Planning a Water Birth at Darent Valley Hospital: What You Need to Know

If you’re pregnant and hoping to have a water birth, you may be wondering whether it’s possible at Darent Valley Hospital and what you need to do to prepare.

For many women, being able to labour and give birth in warm water is an important part of their birth preferences. The water can provide a calm and private environment and may help you feel more relaxed and comfortable during labour.

If you’re planning to give birth at Darent Valley Hospital, water birth is an option for some women, although whether it is suitable for you will depend on your individual pregnancy and how your labour progresses.

In this guide, I’ll explain what you need to know about planning a water birth at Darent Valley, including where the pools are, whether you can book one, what happens if a pool isn’t available and how you can prepare for your birth.

Can I have a water birth at Darent Valley Hospital?

Yes. Darent Valley Hospital offers the option of using water during labour and birth for women who are suitable for a water birth. The hospital has an alongside Birth Centre, which is located within Darent Valley Hospital but is separate from the obstetric-led Delivery Suite. The Birth Centre has four birthing rooms, two of which can be used for water births. The rooms also have access to birthing aids such as balls, bean bags and mats.

There is also one delivery room on the Delivery Suite that is suitable for a birthing pool. Although whether a water birth is appropriate for you on delivery suite will depend on why you are at the delivery suite. For example if you are on delivery suite for an epidural or induction, then a water birth might not be possible.

If you’re hoping to have a water birth, it’s therefore worth discussing your preferences with your midwife during pregnancy and including water birth in your birth preferences.

Can I book a birthing pool at Darent Valley?

This is one of the most important things to know if you’re planning a water birth at Darent Valley: You cannot book a birthing pool in advance.

Darent Valley’s maternity FAQ explains that the pool is used once you are in established labour. (Usually this means over 6cm dilated). You can let the maternity team know when you arrive that you would like to use the pool, but availability will depend on the circumstances on the day.

This can understandably feel a little strange if you’ve spent months imagining your birth in the pool! If having access to water is particularly important to you, it’s worth talking through your preferences with your midwife beforehand so that you understand your options and what may happen if a pool isn’t available.

If you feel very strongly about having a pool and are considering a home birth, Darent Valley also provides a home birth service, so this may be something you wish to discuss with your midwife. Booking a home birth means that you hire a birthing pool yourself from a private company, and then it is yours to use exclusively. As long as your labour progresses well then you are almost guaranteed to have a water birth at home.

How many birthing pools does Darent Valley Hospital have?

Darent Valley’s Birth Centre has two of its four birthing rooms set up for water births. There is also a delivery room on the Delivery Suite that is suitable for a birthing pool.

I would avoid thinking of this simply as “three pools”, however. The Trust describes these as rooms that can be used for water births, rather than stating that there are three permanently available pools.

This distinction is useful because it also highlights why a pool cannot be guaranteed or booked in advance.

What is the Darent Valley Birth Centre like?

The Birth Centre is an alongside midwifery-led unit, which means it is within the hospital but separate from the obstetric-led Delivery Suite. It is staffed by midwives who specialise in physiological birth, with an emphasis on creating a calm, home-from-home environment.

The Birth Centre encourages women to remain upright and mobile during labour and offers a range of birthing aids. Other natural methods of pain relief, including aromatherapy and hypnobirthing, are supported. Gas and air and pethidine are also available.

One of the benefits of an alongside Birth Centre is that the obstetric-led Delivery Suite and medical team are nearby if your circumstances change and you need additional medical care.

Who can have a water birth at Darent Valley?

Whether water birth is suitable for you will depend on your individual pregnancy, your health and how your labour progresses. The Birth Centre is intended for women with uncomplicated pregnancies, although the maternity team will consider each woman’s individual circumstances. Your midwife or maternity team can talk to you about whether a midwife-led birth and use of the pool are appropriate for you.

It’s also worth remembering that being suitable for a water birth during pregnancy doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to use the pool when you are in labour. Your circumstances can change, and the availability of a pool on the day cannot be guaranteed.

In some circumstances a water birth is available even if you have been classed as higher risk. This would include people planning a VBAC, have a higher BMI, have gestational diabetes, have had their labour induced, have a big baby or conceived via IVF. Individual assessments will need to be discussed with your midwife in advance.

how likely is is that i can have a water birth at darent valley?

According to the British Journal of Midwifery, approximately 10% of women use birthing pools to give birth and approximately 20% use water pools as a form of pain relief.

If we look at Darent Valley their water birth rates are slightly lower than the UK average. In August 2026 there were 391 babies born under the Dartford and Gravesham Trust, 30 of these were at the birth centre (7.67%) and 13 (3.32%) of these were in a birthing pool. Of course individual circumstances will also factor into how likely it is that you can have a water birth at Darent Valley hospital.

What if I can't use the Birth Centre?

Choosing to have a water birth doesn’t necessarily mean that your entire birth has to follow one particular path. Darent Valley has both a midwife-led Birth Centre and an obstetric-led Delivery Suite. The Delivery Suite has eight delivery rooms, as well as a room suitable for a birthing pool, and is equipped to provide medical care if it is needed. Your maternity team will advise you about the most appropriate place to give birth based on your individual circumstances.

If you’ve been told that the Birth Centre isn’t suitable for you but you’d like to understand why, Darent Valley says you can discuss your circumstances with your midwife through a birth choices discussion. This is an opportunity to look at your individual situation and make an informed decision about your place of birth.

What are the benefits of using water during labour?

Warm water can be a useful form of comfort and relaxation during labour. Some women find that being immersed in warm water helps them to relax, move more freely and cope with contractions. Being in the pool can also encourage you to experiment with different positions rather than remaining in one position throughout labour.

There are also some benefits for your baby if they are born in to water. The transition from womb to world can be gentler for them, as they are going from warm amniotic fluid to body temperature water.

Can I use hypnobirthing during a water birth?

Yes. Hypnobirthing techniques can be used alongside a water birth. In fact, many of the techniques taught in hypnobirthing work particularly well alongside an environment where you can relax, breathe deeply and move your body. You might use:

Slow, calm breathing
Relaxation techniques
Visualisation
Positive birth affirmations
Guided relaxation
Movement and different positions
Touch or massage from your birth partner
A calm environment with reduced distractions

Darent Valley’s Birth Centre specifically states that hypnobirthing is supported as one of the natural methods of pain relief available there. Of course, learning hypnobirthing doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have a water birth or a particular type of birth. The aim is to give you tools and knowledge that can help you feel calmer and more prepared, whatever happens on the day.

Can I have gas and air in the birthing pool?

Darent Valley states that gas and air is available on the Birth Centre, alongside other forms of pain relief. If you’re planning a water birth and would like to use gas and air, it’s worth discussing this with your midwife so you understand how pain relief works alongside using the pool.

What happens if I want a water birth but the pool isn't available?

This is probably one of the biggest questions for anyone planning a water birth at Darent Valley. Because the pool cannot be booked in advance, there is always a possibility that you may arrive in labour when a pool isn’t available. This doesn’t mean that your birth has to become completely different from what you had imagined.

You can still use many of the same principles you may have planned for a water birth, including:

Keeping mobile
Using upright positions
Breathing and relaxation techniques
Using a birthing ball
Massage and touch
Creating a calm environment
Using hypnobirthing techniques
Using other forms of pain relief if you want or need them

It can be helpful to think of your birth preferences as a set of tools rather than a single plan. You can hope for a water birth while also preparing for what you might do if the pool isn’t available.

If we look at water birth rates at Darent Valley hospital, there is on average a water birth every three days. This means that it is unlikely all of the birthing pools will be in use when you go into labour. Reasons for why you might not have access to a birthing pool will be more likely because of staff shortages, or changes to your pregnancy and labour.

What should I put in my birth preferences?

If you’re hoping for a water birth, you should include this in your birth preferences.

You might want to write down that you would like:

To use water during labour if possible
To give birth in the pool if appropriate
To remain mobile and use upright positions
To use breathing and relaxation techniques
Your preferred forms of pain relief
Your preferences around lighting, music or the environment
How you’d like your birth partner to support you
Any hypnobirthing techniques you’d like to use
Would you prefer to use the birthing pool for labour only, and give birth outside of the pool? Or remain in the pool for birth?

It’s also worth including what you’d prefer if your first choice isn’t possible. For example, you might say that if a pool isn’t available, you’d like to remain mobile, use other comfort measures and be supported to use your breathing and relaxation techniques.

That way, your birth preferences aren’t simply: “I want a water birth.” Instead, you’re communicating how you’d like to be supported throughout your birth.

What should I pack for a water birth at Darent Valley?

You don’t necessarily need to buy lots of special equipment for a hospital water birth. You may want to pack things that will help you feel comfortable before and after getting into the pool, such as:

A large towel or two
A dressing gown
Flip-flops or comfortable footwear
A water bottle with a straw
Snacks
Hair ties
Lip balm (especially if using gas and air)
Your preferred toiletries
Comfortable clothes for after the birth
Your birth preferences
Anything that helps you relax, such as headphones or a small speaker for music
Something to wear in the pool (a bikini top or two piece for example)
Something for your birth partner to wear in the pool if they are getting in with you

Your birth partner may also want to bring spare clothes in case they get wet while supporting you. Check the most up-to-date information from Darent Valley about what you need to bring, as hospital arrangements can change.

When should I tell Darent Valley I want a water birth?

You can talk to your midwife about your preference for a water birth during pregnancy. You would normally tell your midwife your preferences at around 36-37 weeks of pregnancy. This is because if you go into labour before 37 weeks you would be classed as pre-term, and for most people a water birth or going to the birth centre would not be advised.

Darent Valley’s maternity service offers different birth settings, including the midwife-led Birth Centre, Delivery Suite and home birth, depending on individual circumstances. If you are planning to give birth at the Birth Centre, Darent Valley advises discussing your intentions with your midwife.

What happens when I go into labour?

If you’re planning to give birth at Darent Valley’s Birth Centre and think you’re in labour, the hospital advises calling the Birth Centre for labour assessment or when you are in established labour. Established labour is usually classed as three contractions in ten minutes, lasting around one minute for each contraction.

The Birth Centre can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week on:

01322 428930 or 01322 428100 ext. 4925

The Trust notes that there may be a delay in answering because the midwives may be attending women in labour. It is recommended that you phone ahead as the answering midwife may advise you to stay home a bit longer, or in rare situations advise you to go to another hospital.

Your own midwife should also advise you about when to contact the maternity team and when to come into hospital, so follow the personalised advice you’ve been given.

Preparing for a positive water birth at Darent Valley

If you’re hoping for a water birth, you may find that preparation during pregnancy helps you feel much more confident about your choices. Pregnancy yoga can help you stay mobile, explore different positions and become more aware of your breathing and body during pregnancy. Hypnobirthing can give you practical tools for relaxation, breathing and visualisation, as well as helping you think through your birth preferences and prepare your birth partner.

At Bloom & Flow, I combine my experience of pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing to help women in Dartford and the surrounding areas prepare for birth. I’ve also experienced a water birth myself at Darent Valley Birth Centre, so I understand how meaningful it can be to have this type of birth in mind when you’re preparing for your baby.

If you’re interested in learning more about preparing for birth, you can find out more about my antenatal classes or pregnancy yoga classes in Dartford.

Final thoughts

If you’re hoping for a water birth at Darent Valley Hospital, talking to your midwife early in pregnancy can help you understand your options and prepare for the birth you’d like. The most important thing to remember is that your birth preferences are preferences, not promises.

You can hope for a peaceful water birth while also preparing yourself for the possibility that circumstances may change. Having a range of tools — from movement and breathing to hypnobirthing and other forms of pain relief — can help you feel more confident and prepared. And if a water birth is important to you, don’t be afraid to talk about it. Understanding your options is an important part of preparing for birth.

About Bloom & Flow

I’m Colleen, founder of Bloom & Flow in Dartford. I’ve been supporting expectant parents with pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing since 2016.

I help women prepare for birth with practical tools, information and techniques designed to help them feel calm, confident and informed.

If you’re planning a water birth at Darent Valley Hospital and would like to prepare with hypnobirthing or pregnancy yoga, you can find out more about hypnobirthing classes and pregnancy yoga classes in Dartford.