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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Waterbirth

40 replies

mamalou · 06/05/2004 11:57

I am due on 22nd May and am seriously considering a waterbirth. Has anyone had one? The midwives are supportive of my choice, but I am a little concerned that the monitoring will not be as efficient in water. I had a fairly traumatic birth with my daughter so I am trying to make this one as calm as possible...!

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serenequeen · 07/05/2004 21:20

thanks

i always picture labouring mainly in our bedroom (why???) but can't picture the birthing pool in there. www, the self heating (?) pool sounds really great. glad to hear you and dp observed the proprieties...

carla · 07/05/2004 21:37

I could never do it. Far too modest And would worry about all the grimey bums that had been in there before. But that's just me .....

serenequeen · 07/05/2004 21:42

carla, you mean you have some shreds of modesty and dignity left after your previous birth(s)?

toddlerbob · 07/05/2004 22:44

Fantastic, very calm, played music in the background, dimmed lights etc. Monitoring was fine they just use a waterproof thingie (technical term that). Husband didn't get in but only because pool wasn't big enough. He got very sore knees. You can always get out if you don't like it.

toddlerbob · 07/05/2004 22:45

Carla, They put a large plastic sheet over the whole pool before they put the water in - it got thrown away afterwards. No grimey bums at all.

marsup · 08/05/2004 08:38

Mamalou, I couldn't give birth in water as I was told they weren't geared up for that at the hospital, but they had a 'labouring pool' and I spent 4 hours in it with DH - it was lovely (well, apart from the labouring bit!); dim lights, warm water, gas and air to make me feel really drunk and DH cuddling me from behind (he was in the pool with me) to keep temperature adjusted and hold my head out of the water when I got too high on the gas and air. Then I had to come out on dry land to push, which was a bit of a let-down but probably a good idea to be sober for that part!

rsv1000r · 09/05/2004 20:31

I didn't consider a water birth for my last child as the midwives at my local hospital said that although the labour was easier for most women in the water that for their part they felt it was a pain - the mother had to keep getting in and out to be monitored and keeping on topping up the water in a long labour to stop getting chilled was also considered a 'pain' for them - particularly when they were short staffed. In the end though my son decided to turn up 3 months early and had to have an emergency caesar!

All that said, this was 5 years ago and I'm sure that techniques for monitoring have got better, such as the sonic monitor mentioned below and perhaps things have got easier with topping the thing up.

pupuce · 10/05/2004 11:32

Monitoring is not a problem under water (if they have a sonic aid), delivering placenta in water is best but some MWs don't feel experienced enough so they prefer you to get out. Princesspeahead did the most natural.... i.e delivering placenta with baby still attached. You cut chord afterwards. Natural 3rd stage can take 10 minutes or 3 hours.... a lot of MW say it takes a long time to discourage mums but all the labours I attended had short natural 3rd stage. One mum had a longer one with over 1 hour but that's because she didn't have the urge to push so they gently pulled the placenta out. It was detached anyway.
Spot is "spot on" ;-) they don't touch the baby when he/she comes out to avoid stimulating baby's reflexes. They can still see what you're doing so if need be they'll tell you to pant. I also didn't tear.
I had pool in front room and did use it antenatally - great relief!

chloemummy · 10/05/2004 15:08

I also had a water birth inSept 2000. I found it a great experience. I was in the pool from about midnight i think and my baby was born at 5.38. I dont remember being monitored as such but maybe they did. I squatted to give birth. I was given an injection to speed up the placenta coming out as the midwife tried to pull it out and I was too tender and I did not have any adrenaline left I think to push it out naturally. I did tear... but that would not detract from having a water birth again. I gave birth to the placenta in the pool. Straight after the birth the midwife gave me the baby and I try to latch her on but she wasnt interested. I had a shower and she latched on about 45 minutes later. I did not have any pain relief... I tried gas and air and it made me sick so I just breathed and gave birth naturally.. I would recommend a water birth

Elderberry · 10/05/2004 21:50

Go for it! It's ds2's 1st birthday today - he was born in the pool - and it was the most amazing experience - no drugs, no tearing, the water is great for pain relief although I was only in there for about an hour. Have no hesitation in recommending it if your mw is supportive. I would do it this way all over again!

wishingchair · 11/05/2004 10:29

Absolutely! It was the best thing ever! My dd was born in water ... I was in there for about 4 hours in all. Had gas and air and I seem to remember having the very occasional (maybe only 1) internal exam and also occasional hand held heart monitoring. Guess if there were any complications you'd be recommended to get out so they could be more involved.

Good thing was it was very relaxed and I was pretty much left to get on with it. Midwife was in the background or rubbing my back but not interfering IYKWIM. DH did not get in the pool with me (wasn't allowed and didn't want to!) and I am glad - he was able to support me from the outside of the pool, change CDs, pass me glass of water etc - and there was something really nice about having all that space just to myself!!

I did tear but then she shot out (bungeed to the other end of the pool!) and was a v.big baby. But I remember sitting on the ward hearing another woman talk about her 3 epidurals etc etc and feeling just so unbelievably proud of myself for having given birth in the way I did.

Good luck!

Coj · 21/05/2004 19:27

Boobles- my hubbie felt exactly the same as yours. He was pushing for England and felt like he was going to split!
Waterbirth was fantastic. I always tell people it was like a magical out of body experience. Very calming with lights down low. I am one of these weird people who look back on it v fondly (v cold when I got out though, & make sure you use one of their towels that they can boil wash!)

rolymoly · 27/05/2004 11:24

I had a birthing pool, in the dining room. Got it from a company called Splashdown who have agents around the country so we could go and pick it up rather than paying expensive delivery fees. I would really recommend it. DD was born in the pool and it was lovely. I have recently started taking her swimming and she really enjoys it, which I soppily attribute to her being a water baby

Original poster

mamalou · 09/06/2004 13:42

Despite all the wonderful messages and advice, I failed to give birth in water. I got to 7 cms but felt I could not cope any longer. I then had an epidural which did not work so perhaps I should have stayed in. Thankfully, Baby Ben is none the wiser for my trauma!

OP posts:

Blu · 09/06/2004 13:47

Mamalou: congratulations on the birth of Ben.

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