CCM Health First Waterbirth Delivery

CCM Health’s Obstetrics (OB) department performed its first waterbirth delivery in late April 2020 at its hospital in Montevideo, Minnesota. The waterbirth was proceeded with extensive training over many months by members of CCM Health’s OB department staff including its three midwives and physicians including, Drs. Dirksen, Hanna, Krueger, and Novotny. The training included going through simulations with a research-published nurse-midwife that has been offering waterbirth for 20 years in her practice.

CCM Health added a waterbirth delivery option as it had received input from patients in the area who desired a labor and delivery experience that did not include the typical medical interventions, such as the use of medications to expedite labor or control pain. “Waterbirth is a safe, inexpensive, and a non-invasive birth option for women who are low-risk and healthy,” shared Jane Wrede, Ph.D, APRN, CNM, a Certified Nurse Midwife at CCM Health. “At CCM Health we want women to have options and to choose the options they want for their births. Birth is a time that families remember and its one that can empower women to be informed, educated, and motivated as consumers and mothers to seek out good health care and wellness for their families.”

“We are excited to offer this mode of delivery to our expectant mothers.” said Patrick Hanna, MD, Chief of Services for Nursery, Gynecology and Obstetrics at CCM Health. “Water births are available to healthy women that do not have significant risk factors. We encourage expecting mothers to discuss this method of delivery further with their OB provider if they are interested.”

CCM Health is the only health care organization in Chippewa County that is currently offering waterbirth delivery for expecting mothers. More than 100 babies were born at CCM Health’s hospital in Montevideo in 2019.