OMG at the woman who had the waterbirth on One Born Every Minute!!!

[ellesabe]

I had no idea that some people had it that easy! I'm more likely to be like the shrieking one next time around

Come on people, chins up!

I really wanted a water birth with dd1 but the pool was broken and I ended up with emcs so not sure if they'd even let me try in the water for dc2.

I was very impressed with her husband, he was so supportive and said all the things I would have liked to hear when giving birth: not 'breathe breathe' (duh), but 'you're doing well', 'I'm so proud of you'. It's not often you see a guy on OBEM who feels comfortable with his role and is an actual support to the woman.

Yesterday's episode did make me think about giving birth lying down vs. sitting up and letting gravity help you. Not sure about water births, but the sitting up seems a good idea.

It was a beautiful birth, and I thought they were a very sweet couple (I really didn't like the tone of the OBEM thread, so didn't post on there). The first birth I ever saw - a friend's - was like that, slow and gentle.

I think it's really sad when women feel the need to belittle others' birth experiences. Yes, of course she was 'lucky' - but that doesn't mean she didn't contribute to her own luck. Because she didn't have too awful a time helped her stay calm and focused, and that calm and focus helped her have not too awful a time. I don't think we should assume her birth was easy, though - you could see in her eyes how much pain she was in. And I don't see how celebrating her lovely birth is any kind of disservice to those of us (me included) whose birth experiences were nothing like that.

I think all the women on last night's OBEM did fantastically, and really don't get the need for nasty comments about their looks, their partners, or how they handled their births.

Heather (water birth lady) was brilliant wasn't she. I have to admit when I saw her at the start of the show I had a totally negative opinion of her-thought she was daft not going to ante-natal classes, really believed she'd act like a total diva, but how wrong can you be!
Maybe it was luck or her positivity, or a bit of both, so what? She had a great birth experience, and I hope any other children she has can be delivered in the same way!

What ReneeVivien said.

The second mum was just scared out of her mind, as the midwife said the memories of other bad experiences come flooding in when a woman sees herself in a similar situation.
As a soon to be first time mum (35+2 :)), it is always interesting to see how differently women cope with birth and try to imagine how it will be for me, pointless I know!

I had birth envy at the pool birth!

Poor old Kerry though.

She would have benefited from some hypnobirthing training. It was awful watching how frightened she was.

I don't think the third mum had an epidural.

She did have a drip in place. Maybe she was having antibiotics?

She was incredible. And her mum was adorable.

Oh dear. I've gone all gushy.

I thank all of the couples for allowing us to share such an intimate moment. The camera work is so skilled-beautiful shots of babies emerging yet the woman's privacy is maintained. Nobody really wants their genitals on TV.

I was shocked at the sheer nastiness of the posts on the other thread, made as it was happening. Some of them really seemed to hope it would all go wrong for Heather and her hub simply, it would seem, because they had a bit of 'colour' to them- they were fashiony, sunny and sweet and not boringly bland.
And some comments bordered on homophobia-talking of the hub being 'sooo gay' and not in am manner that suggested this would be a good thing.

Loved the look on Renae's Mother's face when she realised her grandchild was about to be born-thrilled and happy. Bless her.

For me it wasn't about being natural or not to give birth in water (you are right it probably isn't) it was about what sort of pain releif worked for me and what helped me to cop.

When I had dd I found the warm water of a bath really soothing, lying on my back on a monitor (no medical reason for it by the way) was agony, I tried gas and air and didn't like it I remember throwing the attachment thing at dh! However I couldn't stay in the bath as it wasn't big enough for me.

So the second time I hired a pool at home (pool hadn't been available in hospital so I felt it was the only way to guarantee) and it was great,

Yes - it was really beautiful this week.

You fall a little bit in love with all the parents. I do anyway!

I saw that, that is the birth I want, she looked so relaxed, unlike the other lady who was really in pain and was not relaxed at all. I am 39 weeks pg btw, and would like a waterbirth so hopefully will have one.

If you read The Waterbirth Book by Janet Balaskas she looks at the history of birthing in water. In some areas of the world where the sea and rivers/lakes are warmer, women have been birthing in water forever. It's not been done here much in the past as all of our naturally occuring water is too cold, as is the climate. So in some cultures it is entirely natural to give birth in water. I'd really recommend the book, it's really informative and interesting, even if you are not planning a water birth (but it certainly confirmed my desire to try for one though).

Blimey, Nanbullen, I haven't a clue what I said that could be interpreted as "rude and ignorant"......

Me neither Cointreau, very strange

I don't think she "had it easy" she was fortunate to have no complications, but her relaxed, positive appeoach and excellent support (mw and dh) contributed towards a calm, gentle birth. She was working like stink though, keeping her focus. She was in pain, but she was internalising it, and that's an ok response if you can stay relaxed. Not everyone responds by screaming, and there is no shame in taking either path, you just follow what feels right.

I loved last nights episode :)

The obem thread last was vile so I didn't post on it either. Every couple were slagged off and the poor blonde midwife took a real pasting for absokuy no reason.

Heathers birth made me sob! That's what my births were supposed to be like :)

Heather was AMAZING. Inspirational. It was so emotional to watch. I have to admit when her and her husband walked in, her in labour tottering in wearing high heels, and him talking about having the perfect life, i was a wee bit judgmental. But by the end i had such a huge amount of respect for both of them and laughed affectionately when she got her straighteners out and he earnestly told us all that his lovely little daughter had 3 months of outfits ready and waiting. Lesson to self - do not judge a book by it's cover.

Also respect to the bigger lady. And her lovely partner who looked so overwhelmed when bubba was born.

The brown haired midwife was soooooo lovely too. So calm, reassuring and respectful.

Felt soooooo sorry for Kerry. She was so terrified but did a fantastic job.

Have not read the other OEBM thread but i have told my partner if i get a midwife like the blond one, to chuck her out of the room!!!!!

I've decided i'm having a birth just like heather (tho not in the water it's to late in the day for that). I'm just going to go in and be calm and the baby will just come out and it will be perfect. Seriously not sarky btw if she can do it so can i.

I'm sure a well done to all featured is in order - they all gave birth and had a baby, after all.

I don't know one can say say any woman would definitely benefit from hypnobirthing. By all means, give it a go, why not, but there are no guarantees it (or any preparation) will work.

I used meditation techniques, visualisation and yoga breath during my ELCS and it was a huge help! but I had been doing yoga and
meditation for years. A friend who did ante-natal yoga with me found it was no help at all during her long instrumental vb and said she'd rather have spent the money on new curtains. Horses for course.

I thought that water birth woman did brilliantly, and her first baby! It was just wonderful to watch.

For my second birth, I somehow envisaged a calm easy labour and birth and had one. I was completely quiet and focused and it was just amazing. My first one had been overwhelming and pretty awful tbh.

That hysterical woman - it was so hard to watch. She wasted so much energy, if only someone could have helped her calm down. I think she went in stressed and terrified - poor thing.

Just saw the weights posted on the OBEM facebook page:
"Kerry & Paul's baby Jamie - 10lbs 6oz, Heather & Danny's baby Eivissa 7lbs 7oz, Renae and Jonathan's baby, Darcy Grace 9lbs 12oz. Largest nipper so far was Beth and Kurt's baby, Kyan from ep1 at 10lbs 10oz. Rest assured, names and weights will be shown on future episodes! "

She stayed calm, thats the key to a low pain labour, once you get all tense and panic it makes the pain many times worse. Which is why the woman who was screaming was in so much pain, she was scared before she even got to the hospital.

My 3rd was horrendous and I was screeching, I panicked when my planned homebirth went down the pan, as soon as they said the ambulance was on the way that was it, I panicked and the pain hit the roof. My last one, I was calmer than that pool girl and it was so easy. My 2nd was also easy, I stayed calm during that one too.

To be fair to Kerry, looking at the weights, (admittedly she was very frightened), but I think it would be very difficult to have a similar waterbirth to Heather no matter how calm you are with a baby almost 3lbs heavier.