Water Birth

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From: Elizabeth (11/98)

Regarding waterbirth. I don't know much about water birth at hospitals, although I have heard that UCSF has Jacuzzi's in their rooms, but almost every midwife I have ever known or heard of in the Bay Area is willing to do a waterbirth. Basically you rent the tub, usually your midwife knows someone who has one, then you have the baby. For my first child I rented one, but when it came time, the whole thing went so fast, and strangely enough I wasn't drawn to the water, that the birth didn't happen in the water. Afterwards though my new baby and I had a very relaxing herb bath in the birth tub. My midwife was always very clear that she was willing to do the birth in the tub but that I shouldn't get too attached to the idea that it had to happen there. Good Luck!

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From: Peter (11/98)

I presume that you are interested in homebirth. There may be birthing centers around which do water birth, but I'm not aware of them.

Natural Resources is a store/resource center in SF which both rents tubs and has listings of mid-wives. It's in Noe valley, 1307 Castro near 24th St., 415-550-2611.

Here's other info:
Bay Area Homebirth Collective 415-273-5185 Birthrites (Jen Bauman, Kenna Lee Ribas) 415-281-5731 Maia Midwifery (Kim & Stephanie) 510-869-5141 Maria Iorillo 415-285-9233 Womb Service (Jennifer Goldberg, Ellen Levitt) 510-THE-WOMB (843-9662)

Other names I don't have numbers for, but could get them if you really wanted: Amarit, Lucero