the third stage and the first hours afterward.
Water Birth Questions We Hear Most
Where can I have a water birth on Long Island?
Water birth on Long Island is available at freestanding birth centers, at home with a licensed midwife, and at a small number of hospitals that permit immersion during labor. Our center at 1512 Broadway in Hewlett offers water immersion in every birth suite, serving Nassau County and the surrounding area. If you are weighing your options, a tour is the fastest way to compare settings.
Is a water birth safe?
For healthy people with uncomplicated pregnancies, laboring in water is well supported. ACOG states that immersion during the first stage of labor may be offered to healthy people with uncomplicated pregnancies at term, and is associated with shorter labor and less use of epidural analgesia. Giving birth in the water is where guidance differs. The American College of Nurse-Midwives supports it for healthy people with uncomplicated pregnancies, while ACOG recommends birth on land until more data are available. Your midwife will go through the current evidence with you so you can decide.
Who can have a water birth at your center?
Water immersion is generally an option for people carrying one baby in a head-down position, at full term, with an uncomplicated pregnancy. The eligibility section above covers the full picture, including circumstances where immersion is not recommended. Your midwife reviews this with you during prenatal care rather than on the day.
Can a first-time mother have a water birth?
Yes. First births are often longer, and many first-time mothers find the tub especially helpful for that reason. Being a first-time parent is not on its own a reason to rule out immersion.
Will I have to get out of the tub?
Sometimes, and it is not a problem when it happens. Your midwife will ask you to leave the water if your baby’s heart rate needs closer observation, if labor stalls, if you need something that cannot be given in the tub, or if anything else needs attention outside the water. You can also just decide you would rather be out. Plenty of people do.
How warm is the water?
The water is kept in a range that is comfortable for you and appropriate for your baby, and it is checked regularly through labor.
Can my partner or doula be with me?
Yes. There is room at the tub for your partner to sit alongside you and support you through contractions. If you are working with doula support, they are welcome too.
Does insurance cover a water birth?
We work out of network with most insurance plans, including Medicaid and marketplace options, and many plans do cover care at our center. Coverage varies, so the practical first step is a benefits check. After your initial consultation our billing team will walk you through what your plan covers and what you would owe. You can see the plans we work with on our insurance page, or call the office and we will start a benefits verification with you.
Reviewed by Judy Ribner, DNP, CNM, on September 1, 2026.
This page is general information about water birth and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Talk with your midwife or physician about your own pregnancy.