Waterbirth MLU, birth experiences?

[squizzle89]

Looking to hear about birth options?

I'm not actually pregnant at the moment and throughout the TTC process I've been terrified at the thought of a vaginal delivery but after hearing more about birthing pools I would really like the opportunity to deliver in one when the time (hopefully) comes. I know it rarely all goes to plan though!

One of my biggest fears is tearing😣. I have read that certain positions in a birthing pool on a mlu can stop/reduce tearing?

Have any of you ladies planned this and had to get out of the pool and transfer to consultant led?

Did you tear in the pool or tear less than you maybe previously did giving birth out of the pool?

I've seen a lot of ladies talking about an epi-no on here too so and experience of using these in/out of pool would be good to hear.

I just want to be prepared as I've previously been so anxious about TTC because of the labour part being inevitable🙈

I laboured in water but ended up having to get out when I was pushing as I got too lazy and wasn’t pushing hard enough. I got to stay on the MLU though. I did have a second degree tear but I think that’s because towards the end I was pushing when I wasn’t having contractions. It wasn’t obvious to me I had tore though, I didn’t feel it happen if you get what I mean! No issues with the tear, stitches or healing.

Same as the PP, I got out of the water during the pushing stage, but because I was hot and bothered. I did have a second degree tear, deep rather than long, it didn’t cause me any issues though, didn’t hurt to pee and healed well. I did the perineal massage in the weeks leading up to labour. Otherwise it was hynobirthing techniques that made things better for me as it kept me calm.

I had my second in a pool in an MLU. It was as good an experience as giving birth can be I guess, but then I was very low risk and my first birth in a hospital was textbook. The pool was so relaxing and I was high as a kite on gas and air. When I felt ready to push I thought to myself (in my high state) "I should probably say something but I really can't be bothered." Five minutes later DD was born

It’s amazing!! The water is so soothing. Gave birth to dd2 in the water, just gas and air. The pain relief is unreal, I could literally feel everything as she was being born, but no pain at all, just sensation. No tear, not even anything and she was 7lb 10oz. The water in the pool after she was born was still clear, no bleeding at all.

Good luck with whatever you decide op but I will always say how amazing my experience was! The water helps you get into great positions, I was mostly squatting or on my hands and knees x

Thanks ladies!! Glad to hear it was a good (as good as can be!) experience for you all .

Is it crazy that I feel kind of excited haha?!

Very similar to the ladies above!
I was in the pool, got out (in my case as as they wanted to check if my waters had broken), then couldn't be bothered to get back in and gave birth on dry land. Second degree tear, didn't feel it happening, healed without any issues.

I didn't find the pool had the magical pain relief properties some people seem to get, but it was really good for helping to get more comfortable, and getting into different positions.

I know it sounds hard to believe before it happens but tears are pretty normal and (usually) no where near as bad as they sound pre labour!
I think all fours/on your side (if you're not in a pool) are meant to be good positions for avoiding them too though.

I had a water birth with DS and it was amazing. In the MLU with dimmed lights and our own music playing all made it so special and incredible. I know we were lucky, everything was straight forward, and the pool took all the heaviness away. However, it does still hurt, but the pain is positive. Labour isn't scary, it's incredible and empowering. I did tear but didn't feel it by that point. Gas and air helps, esp if they let you keep it for the stitches!! And I did have blood and other matter in the pool, but honestly, I was too busy pushing to care!

I had a water birth with DD1, laboured and gave birth in the pool on a midwife led unit. My birthing plan made it very clear that I wanted to be left alone as much as possible and the widwives were lovely. I found the water extremely soothing, the moment I got in everything felt calm and more relaxed and it was easier to move around and get comfortable. When it came to pushing, I sort of floated on my back a bit, used the gas and air, and let my body do what it had to do. The midwife basically guided her out, beneath the water, and then popped her straight on my tummy. DD didn’t cry at all after the birth, or for about 3 weeks! She’s still a very calm little girl (who loves water) and I put a lot of this down to the relaxed birth I had.
I’m currently 40+7 eagerly awaiting #2 and want to do everything exactly the same as last time!
Re tearing, I was also terrified of this (and pooing!) I did neither, I had a ‘graze’ which took 2 precautionary stitches. I didn’t feel it, and the stitches were no bother.

I can understand your worry; labour was my biggest fear too but the best advice I was given was research as much as you can and go into it with an OPEN MIND. In my opinion now, it's the best kind of pain because there's an end result. Pain like periods, broken bones, headaches etc, they have no necessity, but labour will bring you both your new baby AND the end of pregnancy; win win! Also it's good to remember that there's always an end to labour; it can only go on for so long.

I laboured for 18 hours at home with just a TENS machine (not dilated enough then baby was back-to-back) before they finally admitted me. TENS machine = godsend. Then I spent an hour in a hospital bed with Entonox (gas&air). Gas&air = godsend. THEN finally into the water with my Entonox and I kid you not, best experience of my life, my labour. From start to finish. Even though it didn't go to plan, even though I was at home for longer than I would have wanted, it was such a different experience to anything I've ever done. What your body can go through is ridiculous.

As soon as I was in the water I was like a different person according to my partner. I instantly relaxed, could breathe properly and I was high as a kite off the Entonox so I started getting concerned about how baby would come out, as obviously I thought I was a mermaid. Being able to float, without that baby weight holding me down, no clothes restricting me, and in the calm, spa-like environment with a midwife and my partner there.. it was heaven, even with the contractions!

3 and a half hours later I had to get out the pool to have my waters broken, but then I got back in and my baby was born within about 40 minutes. DD1 came out into the water and didn't cry, but sneezed first haha! Then I could just lie there, floating in the water with my new baby on me, rather than sticking to a messy bed. I did tear (and stitches were worse than the labour in my opinion) but again, it was a necessity to get my baby out. I much preferred the labour I had with stitches rather than having a forceps delivery, or a C-section.

The best thing you can really do is come to accept that whatever happens in labour, it's all necessary to get your baby out safely. Your body will heal, the memory of the pain will fade, and as long as you keep an optimistic attitude about it, it can never be too bad.

To be honest, I hated the pregnancy more than the labour! Hopefully my labour this time will also be better than the pregnancy haha

I could not get into the pool because although there was a pool free there was not enough staff

I had dc2 in a pool. It’s nice! I did tear but it’s not something to worry about... just be open minded. Accept help if needed and be open to all options.

I had no antenatal classes at all. I was lucky because both my labours were straight forward. But it’s luck. It’s positioning of the baby etc. Whilst you can do things to help this when pregnant there are no guarantees so it’s best to be open to all eventualities.

I was in the water for awhile while labouring with DD, my first. I also laboured at home with a TENS for awhile, about 12 hours. It made all the difference! I hated taking it off just before getting in the water! Definitely recommend a TENS machine to everyone.
I found the water just as good as the TENS. However once I got to the pushing stage my contractions slowed down (apparently not uncommon), so I had to get out.
Also turned out DD was back to back. So I had 2 hours of pushing in a bunch of different positions. My midwife was amazing and with her advice we were able to turn DD. I ended up with a small 1st degree tear. Never bothered me!
Labour was really not as bad as I thought it would be. The pain has a purpose, it only lasts a certain amount of time and you know why it hurts! I appreciate not everyone has the same experience but I think being informed about your options and not too fixated on a specific type of birth is important. DC2 is due in 6 weeks and I’m looking forward to giving birth again! The adrenaline rush afterwards is amazing! I felt like superwoman!

I went into hospital a bit earlier than I might have done as there was a scary it if blood and they said get checked out but on plus side both pools are available.
5cm,lounged on bean bags on all fours for a couple hours, then got in pool, huffing g&a all the while.
It was like being in a spa only with NHS decoration budget - had birth partners feeding me grapes and massaging my shoulders for hours! Really great memories.
Sadly nothing happened labour wise and after blagging some extra hours, I had to get out after 8 hours, at which point other medical issues were a problem and we decided to get an epidural. So when the anaesthetist was ready we went downstairs to the CLU. There was another day of trying to get ds to move and we thought I'd need a CS but then he popped out in theatre.

I hoped for the MLU again but needed the epidural as soon as I got to hospital that time.
If the MLU is in the hospital I would definitely go for it. If its miles away then consider if you have any relevant medical problems.

I had a bit of a tear and an epi - MN advised to ask for an expert to stitch you even if it meant a wait, and certainly by 36 hours later staff were in awe of the lovely stitching and I wasn't in pain from that at all. SPD was a bugger, though.

Some of the previous ladies have worded this so eloquently, made me a bit teary (no pun intended, and I mean in a good way!) reminiscing about my water birth in a MLU.

It was the most incredible thing I have ever done. I used a TENS machine for pain relief until the pushing stage, when I got into the pool and just the calmness of the water got me through. The midwife was very hands off, I was only internally examined twice and then she would come and put the heart monitor on my stomach every 15 mins or so in a very non intrusive way. I loved that the pool meant nobody could get near me! My waters broke about an hour and a half into pushing and then my baby arrived half an hour later. I think the water may have contributed to my longish pushing stage but I don't know and it didn't affect anything. I felt my baby being born, it's so hard to describe and such a strange but amazing feeling, I felt her facial features and the rolls of her body. I was the first person to touch my daughter as I brought her up out of the water.

I had a 2nd degree tear, I laboured on my knees, holding onto the handles of the pool but I don't know if it was this that meant I tore or that my pushing was unguided (the midwife didn't instruct me to push, she just encouraged me occasionally and actually barely said anything which was perfect for me). I was stitched by a doctor, as the midwife wanted to make sure it was a good job, and in that respect I'm glad the MLU I used was attached to a hospital.

I really recommend "The Positive Birth Book", I made my birth plan from it using images and it made me feel informed about my choices.

I gave birth on Saturday in the water! Best thing ever.

I had an extremely quick birth as my contractions started but were immediately 2 mins apart. By time I got to hospital I was 7cm dilated and got straight in the water. I was only in labour for 2 and a half hours.

The warm water immediately soothes my back muscles and it was easy to float into different positions to help baby along. I used gas and air for pain relief too. The water really helped me relax between contractions which meant I gave good pushes during contractions.

I loved that after my baby was born, we got to cuddle in the warm water together with DH hugging us from behind.

I was terrified of tearing and getting stitches, it sounded like the most painful thing imaginable. I did get a second degree tear in the water and didn’t notice. I got out of the water and walked to the bed so they could wrap me in towels and deliver the placenta.

When the midwife said she was going to check me over and see if I’d need stitches, I said “oh no, I’m fine” as I really thought I hadn’t torn! 😂

They gave a general anaesthetic for the stitches and also gas and air so it was bearable. I felt a bit sore for 24 hours but after that I only noticed tenderness if I sat down too quickly or when I went to stand from a low seat.

A week on from the birth and I feel great, my stitches are healing well and I forget they’re there most of the time. I was really scared of labour but it wasn’t half as bad as I’d built it up to be.

I’d suggest hypnobirthing as it really helped me relax between contractions and get in the zone to give birth without fear. I downloaded some mp3’s for free online www.penguin.co.uk/articles/book-talk/mindful-hypnobirthing/

The thing I found through pregnancy is that it changes day by day so you’re best leaving your plans quite flexible.