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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Pouring cold water on genitals as baby crowns?

24 replies

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 21/03/2015 17:30

My MW did this with me, and I wonder if anyone else experienced it? The relief it gave was immense. I was trying to explain it to a pregnant friend and wanted to see if it was a common thing.

I cant find anything online about it - my MW cant have been a maverick!

OP posts:

Gunpowder · 21/03/2015 17:33

How interesting! Don't think I have read about this in Ina May or similar. Am going to ask my MW next week!

Did she do anything else unusual?

Original poster

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 21/03/2015 17:35

She didnt really have time tbh. The labour was v.quick! She didnt touch me other than to examine me, and just talked me through stuff.

OP posts:

Gunpowder · 21/03/2015 17:36

Sounds like a good labour. Congrats

Original poster

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 21/03/2015 17:40

It was my second baby, DC1s labour was heinous!

OP posts:

LetticeKnollys · 21/03/2015 17:48

DS needed forceps but I have never heard of this, and I have read A LOT of birth experiences/books/spoken to a lot of midwives etc. Interesting, I will certainly bear it in mind for if/when DC2 makes an appearance!

Original poster

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 21/03/2015 18:10

Ha! Maybe she was a renegade!

OP posts:

VivaLeBeaver · 21/03/2015 18:13

I do it sometimes. Something I was taught as a student. Seems to bring a lot of relief. I do it a little bit before crowning and only over the perinieum rather than the whole genital area. I've never read any research on it and my instinct tells me to make sure I don't chuck cold water over the top of baby's head.

NoRoomForALittleOne · 21/03/2015 19:59

I once had a lovely midwife apply a lot of lubricating gel just before crowning and that took a lot of the burning pain away. I imagine that the relief is similar.

PourquoiTuGachesTaVie · 21/03/2015 20:03

I had a water birth and no burning pain when dc2 was crowning, dc1 was born on dry land and I'll never forget the crowning pain!

AtAmber · 21/03/2015 20:09

That happened to me with ds3. It was a very quick labour as well. We arrived at the hospital 10 minutes before he was born.

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 21/03/2015 20:15

I had a hot cloth to the perineum - worked a treat.

Gunpowder · 21/03/2015 20:22

Ooh hot or cold sounds good.

Hacked DC#2 is due in 5 weeks, hope I get a similar ride!

yazz21 · 21/03/2015 20:23

Wow that sounds like it would provide a lot of relief. I remember the burning pain with dd1. I'm due any day with dd2, do you think I could request this?

kinkytoes · 21/03/2015 20:29

Lubricant is a fucking fantastic idea, why isn't this standard? Might have saved me some bother.

VivaLeBeaver · 21/03/2015 20:52

Yes, you could definitly ask for it.

VivaLeBeaver · 21/03/2015 20:55

I've got a gut feeling that lubricant wouldn't be the best idea.

For a start I don't think it would actually have a lubricating effect. Baby is generally a slippy little thing, amniotic fluid in the mix and the fact that vaginas are self lubricating covers that.

Yes, cold lubricating gel would have the same effect as cold water in providing temp pain relief as the skin is being stretched.

But if you tear Id wager that the gel could sting a bit.

NoRoomForALittleOne · 21/03/2015 21:02

I did tear, the gel didn't hurt. The haematoma that formed under the stitches was another matter though...

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 21/03/2015 21:03

The thought of lubricant if you tore makes me wince. Surely that would sting?!

I have had two waterbirths and never any crowning pain at all, so I can see water on the area helps. I literally have no experience of the whole 'ring of fire' thing (one epidural and forceps, two water).

bigglesgoggles · 21/03/2015 21:07

Yes, same here, just at crowning MW poured some nice cool water (sterilised obviously). Took the edge off the stinging/burning.

spideysenses · 21/03/2015 21:09

My midwife did this with luke warm water during my second labour, it did help, much better than first experience. I wish I'd had time for it in my third labour but only just managed to make it into a labour room before dd arrived, she was in a hurry to get the trolley out and gloves on never mind anything else

puffylovett · 21/03/2015 21:16

I wish I'd had a midwife who did this, I can just imagine the relief!! That awful ring of fire burning sensation

Bair · 21/03/2015 23:13

If I can't have my water birth I will be asking for this.

Did anyone who had a water birth get the ring of fire?

NoRoomForALittleOne · 22/03/2015 16:30

It's not the same at all giving birth in water. I found it much more comfortable. Given that DD3 had a shoulder dystocia in the pool, it really wasn't that traumatic or painful at the time and certainly didn't burn in the same way although I do remember some stinging while she was crowning. DH and I both said that we were glad that I was in the pool as it seemed to help a lot. I got away with a first degree tear and an overstretched symphysis pubis which resolved over time. I found that I didn't lose control in the pool despite it being a super fast labour. I'm requesting that the pool is run before they break my waters for induction in case it is super speedy again and this has been agreed.

MayfairMummy · 22/03/2015 16:43

I suspect the concern is making sure the baby doesn't get the cold water on them.... same reason as water birth should be body temp pool; don't want the bub to react too early and try and gasp and get a mouthful of cold water first breath...

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