Your experiences of birthing pool

[Dozeyland]

How did you find it?

Wet! Sorry couldn't resist.

I've never had a pool birth, but the ones I've seen have been awesome!

Wet lol

I was thinking more along the lines of, how it eased pain, if it slowed labour down, made a difference with tearing etc ;) I should have been more specific :)

I know the ones i've seen on OBEM have been fab!

After a terrible experience with my first birth I used a birthing pool for my second and it was wonderful. Really helped with the pain and DS was born in 20 minutes with gas and air (with the amniotic sac completely intact). I can?t recommend it highly enough and it was also lovely to feel clean after giving birth (with DD1 I felt too weak to shower for three days).

Fab, really helped with the pain, don't know if it slowed down labour, 3rd degree tear though unfortunately.

I just really like the idea of being able to move in there, and use breathing techniques again. Did you tear in the pool?

I had a 2nd deg tear with DD, i didnt realise and didnt suffer pain from it., but would rather not this time!

Yes, I tore in the pool. I don't know why it happened really, or if it could have been avoided.

I had a water birth last Tuesday - it was great. I can't compare it to any other sort as it was my first baby though.

Got in at 6cm dilated, took about 3 hours to get to full dilation but DS was back-to-back so he needed to turn (thankfully he did). I found it did help with the discomfort and pain, don't know how much but I felt really supported by the water and it was easy to move and shift position which I wanted to do with pretty much every contraction. It was also lovely and warm which I found very soothing and was easy to use the gas and air whilst in there.

It also felt a lot more natural and private - the midwives were very hands-off - and I was lucky enough to deliver in the pool too, so I was the first to pick my son up and we had 40mins of skin to skin in the pool afterwards. I also had a natural 3rd stage, so we didn't cut the cord for 10-15mins or so.

I did tear - 2nd degree, 6 stitches, and I don't know if this would have happened otherwise - I suspect it would have done, and maybe it would have been worse. But like the OP, I didn't feel the tear and would have sworn blind I hadn't torn until the MW examined me after.

What I also liked was the fact that the birthing pool rooms at my hospital were a real home from home setting so we had our iPod on, it had a kitchen so DH could make himself (and me!) food and drinks, and it was generally a fairly relaxed experience actually (well, as much as it can be).

If I had another baby I would definitely hope to do it this way again.

I tore in the pool. DD2 came very fast and I had scar tissue from a previous episiotomy. I also doubt I was in the water long enough for the skin to soften much in the water.

I don't think being in the pool can actually prevent tears, but equally I don't think it's a negative influence either. There are some stats to show it reduces them I believe.

Kdiddy - congratulations! That sounds great, the show round we had before we had DD in the pool room sounds like that, very homely.

Did the water go really red if you tore? sorry if that sounds horrid.

I didnt notice any blood really when i had DD on the bed... until 2hrs after when i had PPH 1000mls x

I used the birthing pool with my second dd and would really recommend it. It didn't slow down my labour at all (I got to the hospital at 11.30pm and my dd was born at 2.30am). I was induced with my first dd and the second time was a much better experience, I doubt I'll have any more babies but if I did I would want another water birth.

Didn't notice really - we had all the lights turned down. And I didn't do the cleaning up...

After six hours of labour we started blowing it up.

It had a fucking puncture, we got it half inflated before realising, I screeched at my. DH to set fire to it in the bathroom sink as I didn't want the fucking thing in the house, he compromised by hiding it in the car, my contractions stopped for three hours and then started from the beginning all over again.

So not terribly relaxing.

Well, I may be the lone dissenting voice ...... I used a pool for my first birth and detested every minute of it! All through my pregnancy I thought it was what I wanted but in reality I found it did nothing for the pain, increased my feelings of not being in control and was hideously uncomfortable because I am short and the sides were too high for me to support myself properly.

No bloodbath for me either - was quite surprised. Possibly TMI but you could still see through the water, although it was a bit pink by the time I'd finished!!

I didn't notice if it turned into a blood bath or not!

Our NCT classmates (who gave birth at a different hospital to us) had to take their own sieve if they were planning to use the birthing pool .

Mine was bloodbath by the end of it (sorry!). I tore - I think it was because I wasn't in a good position, lying back on the step of the pool rather than hanging forward over the edge (note to self for next time )

I was having awful non-stop contractions when I got in, so although they slowed down that was a good thing as it gave me a bit of breathing space! I was in there for about 2 hours before DD was born so it was quite a quick labour.

I found it very relaxing and peaceful. Nothing to compare it with as it was my first labour but I would use one again.

i had my 2nd in a pool, being a 2nd labor it was faster anyway butin comparison to my first on dry land it was wonderful and i think i actually enjoyed it. My old episiotomy scar gave way andi still tore and some but it wasnt as agonising as my first. I thoroughly recommend it. The water was as clear as anything when i had had my baby until i stood up and the air got to my bits then i looked back to see a bloodier pool but i did have a 3rd degree tear so there was bound to be some but nobody cared a jot.

I loved it.

I waited until the contractions had got quite strong and I was struggling ot get through them before I got in and the pain relief was amazing, it just felt so good! Dh was still filling the pool when I got in and was pouring buckets of warm water over my belly while I was haivng contractions. Best form of pain relief ever! After a while it all started fecking hurting again . I assume of course because contractions had got even stronger but I still didn't need/use any other form of pain relief. It was amazing watching dd come out in slow motion. Ds sort of slithered out and I don't really remember but with dd I could watch as she gently rotated adn I could feel the shoulders and then the rest of her body slide out. There is no way to explain how amazing that was.

I just had a little graze, no stitches.

Not sure what teh water was like when I got out, wasn't really paying much attention! I know my bowels emptied as my waters broke with one almighty contraction and they were none too solid but I assume they must have been able to scoop enough out for it to be sanitary enough for birth!

As soon as I had dd in my arms though I hated the pool. None of that relaxing in a post birth glow, I felt so uncomfortable so the MWs helped me out and I went onto the sofa wrapped up in towels where dd latched on and fed until the placenta was out.

My 3rd birth was a water birth. I really liked it. Was very relaxing loved how easy it was to move about. No tear here but I have only had a tear in my first labour when dd thrust her hand out just after herbhead and tried to climb out.
The thing I loved most about the birth pool was how light I felt. It supported me in a squatting position for far longer than I could have managed on dry land and I delivered in that position. Would definitely do it again.

I found it massively sped up labour. I'd been gradually getting to 5cm over the day and was then allowed in the pool by the MW. I pretty much got in and thought I needed to push. DS was born 14 minutes after I got in the pool. I still tore a little bit.

The aftermath was lovely, drifting in warmish water waiting for placenta etc while cuddling DS, but it was way too intense

i found climbing out the steps knackered holding onto a slippy newborn and the clampy scissor things still attached to me and ds a bit of a health and safet hazard mind then i got cramp in my calf and nearly dropped him (i still cringe at this memory). I am not a earth mother by any stretch of the imagination but watching his head emerge then catching him was just i dont know it was just so amazing.

Hes just wiped a big snot on my jeans though

Watching this thread with interest as am hoping for a water birth for second dc. I'm shocked at the number of you who tore as I somehow had it in my head that this was less likely with a water birth. I've read somewhere that it's harder to stitch up after birthing in water as it's waterlogged (can't remember where I read this) what are your experiences with this? Also I often wonder how soon after the baby's born do you get out? They never show this on tv, do they put a towel round you and deliver the placenta on the bed. I imagine it like the poster above - a bit clumsy getting out! Sorry to hijack the thread but might be interesting for other first time water birthers.

With ds, I was so keen on a water birth, I couldn't wait for them to boot out the last customer and refill it.

Finally, I got in - and hated it. Could not get comfortable. Out again in 10 minutes.

As it was MW had not been happy for me to deliver in there, as my bump was so terrifyingly large and I was a "geriatric" case.