Do showers work as well as baths??? in labour

[Henrietta]

Not really a bath person but used a tens with DD birth and at one point had a bath at hosp which was bliss till I had to get out.

Expecting no 2 any time now but will prob be in labour in hosp as I've had quite a bit of bleeding during preg (told nothing serious). THing is it's a diff hosp (we moved) and the new purpose built (!!!) wing has showers in each room but only one room with a birthing pool (NO BATHS!!) so does anyone know if showers help in case the pool is in use or should I stick to my tens?
NB told I prob won't be able to deliver in water as had bad tear last time. Not sure I want to anyway.

I used a shower all through my third labour and it was wonderful. I had her at home and went in the shower. I visualised each pain as a wave and the shower really really helped and made me feel loads better!

Don't think shower will do the same thing a bath will. Its the whole submerged in water, taking body weight and warmth that helps with pain relief and the water softens the cervix too so I am pretty sure standing in a shower will not give the desired affect. at hospital not having baths!!

just read newglitterfairyyear's post so maybe I will just be quiet!

Went in shower during early labour and just crouched. Found it helped as the shower was spraying on my lower back and the water was soothing.
Would use the shower for arly labour and then as pain increases and the you feel the need to move would then progress onto the tens hth

I suppose it could help if you have a 'back labour' I'd imagine a nice powershower directed at the small of the back would be pretty good for labour back pain.

It's not just the submerged in water though, I found sitting in the bath at home and pouring water over my belly during contractions very soothing indeed. I would have thought a shower could be very helpful, but I would want a showerhead on a hose, so that I could direct the flow where I chose. Perhaps also a plastic chair to sit on or lean against in the cubicle.

No baths in a labour ward makes sense in terms of infection control.

A shower can be useful - as demonstrated here - but it won't give you the support and freedom of movement that being submerged to your breasts in water will.

Women also tend to find that they naturally rotate or move their hips when they are in a pool which helps their baby find the best way out. And the support of the water helps them to change positions.

If there is no other choice i.e. they won't let you take in your own pool, then keep your fingers crossed that the pool room will be free.

HAve thought about hiring but simply can't afford it...just moved and had to have unexpected repairs done to house so more than skint with Xmas and DD b'day on 8 Jan. so am afraid will have to make do with hosp equip.

Grrrr .... this is why I do the job I do, trying to get water birth available to more women, using inflatable pools in hospitals/birthing units.

It's quite possible the pool will be available - locally there are only around 100 waterbirths a year in a unit which has around 5000 births but once the pool has been filled, if the woman gets into it, hates it and then gets out again, the room is out of action for the rest of her labour plus some postnatal time plus cleaning time

Fingers crossed for you

I used a shower with my 1st, hand held on very hot on my bump low down really helped...
my mum was holding the shoer it was so hot she had to wrap a towel round her hand, but I needed no painkillers and had a fab birth.

I used the shower in the hospital when I had DD1(because the pool room was being renovated ) and it did help a lot.

I used the shower when I had DD2 at home (because we moved in a day earlier and forgot to sort out the birth pool!) and it really helped again. In fact, I opted for it over the bath for ease of movement, then switched to the tens later on. (Then stopped using anything because timing the tens was driving me up the wall, but that's another story!).