Hiya anyone else hoping to have a water birth?
I'm 33+3 weeks - due April 12th, having a boy who I hope to deliver in water :)
Just thought I'd start a thread to chat to anyone with experience of doing this or plans to.
I found a helpful list of things to pack In your hospital bag if ur having a water birth, few things I propably wouldn't have thought of included
A bath pillow and flip flops. I'm
Also going to bring a string bikini - so it can easily be taken off for skin to skin contact once bubba has arrived. It also had disposable pants on the list to wear in the water to catch a long list of body fluids that make an appearance rather than spoiling bikini bottoms.
Also had a beach skirt on the list if u want to maintain your modesty throughout.
Anyone else got any things that are worth bringing?
Also I'd like to get a book on water birth, does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks
Hayley x
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Club water birth :)
justhayley · 13/03/2012 16:27
I just wondered what are the odds of actually being able to have a water birth? I definitely think I'd like to try it, but I wondered if there are usually enough birthing pools for everyone who wants one? I don't want to set my heart on it but not be able to have one.
I will be due in January so the thought of getting out of the cold and into a nice warm bath sounds especially appealing.
(I'm also only 6 weeks pg so maybe getting a bit ahead of myself here 
)
My DS was born in the water and I'd like to do it again with this one.
I'm at all the 'swim skirts for modesty.' I left it a bit late and ended up in there wearing the t shirt I'd arrived in. By that point you really won't be thinking about your modesty, I promise.
Hi all, just thought I'd update you. Iv now had my little man - born April 15th (still awaiting a name 
). I didn't end up having a water birth. My labour was 4 hours from first contraction and only an hour of it was spent in hospital. I arrived at the birthing centre at 6cm, and was progressing very quickly. My position of choice was on all fours crawling around the floor! (I have cut knees & elbows lol). Once in active labour I must admit I forgot all about a water birth - the closest I got was biting a soggy flannel lol. When I was ready to push the midwife asked if I wanted her to get the pool ready - it ment having to get off the bed and change rooms, I ignored her then when she asked a 2nd time, I believe my words were "if u like the fucking pool so much go & get in it"! I did have the natural birth I wanted - and had no pain relief, not even gas and air (this wasn't the plan it just made me sick). Although I would have liked a water birth I now realise how pointless a birth plan is. I have no regrets, the main thing was I got my baby out in good time with no problems. Did tear a little though and had two stitches - do wonder if this would have happened in the pool! Maybe baby number 2 will be a water baby instead
That is so awesome, thanks Yorky. It seems that they have a better understanding of it all now. My first child was born 8 years ago. My waters broke 48 hours before they induced me with the every means possible - syntocinon to the max etc. They said baby had to get out asap as my waters had been broken for so long and they had since discoverd the GBS. Trouble was they were so aggressive with the induction that my son came in a couple of hours and didn't get the benefit of the IV antibiotics. We remained in hospital for 8 days afterwards to check he was ok whilst he was having a course of anti biotics. I do appreciate that they were erring on the side of caution and I shouldn't fault them for that - but my son's cultures were clear so even being without my waters for so long he still didn't get it fortunately. I had to have IV antibiotics with my daughter and she was completely fine - got two doses in labour as it was much slower - far nicer!!!
They didn't even test to see if I had it with 2nd preg - just assumed, I am so going to quote this article then if anyone says I cant have a water birth as need anti b!!
Sorry for the thread hijack 
Bimble - I have had 2 hwbs since finding out early in pg2 that I was gbs+
The MW who told me was originally all hospital, ABx, continuous monitoring, no water... I left that appt in floods of tears having had a lovely delivery with DC1 and hoping for a repeat performance. I rang the local MLU and spoke to a lovely MW who said they wouldn't stop me delivering there because of GBS but they couldn't give me the ABx so I might as well stay at home I haven't looked back since
I found a quote on an NHS site about if you've had a confirme GBS delivery before and baby was OK then they recommend you don't have the ABx and clung to the belief that I was +ve but didn't know it with DC1, and all 3 of them are fine
what?! you mean you cant imagine someone being 9 months pregnant walking in the park whilst having sex with acupuncture needles sticking out of them - surely that would be a perfectly normal site lol. The book is "the water birth book" by Janet Balaskas. It's made me feel like that's the only way babies should be born - Its also turning me into a hippy 
What book is it?? good luck!!!! 
can't really imagine you trying all of those at the same time though!!!
Haha my DP also looked horrified when I had to explain the sieve to him - wish I would have caught his expression on camera - especially when the midwife said it will be his job to fish anything out when she's not in the room!!
I'm half way through the water birth book now - it's a lovely read and is really making me wonder why everyone doesn't want a water birth. Only thing is I'll be devastated if the pools are not available now or I can't have a water birth for what ever reason. I'm 37 weeks today and from next week am going to start all the natural ways to start labour - acupuncture, pineapple, curry, sex, walks, all of it, maybe at the same time really don't want to go overdue and be induced & be stuck on a bed being monitored giving birth after ready this. Would highly recommend everyone grab a copy - I got mine from amazon for a couple of pound.
Wow gutted I missed out on the centre it looks lovely - I work in tufnell park and have been less than 10 minutes walk away for the last 5 years but never knew it was there!! The next water birth workshop is in July - I'm due April 28th so things will be all wrapped up by then which is a shame, will have to remember it for baby number 2 my book arrived this morning so will start that today
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