Has anyone had a water birth despite having huge fibriods?

[edeluna]

Meant to to post this here, rather than to the Pregnancy forum, last night. Apologies for the cross-posting.

I've got quite large fibroids (the largest is about 12cm), so have been under the impression that I'd need to go to the labour ward rather than the birthing centre and that a water birth was definitely out.

My pregnancy has been incredibly straightforward, though, and I haven't had any complications, pain or discomfort from the fibroids. Last week, a midwife implied that I could have a water birth and that it would probably be great for pain relief.

But yesterday, another midwife wasn't so sure. She checked with the birthing centre and whoever she spoke with there said they wouldn't take me because of the risk of bleeding in the third stage. But the midwife I saw yesterday suggested I speak with the person in charge at the birthing centre and see if there's any chance I could at least start off there in the birthing pool and then move to the labour ward if necessary.

Now I'm a little confused and a little disappointed, as I was getting my hopes up for a water birth. The person in charge at the birthing centre isn't around until next week, but in the meantime, I'd love to know if anyone with fibroids (and an uncomplicated pg) has had a successful water birth.

I don't mind going straight to the labour ward if it's deemed safer for the baby and for me, but if there is a real option for a water birth, I'd like to take it if I can!

Thanks!

Can't answer your question directly but I have largish fibroids which impacted on the preg & birth, & thought of something that might be worth putting out there.I won't go into the details of my experience but what might be relevant for you is to be aware that depending on the location of the fibroid, even if it does not impede the baby's exit, is that it could impede monitoring during labour. Obviously you don't have to have loads of monitoring but at certain points it would be sensible to check things even in a birth centre & if they can't get decent readings then the midwives/obs could be concerned, particularly if there are any other suggestion of potential issues (baby's position, meconium pressent, etc)

There could be the need for a foetal head monitor if they can't get the info they need from external monitoring & thus remaining in water wouldn't be an option & they probably would want a move out of the birth centre in that case anyway. In my case they couldn't measure babe's heartbeat & kept getting mine which was much lower than babe's would be so they were quite worried! They did try a foetal head monitor but couldn't get it to work. In the end babe came vaginally & he was fine - I wasn't but that is another story!

It sounds like you are open to other options which is good. I think with a known gynae issue you should definitely be aware there is a higher chance your ideal birth may not be achieved. There is nothing wrong in planning for what you want of course, but I would say inform yourself about other outcomes just in case (which you probably are doing anyway).

This may not be exactly relevant but I had a roughly 3.5 centimetre fibroid and was told I had to have an injection for the third stage as you say above...in the event I had a lovely waterbirth and completely natural third stage(they didnt mention the injection and I had forgotten all about it).

When I was planning a waterbirth they did say I could do that then have the injection after though - so sounds like that kind of management may not be incompatible with the birth you want.

Good luck with it!

Thanks elvisgirl and BobbieSox. So far the position/size of the fibroids haven't made monitoring a problem at my appointments, but things might change by the time I'm in labour. I've been keeping a very open mind about my options because I knew going into this that the fibroids could present complications.

Really nice to hear that you had a successful water birth despite your fibroid, BobbieSox.

I know this thread was from edeluna but I’d love to know how you went? I’m in the exact situation.