Pool births - anyone NOT like it?

[Emz33]

Hi there just wondering if anyone has tried a pool birth but not liked it? My mlu only has one pool so I'd hate to take it, dip my toe in and decide I don't like it and end up depriving someone else! I would like to try it but I generally don't like baths or swimming so think maybe it's not for me...

Hi, It wasn't for me either! I've had 5 children 4 DS and 1 DD, ranging from 13yrs - 4 months. The last 2 were home births without any intervention. First was epidural and the lot and I cried through the whole labour!...My 4th baby, but first home birth I didn't really have the room for a pool anywhere so opted for the bath. This was great for about an hour but then the last 20 minutes I had to stand up so got out. 5th one I was debating over a pool again as had found th bath comforting for a time but decided not to bother! So glad i didn't as i couldn' sit still at all. Shower was quite helpful as the jet of water directed on my lower back helped the pain. I had my first baby quite young and was very scared. I have learnt the hard way that the power of positive thinking as far better pain relief than anything! Generally if you don't usually feel comfortable in a pool why on earth would you want it when at your most vulnerable? Good luck....listen to your body, don't be told to relax in the pool if it's not your thing!

With my DS I intended to have a water birth. Whilst the water gave instant pain relief initially, after being in the water for a while (may be an hour) the pain got too much and I needed something else so ended up getting out and having diamorphine. Consequently, I wasn't allowed back in so gave birth on land.

I can't imagine someone not liking it, but whether it will provide sufficient pain relief is another matter!

Also, if there is only 1 pool you might not have to make a choice as it could already be occupied when you get there.

Good luck whatever you decide.

I really wanted a water birth with DS. I got in at 9cm and it was lovely and warm and definitely helped with the pain. Only problem was the lovely warm water practically stopped my contractions!!! They became so spaced out (8 mins apart) I was told I had to get out (2 hours later). As soon as I got out they started again and DS was born shortly after (on a birthing stool).

What Patchesmcp said.
There's nothing not to like - it's just a roomy bath, but what I found was it didn't provide anywhere near the amount of pain relief needed. Fine, no problem. You get out and try something else. Until you are there, you have no idea what that labour will be like for you, so don't "not" have it if you get the option, because you are not sure if you will like it or not. Equally, it may well be when you go in, that another lady is already using it and you won't have the option. Oops! Just seen that's already been said!

It was wonderful for me all three times especially the first. I felt like I was in constant pain and getting in the bath helped me to relax and not notice the in between contraction pain. Don't worry about depriving other women if you don't like it and are likely to need the room for a while longer you could always move to a different room if someone else wants the pool. Give it a go in my experience as a midwife most women who try it find it beneficial. Very few get out soon after getting in.

"Until you are there, you have no idea what that labour will be like for you" - absolutely, and it can be different each time. You just have to do what feels right at the time. With DD1 I got in and spent half an hour there, but I had a powerful need to walk around between contractions and so got out and gave birth on all fours soon afterwards. With DD2 that need was less and I birthed in the pool. Both births with no pain relief, and I'm sure the pool PLUS moving round helped with that. It's great if you can get the choice.

Can I just add that not only will you not know how you will labour until you start, but there may be things which stop you from using the pool. I had to be induced, so wasn't allowed it and my friend had one foot in the pool when her waters broke and there was meconium in it, so she had to get out.

Don't worry about not using it - if it's something you want to try, ask for it and see if it's free.

I didn't like it. It didn't have the pain relieving effect that I thought it would and it made me feel trapped or exposed is the best way I can think to describe it. Probably a weird reaction! I can't explain it but I had to get out as I just couldn't relax

i tried it and hated it. I also felt extremely exposed and vulnerable and had to get it out within a couple of minutes! I found being on my feet and walking about was much better.

No I didn't like it. Too bloody cold. I think they're bit more open minded about temperature these days, but with ds1 (now 6) it was 38 C or nothing. It made me all shivery and adrenaline-sick.

Surely if you don't like it, you get out and vacate the pool-room?

I still had one for ds2, but in the event, it didn't even get filled!

I didn't use the birthing pool but I was offered a bath when I was having very intense contractions to 'help with the pain'. I too felt very exposed and vulnerable and couldn't get comfortable at all - on my back was utterly painful and on my side wasn't much better either. I got out very quickly.

I didn't find it helpful - stayed in for 10 minutes and then got out and hooked up the TENS machine again which was much better for me. Nothing bad about it but I just didn't find it helped with the pain.

To be fair, a bath is a very poor birth pool substitute, it's not deep enough, and you can't get comfy in the small space, it's hard and you can't move about at all. Birth pools are roomier, you can move about, you can adopt a whole range of positions, and you can scoot off to the other side if someone comes to poke at you when you don't want them to . Lowering the lights can help you to feel more private. If you don't like it though, you just get out again.

I hated it too! I love being in water, had watched the videos and was sure that I would enjoy a water birth. However, from the moment I got in, for my first birth, I realised it was not for me.

It was too hot for me

It was not the right size - I have floated, half sank/couldn't get a comfy position going

It didn't have any pain relieving qualities for me, infact it speeded my labour up dramatically

I hated wasting the water - it had taken ages to fill just for me, and they have to drain it afterwards, so I stuck it for an hour. However, I quickly realised that I much preferred being curled up on a bed. With ds2, I gave birth on a bed, with a bean bag and several pillows on the bed - basically I had build a nest!

I think it is helpful to ask yourself what you do when you feel unwell? Go for a walk, have a bath, or head to bed? (I love being in water most of the time, but if I am poorly I am an under-the-duvet type of gal!) Whatever your answer may give you a clue as to what you will want to do when birthing

I'm interested in how a few people have said they felt exposed and vulnerable in the pool, as I was assuming that feeling a bit private/in a place where you were less liable to be pressured into unwanted internal exams etc was one of the benefits of labouring in water...? This will be my first labour, so am coming at this from a position of total ignorance, but wouldn't you feel more exposed out of the pool? Or am I completely misunderstanding?

I'm a complete water baby and can happily spend an hour in a bath so always assumed that I'd want a water birth and had vaguely planned things around that. When I was still in the first stages (probably actually about 5cm though), the MW suggested running a bath at home to help with the pain. It made me feel soooooo nauseous, actually seasick!! I lasted about 30secs before getting straight out so gave birth on dry land instead.

I still looooooooove my baths now though.

HardCheese - I felt exposed and vulnerable because I was (obviously) completely naked in the bath and I just felt like a great big beached whale eventhough it was only DH in the room with me. The MW just left us to it but I'm not that comfortable being naked when not pregnant so it wasn't surprising really. I have no problem with having internal examinations - surely that's how they know how far along you are and I don't find them intrusive and neither was I pressurised into having them. It's completely personal though - many women love giving birth in a pool - I wasn't given the option of a proper birthing pool - but the water certainly didn't do anything for me.

I think thinking about how you treat yourself when you feel poorly is very relevant - I will always want a bath when I'm not well, and when I went into labour I tried to sleep through it for a while (it was 4am), and at 7am ran a bath which was lovely for an hour or so until it got cold, not to mention MrNC wandering in and asking what I was doing.

We went to hospital at 10am and I was allowed into the MLU and offered the pool - got in around 11 and stayed there for 8 hours even though 6 is the usual limit they allow. It felt to me like being in a spa (thanks to the g+a which reached the pool!), and I could sit on the seat part or go on all-fours. But the two-tier beanbag was nearly as good.

As MrNC was with me I didn't feel at all vulnerable being naked, or indeed notice - he had to explain a couple years later that he was throwing sheets over me as we transferred to the del suite as I was naked and the trolley was going into the public lift, and I was throwing them back at him as fast as I could!

I hated it - too cold, didn't relieve the pain and slowed my contractions right down to the point where I ended up transferring from MLU to hospital for failure to progress .

Thanks, Mejon - I can imagine that an ordinary bath would be profoundly uncomfortable.

I plan to wear something in the pool if I end up using it, though not quite sure what, possibly the sort of tank top bit of an old two-piece swimsuit I have lying around, as I'm not keen on public nakedness, either.

I actually wore a large T-shirt so I didn't feel exposed. I know that wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but it worked for me. I wouldn't have liked staring at my stomach if I'd just been in a bikini top it would have put me off!

I thought that pool births sounded fabulous. And when I went into labour with DC1 I was allocated the room with the birthing pool. In the event, the only thing I wanted to do was sit in a chair and suck at my gas & air. I've no idea whether I would have enjoyed it if I'd bothered to get into the pool.