Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Does your unit have a birthing pool? Will you consider using it?

30 replies

mears · 02/05/2007 10:41

Just wondering really. In all my years as a midwife (!), I think the pool is the best development we have had for pain relief.

Seems a hit or a miss with women though as to whether they know about it.

It is always worth a go - it either helps or it doesn't with no harm done.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ThomCat · 02/05/2007 10:46

With DD1 I very much planned on using the pool in the birthing centre. It was only when my active birth teacher started talking about a water birth that I realised how wonderful it all sounded and thought 'yes, that is for me'. But when it came to it, I was fully dilated as I arrived and ready to push, there was no moving me. I had to be on dry land and standing up and holding onto something so it didn't happen. All the contractions the water would have helped ease were over and done with. I did run a bath at home but got in, tried to lay down and projectile vomited so got out!

Then with DD2 I had her at home and our house is too small for a pool. I did get int he bath this time and as I eased myself in the immediate relief from pain was overwhelming, it just all sunsided, it was bliss. D pured hot water over the bump from a jug and kept doing it. It acted like a tens machine and was a great distraction from the contractions and really helped.

MissGolightly · 02/05/2007 10:47

The unit I gave birth in had one, most of my friends would have loved to use it but it was almost impossible because of the protocols. I was in an antenatal class of 8, all of whom were interested in using the pool and not one actually got to use it. Also it was in a normal birthing room, so that room wasn't always/often allocated to someone who could actually use the pool.

Cocobabe · 02/05/2007 10:52

Our local birthing unit has one but unfortunately I never had the chance to get into one as i'd hoped because ds decided to arrive bfore the pool was filled - the midwife had to yell ' stop the taps !!no time baby's coming now '!!...lol!

DaisyMOO · 02/05/2007 10:57

Our unit has a pool in central delivery suite and one in the birthing centre too. According to the midwives people used to ask for them quite a lot and now hardly ever do, no one knows why

I was offered one with my first labour but unfortunately the midwife went off shift and the one who replaced her suggested an epidural instead One very traumatic birth and two elective cesareans later I heard about water births again and had one at home. I was wonderful getting in I don't know how I'd have done it without!

DaisyMOO · 02/05/2007 10:58

It was wonderful. I am also wonderful also of course

elkiedee · 02/05/2007 11:10

I would have loved to use it - there are two in the place where I'm booked in to give birth. However, the rooms are also used for other births, and not all the midwives there are experienced in water births. I suspect I won't get a look in. Also, I'm now more than a week overdue and because I'm having my first baby at quite an old age, I'm booked in for induction - tomorrow - but going in tonight.

Someone else asked about it at my antenatal hospital class - apparently they have waterbirth courses but space on the next one wasn't available until September (this was in early March!) which was some months too late for her. It all rather suggests that resources aren't permitting them to offer as much use of the facilities as women would like and benefit from.

MissGolightly · 02/05/2007 11:13

I do think there is a certain amount of box-ticking, eg it looks good on the prospectus to say there is a birthing pool but there is no money allocated to training midwives and no real drive to enable women to actually benefit from it. One midwife admitted to me that she couldn't remember the last time a woman she delivered had used the pool.

MrsTittleMouse · 02/05/2007 11:15

Yes, but only one so you have to be lucky. I was and loved the... not exactly pain relief... but the relief to all my muscles in between contractions. Unfortunately DD was OP and it was slowing labour down, so I had to get out and walk around, which was AGONY! compared to the pool.

robin3 · 02/05/2007 11:18

Often the option for the pool is followed with a warning that there is only one and it's usually full.

For DS1 I think all my thoughts were about getting the hospital to let me stay in so I could get some gas and air, and I didn't want to complicate things by asking for the pool.

For DS2 I knew what to expect and called ahead to book the room...it was daytime and the hottest day of 2006 so thank goodness it was free. It really made the difference for me and my second labour was a great memory not a blurred trauma.

gigglinggoblin · 02/05/2007 11:19

i used it for ds3. was not allowed to for first 2, dont know why. no 4 should have been home water birth but ended up emergency cs. i loved it, mw told me people tend to want epidurals asap so it is not often used

NappiesGalore · 02/05/2007 11:20

i cannot for the life of me imagine childbirth without a pool!
i had 3 births, all water births and not a drop of any other pain relief. and im not 'ard.
if it wasnt for the water (freedom, mobility, control, comfort, bouyancy, calmness) i would have been drugged up to the eyeballs, me.
and ive never had a stitch either.

apparently its not for everyone but i cant fathom not giving it a go (to be fair, before i tried it i did think it was just a bit of a fluffy idea and id end up saying 'righto, that was not v useful, ill have me drugs now please') and i wouldnt DREAM of even contemplating any further births without a pool.

lulumama · 02/05/2007 11:42

Mears

there is one birth pool at the local maternity hospital, and obviously available on a first come first served basis

so, unless you can hire your own pool and take it in, or have a home water birth, i imagine many women do not consider water birth at hospital as odds are they won;t get one

Original poster

mears · 02/05/2007 11:44

DaisyMOO - I would imagine you had to fight to get a waterbirth at home after 2 C/S?

I had a struggle yesterday getting agreement to 'allow' a woman to use the pool whose last delivery was C/S. managed it though. She didn't manage to birth in the pool but was so glad that she got to try it. had another C/S.

elkiedee - it is ridiculous that midwives need to go on a formal course to learn about waterbirth. There is plenty of literature out there to learn from. Midwives hide behind that piece of rubbish that they are not trained - they have to take responsibility to find out more for themselves. That's what our unit did initially.

We still do not promote it enough though.

OP posts:

hollyandalice · 02/05/2007 11:45

I couldn't imagine giving birth without water either! I was induced with dd and as soon as I started contracting the mw suggested the pool. I'd never thought of it before, but was willing to give it a go. It was such a relief and made me feel much more in control. 3 hours later dd was born and I delivered her myself!

I am 33 weeks with no 2 and have just bought a birth pool in a box because I am terrified if I have a hospital birth there won't be a pool free. I couldn't imagine not being in the water!

Original poster

mears · 02/05/2007 11:45

We have one installed pool and we also have a 'Pool in a Box' that was initially supplied free to all maternity units. We inflate that pool if the main pool is in use.

OP posts:

Daisybump · 02/05/2007 11:52

when I had DS the unit was very new ad all birthing rooms had a very large bath in for the use of labouring women but not for birthing in. I tried it at the suggestion of my MW, but found the whole experience very uncomfortable....I felt the need to walk around and be mobile during contractions, so I suppose its different for each woman.

Not sure about the local unit this time.....but will try water gain if it's on offer as all labours are different. not sure I would want to give birth in water though.

DaisyMOO · 02/05/2007 11:53

Good for you Mears! It's a shame that she ended up with another CS but I would imagine it will help that she knows you were on her side and she tried everything.

I wouldn't say I had a fight as such, I listened to the consultant and midwife's concerns, weighed this up and then just said I wanted a homebirth and refused to get drawn into any arguments! To be fair I was lucky to find a very supportive SOM on the team and a fairly laid back consultant.

herbiemom · 02/05/2007 12:33

We have one birthing pool in our very busy local maternity unit. I speak to a lot of women who are worried that it won't be available if they want to use it so they try not to pin their hopes on it. Fine for first timers maybe but for those who've found water helpful or even essential in previous births it can be really worrying if they think they may have to get by without.

NappiesGalore · 02/05/2007 13:37

daisybump - a bath wouldve been crap for having contractions in imo. not deep enough. you need the depth to get the bouytancy so you are free to move around and change position as and when you like etc.

heidle · 02/05/2007 14:01

with my first I was very much looking forward to the chance of trying the 1 birthing pool in our city hospital. However, the month before I went into labour, a labouring lady had slipped trying to get out of the pool, and had filed a claim to sue the hospital trust, therefore stopping them letting anyone else use it!!!!!! 2 years later with my second, there was some other reason why it couldn't be used.

at my local town's midwife led maternity unit every room has an ensuite bathroom, which I suppose is a happy compromise for all that training -v- nothing.

(1 week late today, so hope I will get to find out, and soon!)

NappiesGalore · 02/05/2007 15:09

bloody litigious society we're becoming... grrr

MissGolightly · 02/05/2007 15:22

Oh mears - you sound great, I wish you were my midwife!

geordiemacminx · 02/05/2007 19:51

Mears, I'm due to have my first at Wishaw. Well I was "due" esterday but never ind.

They have 2 pools apparently, am hoping to use one of them, at least in the early stages if not for full labour, although will just have to see how I get on.

zazas · 02/05/2007 20:41

I had my baby 11 days ago at home in a birthing pool and I would have to say getting into that warm water was one of the very best feelings I have ever experienced in my life! You should have seen my smile

I wanted to use the pool last time but I had a brow presentation and an emergency c-section - which was a shame as my midwife led clinic really push water births - well over 1/2 of woman birth this way there.

The irony was that this time beacuse of my previous c section I was expected to go to the large hospital and there they wouldn't let me use the pool because I was considered high risk - yet from my understanding water was one way that would support my uterus to lower the risk of rupture. That was the start that led to me deciding on a homebirth.

I ended up with a 3 hour labour / 7 minute 2nd stage, no tears and no drugs (1st time after 3 births) and believe me, I'm not very good with pain. It was only because of the water and the comfort and confidence to open up to give birth that I could cope! Also it was lovely to deliver my own child between my legs - blissful!

tassis · 02/05/2007 20:43

ds was born in aberdeen 4 years ago. i wanted to use the pool but there was someone in

dd was born in stirling 7 months ago. no pool. why not???

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread