If your waters break at start of labour, are you allowed to have a water birth later?

[oneortwo]

or is it an infection risk?

my birth plan said NO WATER BIRTH (I never liked the idea), but I was told I could only have pethedine if I tried it so I was bullied into it. I later developed a fever. I am wondering if these 2 are related? My waters broke before labour started so I suppose it was about 7 hours later when I was put in the pool.

My waters broke at 630am on Tues and DS was born in water 1214 on Wednesday afternoon and neither of us got an infection, but he was a home water birth, I don't know if that makes any difference

Yes, I did it. Water births are brill! and how come you got pethidene as a pressie for trying it? I was told I could only have the water birth if I stuck to gas and air only!

I don't think it's an infection risk - my waters broke at home and I went straight to hospital and into the water (as soon as they had filled the pool!). I thought the same as DrSeuss - that G&A was the only pain relief option with water??

I had used tens and gas and air, asked for pethedine but was refused unless I tried the pool first , which was no good (back to back and OP), once I managed to get out I was finally given pethedine (and later epidural)

It was quite a few hours after waters breaking, and I had no signs of infection before hand, so just wondered.

Waters broke at 6.30am and got in pool about 4pm; DS1 born at 6pm. No infection. I also thought G&A was the only option; luckily it did the trick for me.

I was definitely told that I had to stick to gas as being stoned on opiates and sitting in a large pool of water were a poor mix! Never heard of the try the pool and you get the good stuff before. Is it possible that you misunderstood the inference, not being in a position to think very clearly at the time and that they said, try the pool for pain relief and if that doesn't work, you can have pethidene but try the water first as lots of people find it really helps?

You cannot have a water birth and pethidine ax it makes you drowsy (drowning risk)

You can have a water birth if your waters have broken

I think the only reason you can't have a water birth is if there is meconium in your waters - that was my experience - and was due to needing to be monitored.

I didn't say I had pethedine in the pool, the pethedine isn't really part of my question. I only mentioned it because it was the reason I went in the pool - the pethedine I asked for was refused, MW said I had to try pool first, which I did, and later got out and EVENTUALLY got the pethedine I wanted. I never wanted the pool.

You don't have to do anything you don't want in labour

Your MW should not have placed conditions on your pain relief options

p.s. the reason I never wanted the pool was because I was never reassured that they were properly deep cleaned between use, I got the impression that the MWs just gave them a sleuce like you would at home between family members using the bath. I was worried about cross infection since all sorts goes into them.

I understand what you meant oneortwo.

For next time, get a birth partner who will fight your corner. Very bad show if they did say you HAD to try water first. There is no HAVE TO about it. I'm sorry you were treated that way. A gentle suggestion is fine.

But no, there is no more risk of infection than if you'd laboured on dry land.

Waters broke at 5.30pm - DS2 born in water at 9.30.

Provided child isnt in distress, no complications and labour is progressing there is no reason why you shouldnt be able to labour in water.

I know that in theory rubyslippers, but she she'd fobbed me off for hours about the pethedine already. I was in lots of pain due to the baby's position and would have agreed to anything to get some pain relief. I had said that I didn't want the pool and it was in my birth plan but I didn't have any fight left in my, I could barely get a few words out between contraction. Once the staff handed over in the morning my new MW transferred me for an epidural

Those pools are actually given a special clean after use which is why sometimes they are unavailable for use.

that is horrid onetwo

You sound really upset about how you were treated - understandably!
Can you have a birth de-brief to find out why you were told the things you were?
Then you can get on with enjoying your little one.

There is a small risk of infection if your waters break a long time before birth - with or without a water birth.

The real issue here is that your midwife was a right C-U-Next-Tuesday who was pushing her own agenda and what she thought was best for you, instead of listening to what you wanted and giving you the damn painkillers! I would definitely file a complaint - no woman should be made to labour for hours with inadequate pain relief because the MW has her own 'birth plan'. And if you don't complain, this is going to happen to a lot of other women too...

What a cow!

My waters broke at home and I went in, then had a water birth in hospital. I loved it, but am appalled they bullied you into water against your wishes - how dare they?