I always thought it sounded cool too, but I was at the doctor's office a couple weeks ago for my first appointment and was reading a magazine that said with water births there was more risk of respiratory infection and a couple other things (sorry can't remember now). Basically, it sounded like it was best to stick with giving birth on dry land.

Hope this helps. Wish I could remember exactly what pregnancy magazine I was reading (i looked through about five while waiting)!

I heard that it was easier to give birth in water because the warmth of the water takes away some of the pain and helps you to relax more. I also heard that there was a risk of infection too. When a baby is born in the delivery room and the head pops out the doctor suck all of the stuff out of the babies mouth and nose and then the proceed with the birth trying not to let any of the amiotic fluid enter back into the infance mouth. This can cause them to get sick. So in a water birth it is harder for the doctor or midwife to get directily to the baby before all of that stuff happens. I hope this helps a little bit.