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Childbirth

Birth Pool v's Normal Birth 😕

64 replies

LittleMrsSophieB · 02/01/2017 15:42

Hi I'm 31 weeks and nows the time everyone's started to ask "what your labour plans?"... we'll to be honest iv not really given it much thought I keep thinking to my self "iv got pleanty of time to think about that"

What I would like to know Is what do people recommend... (Pros and cons) iv thought about using the birth pool but I'm not sure this is my first baby and not sure what to expect... any opinions will be great xxx

OP posts:

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JaxingJump · 05/01/2017 16:17

Oh and I forgot to say I had 2 water births and one epidural, out of water birth.

JaxingJump · 05/01/2017 16:15

Piggy, the bath is incredibly different to a birthing pool.

JaxingJump · 05/01/2017 16:14

A lot of people, especially first time mums, don't make it to the pool for various reasons so if I were you I'd aim for the pool but just go with the flow. When you arrive at hospital, assuming a typical labour st that point, ask for the pool as they are sometimes busy and/or take ages to fill. You may or may not make it to the pool depending on how far along you are and whether you manage to get to the right stage without epidural etc to actually get in the pool. Take it as it comes and make your own decisions as you go. If you make it to the pool then yes, I think that is a good way to give birth but saying you've had enough and need an epidural earlier is nothing bad either.

user1474140141 · 05/01/2017 16:08

I gave birth in a pool at home. Used TENS machine for most of labour. Got in pool fully dilated but waters in tact. Waters broke in the pool and baby born in 18 minutes. Was just what I needed at that point. Second midwife arrived after baby arrived (she had gas and air!) so managed it with TENS and water only. It was my first.

I would recommend x

PiggyPlumPie · 04/01/2017 22:37

I hated being in the water! I was having a planned home birth and was reluctant to call the MW at two in the morning so DH ran a bath. I wasn't in it for five minutes. Horses for courses I guess.

Ohyesiam · 04/01/2017 22:34

Oh yes, no stitches either.

Ohyesiam · 04/01/2017 22:33

I am normally a shower person, but for the last 30 weeks of my ds's pregnancy I craved a bath every day. So I thought , this means birth pool. Midwife was happy, and said it really helped with pain relief, I thought" yea, right ". But I can honestly say that birth was many times less painful than with my dd.
So of you like water, go for it.

TakeMeToHawaii · 04/01/2017 21:52

Not read all previous posts but I'll put my 2pence worth in...

I went in the birthing pool and loved it, came out to give birth as I wasn't concentrating on pushing in the pool, I kept crossing my legs haha, anyway I gave birth to my 10lb 10oz DD and only just had a third degree tear and fully believe if I hadn't been in the bath I would have tore more.

LotisBlue · 04/01/2017 21:06

I had a waterbirth with my second. I really recommend it, my contractions were twice as bad when I got out for a wee. As well as the pain relief, the water means you can support yourself in better positions eg kneeling. I didn't tear either.

humanfemale · 04/01/2017 20:31

I had a birth pool at home for my second (a home birth) and it literally cut my pain in half when I was in it. Would definitely recommend it - pretty amazing the difference it made.

I ended up choosing to give birth out of water but spent a lot of the first stage of labour in the pool.

MrsHathaway · 04/01/2017 20:21

I had a (home, hypno) water birth with big DC3 - nearly 10 lb, 98th centile head circumference. It was glorious for comfort.

QuilliamCakespeare · 04/01/2017 20:14

I've had both because although I planned a water birth with my second he came so quickly there wasn't time to fill the pool, I found the water birth much calmer and more comfortable. With a bed birth ( I was squatting not lying down) I felt a lot more including my waters breaking and the baby turning round once his head was out. My second labour was more intense anyway due to the speed but I definitely felt more relaxed and in control whilst in the water.

Acorncat · 04/01/2017 19:56

I found the pool great for pain relief but it also slowed my labour right down I think. It might have just been the hospital itself rather than the pool but I'd be reluctant to bother this time around. It ended in an episiotomy after I just lost the urge to push him round that final bit and his heart rate was dropping. I got in the pool fully dilated but 2 hours later I had to get out for the episiotomy.

Lickedthespoon · 04/01/2017 19:52

I had an excellent water birth and plan to (all a being well) this time around. Definite pain relief, as soon as I got in I felt the relief. Labour is so pick and mix, that there will always be fore and against any options- I hope you have a great labour

Wolfiefan · 04/01/2017 18:56

I had awful back pains with every contraction. DH poured warm water from a jug over my back. (May have threatened him with physical violence if he stopped!) back to back baby and existing back problems. The water was amazing. I think I actually said to the mw I didn't know how anyone did it on dry land!

Horseshoe1 · 04/01/2017 18:52

If you want to make god laugh, tell him your birth plan!

Seriously, I did all the hypno courses and wanted to be super natural but in the end I had such a long and troublesome labour I feel like I tried out every sort of birth and every sort of pain relief! The day I spent in water was the best bit - it really eased the pain (though I didn't progress so eventually had to abandon that). Book a pool but don't set your heart on anything as your body might have other ideas.

LittleMrsSophieB · 04/01/2017 18:34

Iv totally enjoyed reading everyone experience of birth pools today is the first time I was admitted to the hospital so it's given me something to read as I was in for 8hrs being monitored for high blood pressure I now have to see the midwife weekly from now until baby comes so not sure how I will stand on having a water birth so i'll have to ask her next week and see if it's still an option xx

OP posts:

MuppetsChristmasCarol · 04/01/2017 18:06

I would have loved to try a birthing pool, but was a high risk pregnancy so had to be consultant lead in hospital. I had a bath in the fancy big baths at the hospital in the very early stages of labour though, and it was quite nice!

Don't stress too much - you can't really plan these things. I've managed to block out most memories of labour anyway!

MrsMerchant · 04/01/2017 17:52

My first was a long drawn out induction with me mostly horizontal. Pushing for an hour.
My second was in the pool and I pushed for three mins and there he was!

BertieBotts · 04/01/2017 17:49

It isn't the same in a bath, you're not totally immersed in a bath. The pool is bigger and deeper.

BertieBotts · 04/01/2017 17:48

I don't know how it works but it's bloody brilliant.

If I could make an educated guess, it helps to relax the muscles meaning you don't tense and make the pain worse. It also helps stabilise the temperature. I became a bit princess and the pea about my surroundings so water was more constant.

I have a low pain threshold but the pool and gas and air made labour manageable for me.

socktastic · 04/01/2017 16:58

It's supposed to act like a big hot water bottle, the warmer your muscles are, the pain is reduced. Some people swear by them. I got a bath in the room in the ward while I was contracting but they got worse. That was due to the progress of labour rather than the bath not working.

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Redpony1 · 04/01/2017 16:17

May i ask how a pool helps pain? Genuinely interested for the future, as i suffer with serious back pain (not even pregnant yet! & have a very low pain threshold) which i assume isn't as bad as labour pains, but a bath has never soothed it in the slightest. I am also scared about the gas & air, had it a few times & it's been utterly useless. Concerned i am immune to pain relief.

My birth plan will be - as many drugs as i can take!

BertieBotts · 04/01/2017 16:06

Birth pool was amazing. I'd planned a home birth and bought an inflatable one but didn't end up using it as I transferred into hospital. The only thing that kept me from falling apart when transferring was that the midwife mentioned the birth pool room had been free when she left!

I didn't give birth in the water but it was amazing for labour pains. I definitely want to use one again, hopefully would get to do the actual birth in the pool next time.

socktastic · 04/01/2017 15:58

BE very prepared for your plan to go out the window. I wanted a pool; it was on my birth plan. However I was diagnosed with hypertension, induced and the wee man was born within 40 mins of waters breaking as he was in distress. All I got was gas and air! (Although it did mean I have very little recollection of those 40 minutes!)

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