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Dear List Members can anyone answer this question ? val Dear colleagues, Please could we open an informal discussion about the hands-on versus hands-off approach to delivering in water. I am personally an advocate of hands-on. I was taught the theory of water birth by the midwives at St. Johns and St. Elizabeths who have a wealth of knowledge and experience with waterbirth. They strongly recommend a hands-on approach to reduce the incidence of 3rd degree tears, particularly in multips. I know there have been a couple of incidents recently where there have been 3rd degree tears in the water. Also in my experience of waterbirth, (which is not vast but about a dozen or more), I did not have to suture any of them. I got very wet in the process though. I can't quite understand the theory behind 'not wanting to stimulate the baby' with the hands-off approach to delivering in water. It begs the question 'Which bit of the baby doesn't get stimulated coming through the birth canal anyway?' Please reply to all and we can all learn a bit from each other. Many thanks Ruth