Water birth

[annalea85]

Hey anyone have any feedback on water births... This is my first baby and the thought of an epidural terrifies me.

Why do you think you will need an epidural? You always have choices. Water is supposed to be a very good pain reliever. There is also active birthing, hypnobirthing, gas and air, massage, diamorphine, pethidine. So lots of options before you need to consider an epidural, if it all.

I laboured in water for both births - both times though my waters went with meconium at about 10 cm dilated so I gave birth on dry land.

Found being in water very relaxing and helped take the edge off the pain. Used gas and air too. With DD I was in the water for almost 10 hours, with DS about 1 hour. Both times did not want to get out but needed to because of the meconium.

Would recommend it if you like baths and swimming and generally find water calming.

I'm due with my first and hoping to have a home water birth. We've been doing hypnobirthing and I would really recommend it if you are fearful of labour. It's great for helping you feel positive and confident about it, whatever way you choose to do it.

I've got 3 dc's and had my first and third in the birth pool and can really reccomend it, it really does make it hurt less and a lot calmer, my ds was born on dry land as he was so big (10.3lb) they wouldn't let me stay in the bath I was in and the pain when I got out literally doubled, I was petrified when I had my 3rd they wouldn't lets in the pool but they did phew!
Sounds strange but I've got v good memories of the birthing pool

I think you need to be aware that it isn't as simple as choosing a water birth. The rules around using a birth pool in a hospital (MLU or CLU) can be extremely strict. Many will have rules about how dilated you must be before you can use the pool, how your labour must have been progressing previously, etc. It is their equipment, so they can make rules about how and when it is used. Added to which, sometimes the pool is in use.

I'm not saying this to knock water birth. I had one with my second. But in my first labour I progressed slowly and ended up with the drip and an epidural (which I had also been terrified of, and still am quite frankly). I was in massive amounts of pain (no worse than it got right up delivery with DD2 even though technically I wasn't in active labour at that point with DD1), was only about 4cm and my hopes for a water birth went out the window.

I think you need to see water birth as a possible option, and it is great if it is suitable for you. But you need to make peace with other options, including more pharmaceutical pain relief. And, if you wish, explore other options like hypnobirthing.

Ok thanks guys I'll have a chat with the midwife and see what she says.

There is the Edgeware birthing unit. They alone do 80% of the UKs water births. They have 3 pools.

I'm telling you this because many many women who want a water birth for some reason or other don't appear to be getting them.

Loved loved loved it. Was watching come dine with me all night!

Sadley had to get out due to failure to progress and had ECS :(

I had a water birth with my first and found it a thoroughly positive experience. I always find baths very relaxing especially when pregnant and think this might be a good indication of whether it might help you relax during your labour. For me, as soon as the pool was full (this was at a hospital), I had this incredibly powerful urge to jump in and it was very helpful with the pain. I gave birth to my DS in the water and looking back, it's a really special memory that nobody else touched me - I pulled him up out of the water onto my chest and it just felt right. Good luck!

I had a home water birth 9 months ago now. I laboured until about 7 cm (I had a very quick birth, only took 4 hours from first contraction to get to 7cm dilated), and then got into the pool, it felt amazing i pretty much stopped feeling the contractions it all just became so much less intense.

I had my first on a bed and my second in a pool, loved the pool. It was in a MW led unit and they just left me to labour, it was amazing. As a PP said it felt so special to be the first person to touch DS, he swam up in-between my legs and I just caught him, makes me smile thinking about it . DDs birth was on a bed and I felt completely out of control, both births were very straightforwards but the pool beat the bed hands down.