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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Were you happy giving birth in pool or did you want to get out?

31 replies

dazedandconfused · 27/05/2011 15:41

Just looking for some experiences of water births ...

I had an appointment with MW this morning and mentioned my intention to go for a waterbirth in hospital if all goes well (this is DC3 btw). She said she'd been to a talk by Michel Odent who pioneered the waterbirth, and he said often women want to get out of the bath for the actual delivery because water slows up the production of adrenaline, which is needed for the birth itself, but best avoided during earlier labour.

She also said that often women wanting to stay in the pool can be an indication that something is wrong (ie breech etc) and the woman wants to stay in for a sense of security. I'd never heard anything like this before.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:

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gourd · 27/05/2011 16:35

Yes, I stayed in pool (had a home water birth with hired pool in a box). Delivery was so fast I didn't have time to get out anyway! The water was so good that I wouldn't have wanted to stand up let alone get out. Whole labour was only 2.5 hours, and "pushing" stage was 21 minutes though I didn't actually push (my contractions did the work) as I had only been examined once and was only 6cm dilated when examined (which is when we started filling the pool) so I didn't want to push too early if you see what I mean. LO arrived very quickly and I lifted her from the water myself so she took her first breath ij my arms - it was an amazing experience, really magical!

Madreamer · 27/05/2011 16:57

I had a water birth and think the squat position really helped. My first DC, I didn't tear because of the water's tempering effect (worth it just for that). Also had gas and air in the pool which sorted me out painwise. I did ask them to raise the temperature of the water though as it needs to be quite hot to help with pain relief. I also got to pick my DS up from the water by myself which was amazing as it felt like I had self-birthed. Totally recommend staying in the pool - although I know a lot of others who didn't and had tears that needed sutures. HTH

MotherPanda · 27/05/2011 17:00

sounds like your mw isn't particulary pro water birth. I've never heard of those arguments before.

In fact... i've heard that its better to avoid water in early labour and then get into the pool once your 5cm dilated etc.

How odd.

KatieMiddleton · 27/05/2011 17:04

I wanted to get out. Got in at about 5cm. It was heaven. Went through transition in the pool and pushed until he crowned when I wanted to get out. Delivered on my knees bent over a hard-back chair holding on to the spindles.

SenoritaViva · 27/05/2011 17:07

Out, out, out. I wasn't in long.

I looked like a beetle stuck on it's back. I still think they did it wrong!

rubyslippers · 27/05/2011 17:09

I gave birth in the water.

I couldn't and didn't want to get out

IME, the water significantly quickened by delivery - 2 pushes and she was out

I think being in the water helped me to get her into a better position for delivery

thisisyesterday · 27/05/2011 17:12

well i'm a big fan of Michel Odent I have to say, he tlks a lot of sense, but I wonder if she has misinterpreted him slightly? It may well be true that people feel they want to get out, and it may be true that some people with something "wrong" feel a desire to stay in... but that doesn't mean that all people who want to stay in have somehting wrong iyswim??

aaaanyway, I desperately wanted to stay in with ds2, but had to get out as pool wasn't warm enough, he was back to back, but aside form that there was nothing "wrong" and it wasn't for security... it just hurt less!

I had ds3 in the pool, leapt in between contractions, had him with next contraction. job done

lechatnoir · 27/05/2011 20:25

I had planned a water birth at the MLU but barely got my toes wet before I was leaping out again. No idea why but it just felt awful. I was also told to hold off getting until the pool until in established labour as it can slow it down (& likewise advised to have a bath a home as it can slow a 'false' labour.
LCN

calmbirthmum · 27/05/2011 20:27

I agree with thisisyesterday about the "something wrong" comment your mw made. Have seen some amazing births in water. And yes - don't go in too soon as you could go off the boil. Not recommended to be in more than 3 hours (I think).

Have you seen "Born in Water"? Amazing.

BertieBotts · 27/05/2011 20:29

I loved the pool, would have stayed in, but they made me get out because I was pushing but they couldn't work out why the baby wasn't crowning. Looking back I probably wasn't actually ready to push, because nobody told me there can be a pause between transition and the second stage, so when I was sick I immediately decided I was going to push, because I'd been awake for 3 days and I just wanted it over. My body wasn't ready to push so I wasn't doing it instinctively and was just doing it wrong!

I wish I had given birth in the water though. I think if I ever have another baby I'd like to.

mypersonalfavourite · 27/05/2011 20:55

I gave birth in the pool but didn't get in until 10cm. Student MW was happy because all other waterbirths she'd attended the woman had decided to stand up right at the end but she didn't know why.

PepperPotts · 27/05/2011 21:02

I had my dc3 in the pool less than 3 weeks ago!

It was fab for the contractions but I found the pushing stage much much harder than I had before. I couldn't get comfy and was pretty distressed which hadn't happened previously.

Although I was tired out, hadn't had pethadine (which I had before) and he was nearly 3lb heavier than dc2!!

Caz10 · 27/05/2011 21:18

Had dd1 in the pool 3yrs ago then dd2 in the pool 2 weeks ago! Hours in the pool with dd1, minutes in it with dd2 but only cos I left it a bit late going into the hospital! Having had such a good experience with dd1 there was no way I Wasn't going in with dd2! In fact the only wobbly moment I had with dd2 was when thought I'd left it too late and wasn't going to get in! I found the water soothing between contractions, and didn't experience the burning feeling that others have described crowning as being like. Just used gas and air up till the point of pushing then ditched it. I wasn't a sweary or stroppy childbirth person but would have gone MENTAL if they'd told me to get out!

Original poster

dazedandconfused · 27/05/2011 21:21

Thanks, it's really interesting to hear people's experiences - sounds quite varied although I am heartened by the positive experiences and will follow the advice not to go in the pool too early. I found the bath brilliant for pain relief in previous 2 labours which is why I'm so keen. I agree that the mw didn't seem v confident with water births - West of Scotland is new to all this lol. I just hope that the mw at hospital is more confident!

Only a week to go ... ish

OP posts:

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 27/05/2011 21:22

had waterbirth with both boys.
loved it had no desire to get out at all it was warm and comfy and soothed by the water.
I felt a huge sense of security with the water as for personal reasons one of my greatest fears was loads of people looking at my bits.

follow YOUR instincts, if you want to stay in then do, if you want to get out then do but DONT do it because someone has scared you into thinking something must be wrong.

wilkos · 27/05/2011 21:27

there was no way I was getting out of the pool for dc2's birth! However, if you want to get out and its safe to do so then you can.

And despite my pitifully low pain threshold I even managed with no gas and air for an hour when the canister ran out (massive panic from MW who was terribly apologetic afterwards ), it was so soothing being in the water.

seeksnewnamewithgsoh · 27/05/2011 21:27

I'm going to give the pool a good go next time too.

With DD, I was far too hot to stay in. Poor DH was doing a relay with cold compresses, but they were heating up as soon as he could get the back up under the cold tap. Next time we'll take a bowl for cold water that he can keep by the pool.

For me, the water was soothing, but only up until a point. I still ended up wanting pethidine once they'd broken my waters.

Like PepperPotts said, I was ok while it was contractions, but once my waters had been broken, and I think I was nearing transition, I was getting too hot and therefore really distressed and worked up. In the end, it was better that I get out and in a room where I could open a window (it was this time last year when it was baking outside).

princessglitter · 27/05/2011 21:29

Loved the water in labour. Practically leapt out to deliver (no mean feat at that stage - let me tell you!) So, yeah, true for me.

wilkos · 27/05/2011 21:31

oh yes, I did have a very perceptive MW who could see I was in transition before she encouraged me in (I had no idea what to expect from DC2's birth as had an epidural with DC1). Apparently getting in too early can result in everything slowing down.

ib · 27/05/2011 21:32

I stayed in the water for ds1, although got in and out during labour (long).

For ds2, I practically held on until the pool was ready, got in and delivered him immediately.

sleepingsatellite · 27/05/2011 21:34

The warmth of the water was really relaxing, in fact there are 2 hours of pool time I cant actually remember! However I do remember suddenly 'coming round' and suprising DH and the MW by saying 'I'm going home now' and got out! DS was born 35mins later.

nomadwantshome · 27/05/2011 21:40

I second you should listen to your instincts. I had ds at home in a pool. Intially I had tens machine on and then had an overwhelming urge to get int he pool to the point of I nearly ripped the tens machine off.

Having said that I didn't get the pain relief I was expecting. This may have been due to the fact that it wasn't warm enough and the water birth mw that eventually turned up immediately got the pool warmer.

What it did help me with was being in a comfy position on my knees with arms over the side. The first mw that turned up wasn't very experienced. She asked me to get out so she could examine me, I said no way I'm going nowhere. It all went quickly from there and ds born in the pool. In fact I started pushing and the experienced midwife just picked upon it rather than having any of that examination.

I got out for delivery of the placenta but kind of wished I'd stayed in as it was hard work pushing it out.

Having said all that, please listen to your mw when the time comes - as well as your instincts

Caz10 · 27/05/2011 21:46

Dazedandconfused I am in w of scotland too! Dunno which hosp you're heading too, but if it's the same one as me, it's great

Would second what someone said above about people not looking at your bits; I realized after dd1 how sort of private it was. I delivered them both kneeling with back to the mw, and just bobbed about On my own vetween contractions- very little intervention. They had an underwater Doppler and just listened in periodically

dolldaggabuzzbuzz · 28/05/2011 09:02

I had my 3rd DC in the water and although he was my heaviest at 9lb 2oz it was my best birth experience. I highly recommend it.

My pains had started early in the morning, I was examined on arrival at the delivery suite and dilated enough to get in the pool at 9am. The midwife stayed with me throughout the labour as is the hospital policy with water births. My DH and a medical student were also present throughout.

I wanted to get out of the water after a couple of hours as I was hot and wanted to lie down. When I got out of the water my pains came on much stronger and closer together so I huddled a birthing ball for a while then got back in the pool when I felt cold again.

I felt immediate relief when I got back in the water and my pains seemed to be more spaced out. I stayed in the pool for the rest of the labour and birth. My DS was born at 2.30 in the afternoon and he is lovely!

caramellokoalalover · 28/05/2011 20:50

Not sure in terms of cms when I got in the pool as I wasn't having examinations but guessing I was about 8 or 9 as soon as I got in my contractions got stronger and within 3 or 4 I felt the urge to push. So in my case I feel like it accelerated things rather than slowing them down. I wish I had got in sooner really. I loved the feeling of being in the water and it was much warmer than I was expecting. Amazing experience and if I had any more babies and didn't get to have them in the pool I'd be really disappointed. Best of luck!

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