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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Water birth - is it messy?

40 replies

mumhum · 26/02/2015 15:35

I am keen on a water birth with my second baby. I am 34 weeks and had my first at 36 + 2 so was not allowed then as premature. But is it really messy? I am not particularly squeamish, but I don't fancy the idea of floating around in my own blood and poo. First baby was premature and labour less then 4 hrs so struggle to remember how much mess there was on the bed then!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 27/02/2015 17:35

For me, the main benefit was the support it gave me - with previous labours my legs gave way with each contraction so my positions were limited. I also found it gave me a sense of privacy.

I'm not sure if it took the edge off the pain TBH - it still hurt as much as my two land births! It's difficult to tell as each labour is different.

JuniperTisane · 27/02/2015 17:46

It did take the edge off the pain quite considerably for me. I noticed a great difference being out of the water and back in it again. I agree with the support as well, the water cushions you.

I felt far more in control in the water than out of it.

solstice930 · 27/02/2015 19:26

That's good to hear madrigals! I definitely want to try again as I would love to actually birth in the pool this time.

Bellejessleo · 27/02/2015 19:40

I've had 2 water births and both in my opinion seemed very clean, I wasn't sick or anything and didn't poo though so that might be why! The 2nd water birth was at home, and I actually stayed in the pool to deliver the placenta, to avoid possibly getting the sofa mucky. It was bloody after that, but I just got out as soon as the placenta came. Best of luck!

littlesupersparks · 27/02/2015 19:44

Absolutely no mess with mine. Baby was so chilled when he came out that they whipped him awy because he didn't cry (I think they were worried about his breathing) but soon sheepishly handed him back uber relaxed.

Messygirl · 27/02/2015 23:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ratarse · 28/02/2015 19:04

I had a right good old look, I was surprised how little mess there was - put it this way, I let my kids look in there after (aged 8 - 12). I did do a little poo when pushing but the midwife scooped it out with the net.

Ratarse · 28/02/2015 19:05

I delivered everything in the pool too.

SoMuchForSubtlety · 28/02/2015 19:20

I stayed in the pool for about 9 hours, from when my midwife arrived and confirmed I was 5cm (home birth) until DD was born. My waters broke in the pool. No poo, but it was pretty murky by the time DD was born... I tried to get out for a wee at one point and a contraction came and it hurt A LOT more than in the pool so I decided not to get out again! I got out to birth the placenta though, I just had a chair by the pool with a (brown, fleece, hard to stain) blanket over it, and I had a plastic tub to plop the placenta into (very weird process, like an afterthought, which seemed unfair to the organ that did the lion's share of the work).

Clemelan · 03/03/2015 20:29

I had a water birth 3 weeks ago, I wondered about the mess too! As far as I remember during my labour there was one blood clot floating around which in my spaced out state (gas and air!) I thought was a sea horse?! And kept asking the midwife to remove the sea horse, which she didn't do because she didn't have a clue what I was on about!! It only got bloody in there once baby had arrived and I was straight out to deliver the placenta on the bed. They don't usually let you stay in the pool for long as they want to be able to observe the amount of blood loss. Oh and also, I pulled the baby up and out by myself , which is just SO special! Enjoyed my water birth far more than my bed birth!

houghtonk76 · 08/03/2015 08:31

Snowflake, my classes suggest it is both more relaxing for you & baby and more natural pain relief way of giving birth. Also you can have gas & air with water birth, so this helps too. Looks like it can slow things down if get in too soon. Planning water birth at birthing centre for my first, due 1st April, am nearly 37 weeks, as hoping to relieve the pain / tearing this way. Also have gay, male midwife, so it should be an interesting time & hopefully fascinating anecdote for parties!! Lol! :-) People think I'm a hippie anyway (I'm actually quite conventional & conservative on the quiet), so figure I may as well embrace it!

houghtonk76 · 08/03/2015 08:33

Slightly worriedabout the poss mess though & defo loving the kidney bean story!! Awful, but hilarious if not you!!

OinkBalloon · 08/03/2015 08:42

I loved my water birth. It was the best of all my birthings. But, yes, it was messy. Poo, blood, meconium. OTOH I really did not care - I was too busy giving birth. I felt so totally engaged with what I was doing, comforted, soothed and supported by the water, focused and calm, that I was not at all bothered by the state of the water.

Afterwards they drained the pool with me still in it, holding my baby, and showered us both off before I got out to deliver the placenta. I'm sure that they would have let me get out of the pool first, had I wanted to, but I could not be bothered.

redballoons · 08/03/2015 08:48

I had a waterbirth too. Amazing experience, lifted my baby out of the water. Makes me emotional just thinking about it! I have no recollection of mess, but after giving birth/delivering placenta there was quite a bit of blood in the pool. Not enough to put me off the idea of a water birth again though.

Izzy24 · 08/03/2015 08:50

Houghtonk

In what way is the fact that your midwife is male and gay relevant?

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