Water birth pros & cons?

[chloecorey]

I'm considering a water birth but not too sure yet, what's good and bad about it? Will really appreciate replies as you only get one chance really and want to be sure 29 weeks today by the way xxx

I had a water birth 11 weeks ago with my first baby and it was wonderful experience. The good things about it are that the water really does help with the pain and I also just felt more relaxed and calm in the water which is really important during labour. Also, being in the pool I felt more like I was just left to it (in a good way- the midwifes were very good and that's what I wanted) and that made it easier to just concentrate on what I was doing. I think water births also make you less likely to tear but you would need to check that. I found out after I had dd that the midwife thought the pool was the best place for me as I had a pretty big bump!

The bad thing about water births you have hit on in your post. Unless you are having a home birth you can not decide to have a water birth until you get to the labour ward. If the pool is busy it is busy and there is nothing you can do about it. It is pure luck. So for me the bad thing about them is really wanting one and then it not happening. I agree, think about it and know about the options but be prepared for it to not happen and it's a bonus if it does. Sorry if that sounds pessimistic but it must be really upsetting to really set your heart on it and for whatever reason it doesn't happen.

I've had two. Id second what's been said above ^
Downsides- pool not being available, your labour not going to plan and deemed too risky for pool, getting in too early (IME before 5/6cms dilated) and it slowing/stopping labor/contractions, my experience was t

If you have good confidence and belief in yourself and you don't live in a big city, Id really recommend a pool at home, they are very cheap to hire or buy and you can still have gas and air at home too

I wasn't allowed a water birth with my first baby due to muconium but had a water birth in hospital with my second baby and loved it so much that I had a home water birth with my third last week. Was really scared of water not being available in hospital so home birth was the obvious choice.

I would recommend asking for a water birth when you go in, try it and if it works for you then brilliant but if not then you just get out.

I find it allows me to relax completely. Allows me to move more freely and cope with the contractions better. Takes the pressure off my back. Allows me to use gravity without feeling the strain of being upright. My favourite bit is delivering the baby myself. I had no interference from midwives other than encouragement and brought both child number 2&3 into this world myself and straight up onto chest for cuddles. Magic.

Good luck. Xx

I have had two. Both very positive experiences. Only real downside for me is having to get out to deliver the placenta when you're soaking wet and cold as well as in pain. For ds1, I was absolutely desperate for a water birth, second time round, by the time I was in labour, I was less bothered by the whole pool thing and think I would have been just as happy on dry land. This could be because ds2 made a fairly speedy appearance though.

I loved my water birth - it was so soothing and the freedom to move around made labour feel much easier. I am afraid of the pool not being available next time and considering hiring a pool, however, I don't understand how it works at home! Does it take ages to fill? How do you maintain the correct temperature of the water? And how on earth do you empty it afterwards??

I would have loved a water birth and was lucky to get a pool at hospital. I went in at 9cm and had a glorious hour in there with g&a but my contractions stopped and I ended up on a syntocinon drip before a ventouse delivery. I'm still really glad that I was able to use the pool for a while but don't set your heart on delivering in the pool as sometimes this just isn't possible.

I've had 4 children and had dc3 and dc4 in the pool. I found it so much easier than the first two labours. Because gravity is with you and the water pushes and helps things along they were both much quicker and less painful. The midwife said to me that she was convinced the water speeded things up as all the water births seemed quicker.
If it's available I'd definitely say give it a try. Like other people have said, you can always get out if it isn't for you.

I think they are brilliant I've had 3 so far.

But some women find the warm water makes them feel to hot to closed in and uncomfortable

I had ds4 in a pool and it was fabulous, I also stayed in the pool to deliver the placenta, had a natural their stage wohtout the injection, the midwife then fished it out with a big sieve!

It was great, I wanted to have no 5 in the pool as well but needed the syntocin dripso couldn't.

With no 2 and 3 I spent a lot of my labour in a bath and nearly delivered ds3 in the bath.

If I had another baby, unlikely! I would want a water birth.

Ds4 was 10lb 13oz, no stitches required, am sire the water helped everything stretch!

Being in the pool feels wonderful. It really does help with the pain. It is like being in an enormous bath which actually covers the bump.

I didn't deliver in the pool, but I really would recomend it.

If you are worried about the pool not being available, maybe consider a home birth?

I got in the pool at 9cm, slowed everything down - 2hrs lateri got out the pool and DS was born 20 mins later.

DS2 I went without pool and he was born in less than two hours start to finish!

Positives - definitely helped me with pain relief, birthing pools were in the calm MLBU, less monitoring (just one internal and the waterproof Doppler all other times), found the water very relaxing, it can help promote being upright so gravity helps baby to move down, I had just first degree tear with 8lb baby (but not able to compare that to a non water experience).

Negatives - it was bloody hot in a warm pool (more like a big clover shaped bath) for 4 hours - mum had to keep mopping back of my neck with a cold flannel and I fainted when I got out, length of time on my knees/elbows meant I had bruising for a good 2.5 weeks after (they only got towels to act as cushions well into pushing bit), as said before you cannot guarantee getting one.

Despite negatives, next time I'd seriously consider a home birth so I can guarantee a water birth (provided its safe to).

Good luck!

Thanks all so much for replies, I think it's defiantly my plan if it is avaliable at the time. Actually looking forward to it now believe it or not he's my first baby lol.xx

I had my first DC earlier this year, I was absolutely convinced I'd need the whole world of drugs because I am a massive wimp. However at about 30 weeks I decided that I wanted a water birth, DD was born in an hour and a half with not so much as a paracetamol. I would heartily recommend it, I found it so calming, and it definitely helped with the pain. Only downside is as others said there's always a concern it might not be free, so make a back up plan just in case.

(Just to confirm that DD was not born at 30 weeks, that's just when I decided!)

Every time I tried a water birth it was so lovely and warm and relaxing that everything completely stopped and I had to go home again.
I didn't have any stitched so maybe it softens everything .
Maybe it could be a good delaying tactic if say you wanted the baby to be born the next day ( school year, DH being present ) ?

I loved mine. Was struggling with the pain, demanding drugs I couldn't have (midwife only unit) and then got in the pool and all was, well, not nice, but much more manageable!