Waterbirths?

[skewiff]

This is my second pregnancy. I went through most of the labouring in my first in a water/birthing pool and it definitely relieved the labour pains enormously.

However the labour went on and on and in the end I decided to get out as I thought pushing might be easier standing up.

It wasn't easier at all though and the pushing stage took at long time too.

I'm just wondering, as getting nearer to the due date, do you think being confined in a birthing pool slows down labour? I am all for reducing pain as much as possible (but don't want to take drugs) however if I could speed things up I would grin and bare it a bit more.

I'm wondering whether walking about and being able to squat and change positions might actually lead to a quicker labour?

yes water can slow labor down it is the only reason I have not had a water birth, because I have long labours and dont want to make them any longer.

Sorry to blow that theory out of the water but my 4 hour labour was in water!

Why can't you squat & change positions in the water?

I had a long labour with my first but thought I would try a water birth with the second, then with the second, it seemed to be going slow too and they said it might slow it down so I didn't and did the walking etc instead, but it still took almost the same time.

This time, I am going to ask for the birth pool whether it's slow or not, as it's likely to be slow, but at least I might as well pass the time in a bit more comfort.

I am speaking as someone with absolutely no experience of water births, so please feel free to disregard me completely

In terms of the laws of physics, however, I would have thought that being suspended in water (and having all parts of your body "lifted" and supported) works against the gravity that might aid the process if you were standing and walking around out of the water.

my waterbirth was the quickest of my 3 labours.

try staying mobile for aslong as possible and use the pool towards the end.

labour may not be as slow this time.

my 1st was over 24hours, 2nd was 6hours and 3rd was 3.5hours.

Agree with everything Loopy just said. I just had my second in birthpool. 45 minute active labour. Second stage was just two contractions, a few minutes at most, and much less damage than first labour on dry land (and baby was 3lb heavier!).
I was also kneeling resting my head on the side of the pool so gravity helped.

Waterbirths are so much quicker than on dry land! The trick is to ensure you are fully established in labour before you get in. It is normal for your contractions to 'go off' a bit once you have got in but they will return. You just relax your body so much when you get in the pool, so with no or little tension in the body, you do tend to dilate quicker.

NHS it sais in the disadvantages that it can slow labour, although compared to other pain reliefs the disadvantages are low, so if you find it helpful and it doesnt slow too much then I would still go for it. My main problem was I took nearly 24 hours to get to 3cms (when they say not to go in) then less than 30 mins to baby out both times, so by the time I get far enough to get in I am about to give birth.

My friend went from 6cm, when she got into pool, to holding baby in under half an hour. Literally.

Anxious that it may slow an already slow process, she had stayed out until 6cm, then dived in. I guess you just don't ever know.....

Ok everyone - thank you -

The hospital I went to first time had quite a shallow pool - same depth as a bath - I don't know if they are all like this and if they'll be like this at the next hospital I'm at.

That was why I didn't feel like changing positions much. The water wasn't really that warm and I didn't want to get my body out of it.

But it definitely was the most pain relieving experience (I was in agony before getting in, both on land and in a normal bath - which was much too small for my big body).

So I will go for it this time and try and stay in for the actual birth too!