A country hospital has welcomed its first baby via water birth.

Baby Doug was born on October 6 at Margaret River Hospital, to parents Amy and John.

Maternal and Child Health Nurse Belinda Joyce told Steve and Baz there are many benefits to a water birth.

“So massively decreased pain in labour, and then a reduced need for epidurals and other drugs,” she said.

“It also decreases the duration of labour.”

Bunbury Regional Hospital was the first country hospital to offer water births in 2012, and the rate of water births in regional WA has increased since.

“They are in there own little sanctuary in the water, away from other medical interventions as well, just floating and stimulating their own endorphins,” she said.

“The baby is born into the water, they don’t actually start to breath until the air hits their cheeks.”

Click play to hear the full interview 

(Photo: WA Country Health)