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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Has anyone had a water birth? Can you tell me what it was like?

13 replies

ilikeyoursleeves · 28/05/2012 22:05

Hi, I am currently 35+2 with dc3. My two sons have both been born naturally, gas and air with ds1 and nothing at all with ds2 as he was born on the bathroom floor before we had time to get to the hospital!

I am drawn to the idea of a water birth this time, and will get to the hospital in time this time! I don't really know much about it though. Could anyone let know what their experience was like? Thanks!

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GwenGotLost · 28/05/2012 23:09

I'm hoping for similar information, this will be my first and I've always liked the idea of a water birth; marking my place :)

Somersaults · 28/05/2012 23:11

I don't know if I count given that I was transferred to delivery suite as DD wasn't coming out! But I spent a lot of active labour in the pool and found it really helped.

TheHonMrsP · 28/05/2012 23:12

I had one in a pool at home - was lovely. No other pain relief, not even gas & air.

I also had a BBA as you did, but I made it as far as the dining room! Have you not been recommended a homebirth next time?

dozensofpichu · 28/05/2012 23:15

I had a waterbirth, it was brilliant. Very calm, relaxing and everything just progressed naturally. I would recommend it to anyone!

MikeLitoris · 28/05/2012 23:17

I had dd2 in a birth pool. Definitely the best of 3 labour/births,

I got in about an hour after getting to hospital. I was 5cm. I was in there about 2 hours and the mw kept it topped up with lovely warm water.

The mw just sat back and let me carry on. I didn't have any ve's, she used a mirror to see what was going on.

I delivered dd myself. Mw didn't even have a hand in the water.

We stayed in the water for a little while and then they took dd to be weighed.

It was a lovely experience.

5madthings · 28/05/2012 23:29

given how quick your second came i would be thinking of hiring a pool or buying a birth pool in a box type thing and doing it at home!

i had ds4 in the pool, 1hr of labour, 40mins of that in the pool it was lovely and he was 10lb 13oz, sure the water helped me stretch so i didnt tear, stayed in the pool cuddling ds4 whilst i delivered the placenta (no injection) it was really really nice, wanted the same for baby no 5 but ended up with syntocin drip so it didnt happen.

and yes i delivered ds4 myself, i didnt even have to push he just came out and midwife then scooped him up and passed him to me,i was a bit too shocked at the speed to lift him out of the water myself!

YoulllaughAboutItOneDay · 29/05/2012 08:33

I had a home water birth with DD2. It was amazing. I am a real 'water' person - I love to soak in the bath, to swim, etc. I found that, from being pretty overwhelming, as soon as I got in the water everything became much, much more manageable. DD2 came soon after. I would totally recommend it.

Given how fast your last baby came, have you thought about a home birth? Aside from the practical speed considerations, you would also guarantee the pool being available (don't know how many pools your hospital has, but with DD1 someone was in the one built in pool and they were very dismissive of getting out the inflatable ones).

hilsw · 01/06/2012 09:31

I had a water birth for my 1st birth last week and would highly recommend it Laboured at home and arrived at hospital ML unit 9cm dilated. By the time I got in the pool a few minutes later I was ready for pushing in the water (i missed the g&a). The water was lovely and warm and there was a relaxed atmosphere Inbetween pushes. DS arrived 35 minutes after I got in. Lots of cuddling in water and natural quick placenta delivery followed. Had minor labial tears that I didn't feel but perineum intact. Go for it! I wasn't that fussed about water birth beforehand but would definitely request one again. Also spent 1.5 hours of late labour in bath at home which really helped too.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 01/06/2012 09:43

I laboured in the pool with all the ds's and gave birth to ds2 & ds3 in the pool. The pain relief given by warm water is amazing IMO and shouldnt be underestimated.

Being in water also helps if you want to change position - you are more agile and mobile in water. Also it's like having your own little space, the water acts as a barrier which means the MW's tend to be a bit more hands off.

With both water births the ds's and I stayed in the pool until their cords stopped pulsing. The warm water kept me warm and the baby was wrapped in a towel.

I also birthed the placenta in the pool, which meant all of the mess stayed in the pool (it was a HB).

I recommend WB's to everyone, they rock

slothprincess · 01/06/2012 10:04

I also had a wonderful water birth with my DD. I got in the pool at 1am when I was about 4-5 cm and stayed there until she was born at 7:30am. The relief I felt when I got into the water was immense.

I picked my baby up out of the water myself, an amazing moment, and held her to me. I think it must have been a very gentle entrance to the world for her as she didn't cry at all, she just looked around.

Good luck and hope you have a good experience if you choose to have a water baby!

NarcolepsyQueen · 01/06/2012 10:08

Do it! It is so much more relaxing and natural feeling - I had one with my DS and am planning on the same again with DC3

DarrowbyEightFive · 01/06/2012 10:22

I got in a bath during DD1's birth for half an hour, but then got out because I had a strong feeling that I needed to be walking away the pain, and that is what I did, right up until the birth itself (propped up by DH and a midwife). With DD2 it was quicker, and very early in the morning so I was knackered from the start, and I stayed in the pool throughout - it was great, definitely made the pain easier, and the atmosphere more relaxed. The moment where she was brought out from under the water to the surface was just magical. I had no pain relief (no gas and air either) in either birth and felt pretty much in control throughout.

So my conclusion is that a water birth is potentially a great thing, but you should continue to listen to your instincts about what your body needs, and not insist on staying in the bath just because it's there, or just because you've rented it for a home birth, or because we've all said how great it is.

BTW, in your position, with no. 2 coming so quickly, I would so be booking a home birth and telling the midwife to come over as soon as contractions start!

Original poster

ilikeyoursleeves · 01/06/2012 21:45

Thanks for all your responses, I will definitely be going for a water birth now! Although my ds2 arrived quickly I had been having contractions for about 5 hours before we left for the hospital which is why we were caught short! Ds1 took four days to arrive so I thought I had plenty of time, oops. So this time we will leave for the hospital at the first twinge!

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