Ladies - would you come and talk to me about the actual delivery part of your water birth please?

[thomcat]

Hiya
I'm due in about 4 weeks or so with no 3 baby.

Having another home birth but this time bought a pool. Last time I stayed in the bath till the last moments. When it came to the delivery I had to get out to be when up on all fours.

Knowing how amazing the water is as pain relief
and always fancied the whole giving birth in water, I am well up for staying in the pool the whole time this time around.

So - we're in the last stages of labour, you start pushing - talk me through it, especially the bit where the head is out, what did you do at that stage and so on...

Hiya

I had 2 waterbirths at home and the only thing I would say is make sure you keep your bottom and your babies head under water. If not you have to get out as baby must stay under to complete the delivery in the bath.

I stayed in the bath on both occassions till the placenta was delivered and totally agree with you that water is great form of pain relief

I delivered both DS and DD in our own bath. Both MW were ok with this (not all agree due to akward position for them to be in)

Let me know if you like to know more, good luck !

ok
(TMI alert)
I did all my pushing, inc pushing the head out, on all fours leaning my arms and head on the side of the pool.
Then the MWs and DH helped me turn over so DH was supporting me under the armpits and my legs and body were floating free, as it were.
As I delivered the body the mw caught DD and passed her up to me, at which point DH let go of me and I sat down on the bottom of the pool and cuddled her.

After that it becomes 'atypical' - I started to bleed so was spiked with syntometrine, cord was clamped and cut as I held dd, then passed her to DH and the mws helped me get out to deliver the placenta on the bed.

I have one DD and had a HWB. I was squatting in the pool, MW asked if DH wanted to deliver her but her was busy holding me up so she bought her up to the surface quickly and gave her to me straight away. I held her in the pool for about ten minutes until the cord stopped pulsing, they then got me to stand up and cut the cord. Led on the sofa to deliver the placenta, wanted to do it naturally but I was bleeding so they gave me synto.

Hi.

Had both babies in the pool. Got to the pushing stage, delivered... midwife 'caught' the baby then passed her to me... (if I ever have a 3rd would quite like to do this myself, I think. Must be lovely!) Was also told I had to keep baby's body under water, to keep it warm. Then got out and delivered placenta on the bed.

Can't really imagine giving birth any other way. A positive experience

Good luck with number 3.

I had a water birth with ds and would hopefully do it the same way if there is a next time.

I was on all fours throughout, though moved around a little between contractions earlier on. I felt the head crowning but it was not particularly painful (didn't get that ring of fire thing people talk about!). Then suddenly the head was out and I just waited for the next contraction, pushed and he was out. The mw helped pass him up between my legs and I held him in the water for what felt like ages - it was lovely.

The mw got me out for the placenta delivery - didn't even occur to me to stay in for it but then the water was quite mucky by that time so was quite glad to get out.

I've only had water births so I'm not sure what the difference is to pushing a baby out onto dry land .

With my first, the midwife was quite active, she held the babys head and helped ease the body out. That may have had more to do with me using a humungous birthing pool though! From what the midwife was reporting to me & DH, she clearly had a good view of what was happening, despite the water. After the birth I had to perform a strange maneouvre from being all fours which involved squatting, then a half stand, get one leg over the umbilical cord and sit back down with baby on my lap! Baby & I then waited in the water for the cord to descend etc. They may have changed the water whilst I was in it - can't really remember. They certainly showered me off as soon as I'd expelled the placenta (DH was in charge of baby by then).

My 2nd and 3rd water births were very fast and the midwife merely picked the baby up as it slithered out (shot out in fact!). The midwife will keep an eye on your bottom to make sure you stay submerged but in a proper birthing pool that should be fine. My last water birth was in my bath at home and it is only just deep enough for the purpose.

The baby does stay under the water the whole time until it is completely free of your body. They don't splutter or anything as the cord is still completely functional.

Is that any help? If you want to know anything specific ask away...

Oooh my water birth was lovely - however it's all a bit of a blur so I'm not sure I can help with the fine details! I do remember though that ds1 was born with his hand up against his cheek, which if I had been on dry land would have been a lot more painful. And when the head was born he turned from side to side which is the weirdest feeling I have ever experienced - um, not really being helpful here am I? . His body was out in just one more push and the midwife passed him up between my legs (I was kneeling in the pool and hanging my arms over the side) for me to hold him - however the cord was so short I had difficulty keeping his head out of the water and kept dunking him!!

Having since had ds2 on dry land (no pool ) I can tell you that it hurt at least 50% less being in the water.

Right... last stages of labour in a pool. When my DDs head came out your body wants to naturally lift your hips, you need to work really hard at keeping them submerged so the baby stays under the water. I found it so pleasant and relaxing that after the head I couldn't be bothered to do a final push for the body. However along came a contraction and it was effortless. Was able to hold her close to me in the pool until ready to get out. This is a bit surreal and I became eager to get out and back to normality. But having since given birth on dry land, strapped to a monitor and been bossed about, I can definitely say that my water birth was the best. It will make you go for number four..... all the best

I had 2 water births as well, and they were both postive experiences, not sure i have much to add, bit I would definately recommend it!! Good Luck....oh, i forgot, i kept submerging my mouth and ears in (nose was still breathing)- It REALLY helped to bolck everything else out, but the midwives and dh were all worried that i was going to drown myself!!! LOL!!!

mmm pushing pushing pushing pushing, just kept pushing really, wanted to be on all fours but I couldn't tell my body to move (v. annoying) - baby popped out and sort floated in the water and the midwife realised I was too out of it to pick the baby up so she handed her to me

Photos show I am sitting in a HUUUUGE pool of blood and shit at this point and with a look of AAAAAAARGH on my face

Ds was a hwb. Dh got in the pool as the baby started to descend. The mw was leaning on the edge of the pool, I was kneeling and leaning on the side.

As ds was crowning dh had his hands on ds' head, but then once the head came through I leaned back onto him so I saw ds come out. We both picked ds out of the water and sat cuddling him together for a bit.

We then got out of the water to deliver the placenta. Dh and the midwife then proceeded to examine the placenta in minute detail while I cuddled ds.

For some reason during the actual pushing I felt compelled to hold my perineum (I guess I was worried it was going to tear and wanted to hold it together ). Fortunately I didn't tear at all.

Best wishes for the birth.

I think I sort of floated on my back until I could reach down and feel hair with a push, then turned onto my front and squatted holding the side of the pool. She came out, I sort of fished her out with the midwife and then cuddled and panicked at her lack of crying (she was looking round placidly, clearly healthy!). She cried, I sobbed, then got upset because no-one was telling me her sex and the cord was in the way for me to see.

Stayed there a few mins, they cut the cord, I climbed out sort of holding "my" end of it as I walked to a bed, had the injection and it came away easily after a couple of mins.

Only difference with DS and DD is that DS I was on all fours rather than upright crouching (harder that way imo), and he didn't float up (due to the lack of water to float in ).

I would choose water birth every time. Still miffed I didn't get it with DS

Had water birth with middle child and was def best birth of the three - didn't have to push at all, which is a bit weird really cos you keep thinking I should be doing something! She just shot out by herself, there was no pain down below, no stitches or anything - I lifted her up after catching her myself, which was fantastic to be the first person to touch and hold her! She was wrapped in her cord around her body so I unwound her to see what sex she was, everyone else just watching as if not really involved! Was really lovely and recovered quicker from birth too. Was gutted couldn't have water birth with my new Ds as not enough staff at hospital - needless to say it was bloody agony! Good luck I really hope it all goes the way you want it!

Lovely and very helpful reading, thanks SO much everyone.

My main recollection is of DP and two midwives standing in a semi-circle at the far end of the pool with one shining a torch at my parts. The babe shot out and midwife 1 told off DP for failing to catch him. Still, illuminations aside, I highly recommend it and I hope it goes really well for you.

i had my first LO at home last year in a pool - basically i was kneeling up keeping a tight hold of the side as i was pushing. I do remember everyone telling me to keep my bottom down so that when the baby came out its head would not be out of the water before the body was delivered - and i think someone was actually holding my bottom down at the very end! There was definitely a moment (no idea how long) when his head was out in the water and i was waiting to push the rest of him out.
I remember when pushing that i desperately wanted water splashing on my back - my dh obliged.
As soon as he was born the mw lifted him out of the water and handed him once i had sat upright and i just held him in my arms with dh behind us - a totally magic moment. I dont remember a thing about the pool but the doula took some photos at that moment and the water is a hideous brown/red colour with bits in (not poo tho) but hey- it was all over and i didn't have to clean it out All the best to you

oh yes, forgot to say i delivered the placenta out of the water - did have a 2nd degree tear so there was a fair bit of blood everywhere at this stage.. but again, can't remember a thing about it

Hi. I am planning a homebirth and am wondering if I want a birthing pool or just use my bath tub. For those of you who have used the bath tub -- was it deep enough and in which position did you birth. This would really help me make an informed decision.

Glimmer- I had both my kids in our bath and it was deep enough en very easy to clean afterwards!.

Had both in same postion, on my back but during contractions was also on my side

make sure to check with your MW that they are ok with using your bath tube as positioning for them might be ackward 9or so i was told)