Waterbirths

[pigleychez]

First time mum here...

Whats everyones thoughts on waterbirths? I quite like the idea but just need some more info.

Any previous waterbirths here?
Any good/ bad bits?

[oliviaelanasmum]

Had a brilliant waterbirth with dd2 it was the best pain relief going and i only had to have gas and air, 2 pushes and she floated to the surface, it was a lovely calm experience

[MarsLady]

Gorgeous. Proptects your birthing space. The water helps with pain management (doesn't get rid of the pain completely but supports your body so the pain doesn't feel so intense). Normally lovely peaceful births.
You can still use gas 'n' air if desired.

Every waterbirth I've been to has been gorgeous!

[MarsLady]

protects

[Klaw]

Haven't had one, been at one which was beautiful and plan to have one myself next time. Already got a La Bassine from last lady I doula'd for (shame, she never got to use it)

[HeadHeartorHormones]

ditto olivaelanasmum.

You know when it snows everything seems peaceful and hushed. Maybe it's just me, but that's how I think of my water birth compared to the one on terra-firma.

[B1977]

I had one and it was great. It was at a midwife unit and I hadn't really planned for it (first baby so I thought I would just see how things went) but when I was 6 cm dilated and the midwife said it was available, and I was feeling I could cope with contractions without asking for an epidural so I said OK.

The best things about it were that the room felt more private than the normal birthing room (darker and no windows) and that I could move freely to get into the most comfortable (if that is the word ) positions for the contractions. I would definitely recommend it. I found having CDs on complemented it well, I think I kept getting DH to replay Air Moon Safari but can't really be sure!

Bear in mind though that if you go for a waterbirth I believe your only other pain relief is gas and air, worked fine for me but you basically need to decide between waterbirth and epidural when you are about 5-6 cm.

From baby safety point of view if baby's heart rate needs constant monitoring then birthing pool will not be possible any more. You don't need to worry about baby starting to breathe when the head comes out though as the water for the pool is constantly refreshed at just the right temperature so that breathing response is not prompted until baby comes out of the water.

[fingerwoman]

I almost had one with ds2. unfortunately water temp wasn't warm enough when he was ready to come out so I had to get out to deliver him,.
but being in the water was absolutely fantastic and I would definitely do it again

[fairylights]

i had my first (and only so far!) ds at home in a pool and although it was a v long and hard labour i think the water made all the difference, without it i think i would have asked to be transferred and would have had every intervention going! as it was, i had a lovely doula,a wonderful dh and a GREAT mw who was wise and supportive and in the end it was just a v positive birth experience. I have always loved being in water, makes me relax and feel reassured. My ds is 14 mo now and LOVES swimming, esp under water and i like to think its down to his start in life! would really recommend it

[morocco]

i didn't deliver in the water but used it for a lot of the labour, tbh altho i liked it and the pain was a lot less, it was a slower labour than my previous one with just tens and lolling around in the water was prob stopping me getting upright and in a better position. pure laziness on my part, why change to a more painful postition?? you can always get out again if you don't like it so it's not like they make you stay in there

[michtenstein]

I have had 2 waterbirths and they are amazing! I am pg with my third and plan to also have a waterbirth.

I have always used water for pain relief, period pain, back pain head ache etc I always have a bath. The water takes the edge of the pain and def helps you mo move about.

I would recomend it to anyone.

Just remember to keep moving though, changing positions often, i had an inexperienced midwife who left me in one position for ages (read over and hour) and it was hard going, second time kept moving and it was all much easier, didnt need gas either that time but I guess its always easier the 2nd time...

[franke]

What positions do you use in the pool? I got into the pool last time and got straight out again because I found it so uncomfortable - I found it too rigid and hard. I'd quite like to try again this time, but don't want to go through all the palava again if I'm just going to wimp out (sorry to hijack pigleychez)

[belgo]

I gave birth of dd1 on dry land, and I had a water birth for dd2. I had no other form of pain relief for either birth.

Personally I found that the water does not act as a pain relief at all. In fact, I think it made the contractions worse, as when I got into the bath, I relaxed and then the contractions hit me with much more ferocity.

The water did help with my mobility - I could move between contractions - but unfortunately this did not help with the baby's position and she remained back to back, face first. The midwives encouraged me to walk around in the bath and they actively turned the baby (not nice).

After the baby was born, I couldn't hold her because I was so exhauted I was terrified of dropping her into the water. I was desperate to get out of the bath.

Clearly, water births are not for everyone, not for me, despite the fact that I had had a completely natural delivery for dd1.

[JingleyJen]

had 2 waterbirths
lovedd it
2 very different experiences
First had been a long labour (36 hour total)- i was tired and it felt like bliss getting into the water - all my muscles relaxed and the last 2 hours before DS1 was born were lovely
I felt my privacy was protected and thankfully never noticed Dh & midwife sieving poo from water

DS2 different story - much quicker took me 2 hours to get to 6 cm with mild contractions - midwife examined me and DS2 was quite high up and facing the wrong way. I got into the water WOW it hurt much more really intense I thought I wanted to get out but after 45-60 minutes I couldn't get out as DS2 was making an appearance.
The intensity had been DS2 turning the right way and coming down in an hour. Brilliant
can thoroughly recommend waterbirths - we hired our pool from Active birth centre first time and spalshdown 2nd time (homebirths)

Sorry for the mamouth post! Good luck

[Elkat]

I had a water birth with DD2. I would recommend it - as despite having a very painful back to back labour (and bad third degree tear) I managed to get through the labour with nothing more than the water and the gas and air. It doesn't take the pain away, but it does help. If I were having more kids and was allowed to have another natural birth, I would have another water birth.

[fairylights]

in response to the Q from franke: i lay back and relaxed when i could (!??) then knelt up leaning on the side thru contractions and when actually giving birth too.

[Yorky]

DS was a lovely home water birth experience, MW said I had to sit down to push as we hadn't filled pool quite deep enough before she got there, I had kind of expected to kneel but I liked that I could put my hand between my legs and feel his head.
Give it a go, I loved it, had tens before MW arrived to say I was 10cm then jumped in pool and lived happily ever after!
Bought inflatable pool from ebay, 2 friends have since borrowed it!

[SoupDragon]

DD (3rd baby) was a home waterbirth. I didn't find it did anything for the pain but the water did support me (meaning I could be on all fours unlike my 2 land births) and I loved the self-contained privacy of it. I bought a Birth Pool In A Box and it was fab.

[BirthdayBabe]

It was absolutely brilliant !! can't recommend it strongly enough. And I can tell the difference with a 'normal' birth because I didn't get one for dd1. dh was with me, in a darkened room, midwife gone most of the time, nice coffee at hand... I felt in control, never used gas and air (made me sick and dizzy, I hated it), I could move around as much as I could, dd2 was born in 4 pushes, I was home 6 hours later ready to tuck into my lunch ! I could have 10 babies this way, no problem, where do I sign
GO FOR IT !!

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

I've had 3 - enormous birthing pool and a large corner bath both at midwife-led unit and then in a normal bath at home. Which was so lovely that I'm planning to do it again in May.

Marslady - 'protects your birth space'. I have never considered that before but it is so true. Which is probably why it suits me.

[Sam100]

Can recommend water births (have had 2 in water and one on dry land!) for the following reasons:

1. Stops midwives poking you around too much - no internals! No being strapped to monitoring machine either as they just use hand held dopplers to monitor you.

1. Water takes all the weight of you and means you can make just small movements to rock your pelvis easily and help the baby move down.

1. Water softens your perineum helping with the final stage when it might burn and tear in air! Had no tears with first water birth and small second degree with second (but he shot out v quickly!). Had tears with first air baby too but was numb from epidural!

1. Did help with pain relief for me - you can use gas and air as well in the pool if you want to - but no other forms of pain relief.

1. You are the first one to touch your baby!

You can give it a go - if you don't like it get out and try something else! My two were both in hospital rather than at home.

[rubles]

I have had two one good, one not so good.

I'll tell you what wasn't good about the second as the good bits of wb have already been mentioned. This is just to balance things out - I am actually quite pro birthing in water.

The pool was too big and I felt very exposed. I am 5ft 8 and could float my body out straight behind me. I felt really naked and not good.
Second down side of the pool was that as I was at home in the kitchen it didn't really leave any room for anything else.
It was one of those pools with a heating element, but I don't think the thermostat was right and it felt much warmer than body temperature (or whatever it's meant to be), it made me woozy.
It was inflated and the edge of the pool was so wide and rounded I couldn't really hold on easily when I was relaxing deeply through a contraction, I was sort of slipping down and my face was almost going into the water. The effect of that was felt even more when I was practically forced to use gas and air.

I was glad to get out actually.

[kaelayork]

hi.i am expecting baby number 1 in june and am trying to decide on the type of birth.I am terrified at the concept of giving birth and havent got a very high pain threshold.i like the idea of a waterbirth but also like the sound of an epidural.i would like your opinion,waterbirth or epidural???...pleasse help.

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

kaela - well I guess if you have an epidural you won't feel anything but the birth will probably take longer, you'll be poked about more and won't be able to walk about. I'm a big advocate of moving whilst labouring - being on your feet and rocking your hips or walking about really takes a lot of the pain out of the contractions. It gives you some control over the situation too. Lying on your back whilst having contractions is incredibly painful.

Water doesn't suit everyone but it's been very good for me. I spent about 3 hours in the water before my first was born and occasionally I felt too warm and uncomfortable but it was a whole lot better than being on a bed (absolute agony and I nearly punched the midwife I was so sick of her examining me). I was in the water for about 30 minutes before my 2nd was born and that was great. And for my 3rd I was only in the water for about 5 mins before she was born!

It's also very nice to get washed down fairly quickly after the birth and the midwives always ran me a fresh bath to relax and cuddle my new babies in. I'm hoping to have a 4th water birth in May.

Good luck with whatever you decide and remember, weedier women than you have given birth!

[Nappyzone]

I had dd on dry land - and ds in water - it was much quicker anyway being my 2nd but just so calm - got hold of my boy first and had that first cuddle all to myself - tried to keep him warm by splashing water over his body but inactual fact the midwife pointed out i should not try to drown him so soon after birth . Would seriously recommend it to anyone. Every drug wanted known to man with dd and just gas and air on 2nd.

[FoghornLeghorn]

I'm really interested in this too.

Sorry to hijack but can I just ask .....

I have seen alot of programs/read alot of stories about women getting in the water and everything slowing right down and almost stopping - has anyone experienced this ?