About Water birth?

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30 weeks pregnant with first baby and probably need to start thinking about this stuff.

Toying with the idea of a water birth but can’t shake a (probably daft) feeling I have...
Do midwives secretly find it a pain when delivering a water birth?!

Does a water birth make much difference to the overall ‘experience’ in terms of making it any more manageable??

@Comeymemo well said. midwives pretending they're anaesthetists, it depends on what drugs are used.

Wow this thread has just fully cemented my plan to have a home water birth for my 2nd baby (whenever that will be!)

I'm 31 weeks (on Monday) and since finding out I was pregnant I've been determined to have a water birth (if medically possible) and aromatherapy. This thread has just made me feel even better about my decision, and has relaxed me a lot. Thank you ladies!

I loved my water birth! I’m precipitous so I don’t get much time in there but it’s absolute heaven and so much more peaceful. My midwife said they’re her favourite type of birth to attend - she wore a headlamp and kept an eye on things but I basically was able to do it all on my own. DH didn’t enjoy being in the tub with me actually but I really needed the counter pressure as I have back labor. He said the heat of the water made him feel lightheaded and thinking back I was a little uncomfortably warm at times but someone gave me sips of ice water which helped.

I tried. Did nothing for pain relief, even though I was having gas and air in the bath too. It was so painful, I started biting my arms with each contraction..so they got me out, thank goodness. The most pleasant part of the birth was the epidural. The relief was like....nothing I can compare to. Many hours after that - C section.

I think that birthing in water is a nice addition to an overall uncomplicated, "easy" birth.
But I do not think a bath can give an easy birth.
If you feel up to it - go for it! But don't feel pressurised into it ( like I was by midwives), if it doesn't feel right at that particular moment. I already knew that something is not going quite right with my birthing process and I should be surrounded by doctors, not gym balls and rubber duckies!