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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

water birth??

31 replies

Stom91 · 21/08/2013 15:26

hi all, im 22 weeks pregnant and been signed off work for a week so stuck at home overthinking things lol. i was thinking about possibly having a water birth if i can, i just wondered if anyone else has had an experiances or to stay away etc.. people have even asked me what milk pwder ill be using if i bottle feed and im like what?? i havent even thought that far yet :S lol xx

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Claire5517 · 21/08/2013 19:04

Hi Stom91, I had my DD 10 days ago and had a water birth and I highly recommend it!! It was amazing, I honestly believe being in the hot water was the reason I didn't need pain relief (only had gas and air for 5mins, which was a waste of time really). Each time I got out of the water to go to the loo or be examined I could feel the difference strongly between being in there and out. It was so relaxing and I also felt like I had more privacy than I would have lying on a bed for the world to see everything. Trust me, it was the best decision I ever made!!!

Indith · 21/08/2013 19:05

waterbirth is lovely

Original poster

Stom91 · 21/08/2013 20:41

Hey thanks. Yeah I'm not getting my hopes up but I'd like one. As I love having a bath and i have a bad back and joint anyway the water really helps... Just wish I had a bigger bath! Lol... Yeah I'm not too keen on everyone seeing everything lol... Also. I know this isn't really birth related but my mum really thinks I want her at the birth.. But I'm not sure If I will/ or do want her there... I kinda want it to be intermate between me and my DP..... But she's so excited I just haven't go the heart to tell her.. Xx

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Kt1991 · 21/08/2013 20:52

Hey Stom, I started off in the water for several hours, and it really helped! Unfortunately my blood pressure got too hugh, so I couldn?t deliver in the pool, which I was gutted about , but would deffinately recommend it, it made me feel a lot more relaxed for the time I was in there! I know several people who have managed to deliver in there too, and they said it was great!

Kt1991 · 21/08/2013 20:53

*high

Original poster

Stom91 · 21/08/2013 20:57

Aww great i do really want one. When is the best time to tell your Mw? I have my 25 week appointment on the 5th should i mention it then? Xx

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abby81 · 22/08/2013 08:10

Hi Stom, yes tell your midwife asap. I think they have to go through your birth plan at your 30 ish week mw apt but the sooner you mention it the better I reckon. I live in Devon and hope to have a water birth at a small mw lead unit so I have already told them thats what I want.

Original poster

Stom91 · 22/08/2013 09:29

Ahh cool. Yeah it I'm not sure what I want lol I want to ey and go with the flow but it's all completely new to me I'm juat like argghhhhh lol

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AmandaCooper · 22/08/2013 10:42

You can always get out if you find you don't like it OP!

I had a water birth. At the point just before they put me into the pool I was screaming really hysterically that I wanted a c section. When they suggested I try the pool first I think I said something along the lines of "a fat load of fucking good that's going to do!" I then refused to get undressed and got in the pool with my clothes on.

Together with the gas and air it made a massive difference. It was still very painful but I was soon relaxed and back in control and I coped really well after that.
I'll be planning a home birth if I ever do it again - to make damn sure I have access to a pool.

Original poster

Stom91 · 22/08/2013 10:49

Yeah I'm Deffo going to tell mw when I see her.. I seriously want to avoid forceps they creep me out and i don't want an epidural if i can help it...... Also nothing to do with water births but.. My mum has said they she wants to be there... Well actually she's just assumed that she will be at the birth... But if im honest as much as I love her I'm not sure I want her there.. In a nice way.. Lol.. I kinda want it to be intermate between me and DP. .. I just haven't got the heart to tell her. Kinda hoping I go into labour on a weekend when dp is about so I don't need to call her lol x

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AmandaCooper · 22/08/2013 18:40

Well that's it then she's not coming. If you don't want her there that's the end of it. It's not a spectator sport, it's childbirth. Anything that might inhibit you and affect your ability to cope/relax just isn't on. It's no time to be pandering to people. Just don't call her when it happens.

Airfryer · 22/08/2013 19:43

I had a water birth 12 days ago and it was amazing! Had gas and air for half hour, the water was brilliant As pain relief.

Original poster

Stom91 · 22/08/2013 19:55

Aww brilliant.. I really want one now lol. .. Yeah Amanda I suppose I'm just going to have to tell her. Lol

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Kt1991 · 22/08/2013 20:22

Tell her now before it gets too late! I had my mum and my MIL in with me , as well as DH but I wanted that extra person there cause my mum knows me best and she helped me calm down a lot! MIL was waiting in waiting room (cause labour started off quick!) then when it was taking a lot time I felt bad she was waiting by herself out there, so I allowed her in too! Thankfully I?m really close to her so was a big help having her there too (she also comforted my DH when he got emotional!) but its entirely upto you as its your labour!

Original poster

Stom91 · 22/08/2013 21:01

Yeah i want it to be me and DP but I may change my mind when I'm in pain lol. She will just worry and give the i wish I could do something look and i don't need that I need her to be assertive xx

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MintyDiamonds · 23/08/2013 00:03

I had a home waterbirth 5 months ago and it was an amazing experience, I only got in at the end when I started to push about 45 mins before I gave birth and everything became much less intense as soon as I got in, didn't even need the gas and air anymore!

I really credit the water birth helping me not to tear only a minor graze as she came out in one push.

Sleepathon · 23/08/2013 00:06

So glad you posted this OP.

I am 25 weeks and really keen on a water birth but to be fair don't know much about it. Sorry if this is a stupid question but what did you ladies wear in the pool? And where do the partners sit? Also when baby is out can you have skin to skin immediately? I take it you have to come out of the pool quite quickly after birth?

AmandaCooper · 23/08/2013 07:30

Hi Sleepathon congratulations on your pregnancy! I had a tankini in my labour bag but that never got opened. I ended up wearing a camisole vest in the pool. DH could have got in with me had I wanted it but I didn't, so he sat in various places throughout the labour. When I was pushing DH was right up against the side of the pool and I was leaning my head against him over the side. I caught the baby myself and placed him on my chest straight away - the midwives hung back until I was good and ready to pass him over for checks and to birth the placenta. There was no rush for this at all so we had lots of skin to skin.

AmandaCooper · 23/08/2013 07:32

MintyDiamonds I also had very little trauma - just a very small tear, no stitches and straight home afterwards.

MintyDiamonds · 23/08/2013 07:35

I wore nothing, I soon as I went into labour I felt like I was running a marathon I was sooooo hot so I stripped straight away but I was at home and didn't care about the midwives or my mum and sister seeing me naked!

When I got into the pool my partner held my hand whilst I pushed, I was kinda leaning over the edge of the pool. I cuddled the baby straight away, she went straight for the nipple. Got out quite quick because it was getting cold but I imagine a hospital will be warmer than my freezing house.

MintyDiamonds · 23/08/2013 07:39

AmandaCooper- did you feel it was due to being in water? I just felt it didn't feel as tight when pushing in the water to when I started pushing on dry land!

Original poster

Stom91 · 23/08/2013 09:36

Water births sound really chilled (as u can be lol) and just go with the flow that's really what I want... I really hope I get to have one. X

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AmandaCooper · 24/08/2013 00:00

Minty I don't have anything to compare it to so all I can say, anecdotally, is that I delivered in water and only had a very minor tear. I also didn't experience the "ring of fire".

AmandaCooper · 24/08/2013 00:07

Stom I should probably point out that I chose to deliver in a midwife led unit attached to a hospital where the consultant unit was just the other side of the corridor, so I was able to express a preference for using the pool without ruling out any other options. This is obviously not possible in every setting.

Original poster

Stom91 · 24/08/2013 00:18

Yeah where I'm going with have the same... Well u have the mother and baby unit then the main hospital is across the car park x

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