Why Choose a Labor Tub for Your Delivery?

You have a lot of options when it comes to how you can give birth.

At Norton Healthcare, we believe in providing you with the care you want and the care you may need. Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital have labor tubs available for pregnant patients considering water labor for their birth plan.

Why Use a Labor Tub for Water Labor?

Labor tubs allow the patient to be immersed in warm water for comfort during labor. Laboring in warm water may help lower stress and pain levels and help patients relax more during and between contractions.

What Can You Expect From Using a Labor Tub?

You and your baby can be monitored while in the labor tub.
You can move in and out of the tub as you wish — nurses can help you move around to help prevent falls.
The tub can accommodate two people — your partner, spouse or doula can be in the tub with you to provide comfort. Any guest in the tub with you will be required to wear a swimsuit.
You can labor in the tub until it’s time to start pushing — then you will be moved to a bed to deliver. Labor tubs are just for labor, not delivery.

Can I Use Water Labor While Using Other Forms of Pain Management?

You can work with your doctor or midwife should you want to use other means to manage pain and stress during labor. However, if you decide you want stronger pain management, such as epidural, you will have to exit the tub for the remainder of your labor and delivery.

What to Expect from Norton Women’s Care

More mothers in Louisville and Southern Indiana choose to deliver their babies at Norton Hospital or Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital than with any other hospital system in the area.

We deliver more than 8,000 babies a year. We’re close to you with more than 90 providers at more than 25 locations around Louisville and Southern Indiana. Choosing Norton Women’s Care gives you many options for how delivery day could go — all with the confidence of knowing that our obstetrics and pediatric specialists are there to help. With Norton Women’s Care, you’ll find:

The birth experience you want: You can choose natural childbirth, a midwife, labor tub, nitrous oxide and other birthing options. We’ll recommend a C-section (cesarean section) or induced labor only if it’s medically necessary.
Preparation: Our specialists offer the support you need, including free Lamaze and other childbirth classes, new parent classes, breastfeeding support, child safety classes and more.
Confidence and quality in care: Norton Women’s Care has been recognized as High Performing — the highest rating available — for maternity care with fewer complications and C-sections, plus breastfeeding support and other benefits.
We offer the highest-level (Level IV) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Louisville and Southern Indiana at Norton Children’s Hospital, and a sophisticated Level III NICU at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
Around-the-clock OB/GYN care is available at Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital emergency departments.
Our board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialists can help guide you through a high-risk pregnancy, from treating preexisting diabetes in the pregnant patient to a fetal echocardiogram to diagnose a congenital heart condition before a baby is born.
Medicare, Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans are accepted.
Convenient access to your medical record: Communicate with your health care provider, get lab results, renew prescriptions and more through your free Norton MyChart account.