Water birth and weight limit

[Sunflower1985]

Does anyone know if it's true about a weight limit for using a birthing pool at hospital?

I'd like to try but am overweight.

John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, if anyone has any insider knowledge.

Thanks

In Derby you have to be on the midwife led list - not the hospital led birth to access water birth - having a BMI of over 35 would likely put you on the hospital led list esp for first baby.

I'd be interested in knowing this too, I've got a feeling its 100kg,but think my info is put of date.

My understanding is your BMI needs to be under 35 at booking in although I have read women on here being quoted under 30.

My bmi was too high according to the guidelines, but all other risk factors were low, so they okayed it. It depends on the midwife/hospital I guess. I had a wonderful water birth!

That's good to hear spoo it has never made any sense to me. Obviously if BMI is very high then that can create other risks but it is often suggested on here that midwife needs to be able to get the woman out of the pool in an emergency hence the upper BMI limit but that's where the logic breaks down for me.

My BMI is 23 but I'm 5,7 so I'd wager I weigh more than someone who is 5 ft with a BMI of 31.

I'm pregnant with #2 and hoping I can use the pool this time. Merconion staining in my waters last time so I couldn't use it.

BMI seems a silly measure in this case as a woman of 5ft with a BMI of 35 probably weighs a fair bit less than a woman of 5FT8 with a BMI of say 27 - an actual weight seems a better way of calling it as surely it's about getting you out safely and quickly if necessary.

My bmi was "too high" as I was a muscle mary from lots of gym visits (sigh, those were the days) and my bmi was measured at the hospital I moved to at 30 weeks pregnant (so obviously I was a lot heavier than most at their booking in appt!).

I was told that it was getting you out of the pool in an emergency.

Like Pasta said though, I'm very short, so my very high BMI wouldn't be high BMI in a taller person (6 inches - still less than average height - and I'd be under the bar), an absolute weight limit would make more sense for the getting you out in the pool reason.

Interestingly, when I was having a home water birth for my first (didn't pan out, for other reasons), the midwives were happy, that having met my enormous husband, that he'd be able to get me out and that I was properly informed of the risks and could give my own consent to that additional risk (wasn't in the UK, they seem more nannying about it here).

Thanks for replies.

I called up the delivery suite today and they told me the policy at John Radcliffe in Oxford is that they check if you can climb in and out unaided and if you can it's fine. They said they'd thought about having a weight limit but as it doesn't take into account mobility, this way seems fairer.
It does seem to depend entirely on the hospital, like so many things - I'm finding
.

In my hospital it's just done by BMI. One of my friends who works in the hospital has told me they have a lift/crane type thing to get you out.