I had DD2 in a birthing pool and found towards the end I really wanted something to brace while I was pushing. I ended up squeezing and leaning really hard on the edge of the birth pool and all the water started flowing over me, out of the pool and onto the carpet! On my birth video you can hear my midwife say, "someone move the fan! it's electrical!" LOL!! So from my own experience, something to brace if you plan to deliver in water is a great idea.