Does a bath speed up or slow down labour? (I want to watch Coronation Street before having this baby!)

[icecreamgirl94]

Not due for nearly 3 weeks but I’ve had terrible back ache all day and cramps for the last few hours. Everything I search brings up conflicting views so I’m still none the wiser on whether to have a bath or not. Ideally I don’t want to be going to hospital until I need to (after Corrie ) but I don’t know if a bath will speed things up?
TIA

This made me laugh OP. I think the bath is supposed to help things along as you’re relaxed and gets the Oxytocin flowing!

I’m the same, have 3 weeks to go and have lost some of my plug this morning and getting on off pains and backache. But I really want to clean the house and I’m worried this will set things off. I don’t want my waters to go because I’ve just changed the bedding 😂😂

If it is pre labour, the bath will ease the contractions and they might well stop or slow down. Midwives often advise a bath to women who are at home in early labour. Also if women are in hospital, they prefer women to be in established labour before advising a bath or getting into a birthing pool because they believe it slows labour down.

That said, the warm water could release everything, allow your cervix to dilate and your baby to slip out in the bath!!

After having had four babies I feel pretty confident that they do what they want, when they want.

I think you have enough time to watch corrie though... but I know nothing!!

I have no idea, but I do know that getting in the bath calmed me down and gave me some pain relief in both of my early labours. I say enjoy a bath whilst you can!

Corrie will send you into a parallel sense of consciousness, the way it's bizarrely written these days.

Best of luck

Thanks everyone! I think I’m going to go for the bath, at least if I go now and the baby just falls out then I should still have got my shit together in time for Corrie
@dinosaur17 good luck! I wonder which baby will arrive first

My labour wouldn't get going properly after my waters broke and the midwife said to have a bath as it'll either start things moving or stop the intermittent contractions. Sorry to be of no help whatsoever but I think it's 50/50! Hope you get to enjoy Corrie and best wishes for a quick and easy labour. Baby snuggles imminent

@icecreamgirl94 😂😂😂 Hope you get to watch Corrie either way 😂 Or make sure it’s on record
Who knows, I’ll probably be in slow labour for 3 weeks!

Just saying hi as I’m also due 3 weeks today (what are your due dates @icecreamgirl94 and @dinosaur17 ? Mine is 8th March), no twinges here yet though! I had my first DD at 38+4.

@LittleRa ah congratulations!! Not long to go! Due the 14th, DS was 40+7 and DD 40+3 so will be a miracle if this ones early!

Congratulations @LittleRa I’m due on 6th and we don’t know whether we’re having. Do you know what you’re having? This is our first baby after 2 losses so we’re excited and terrified!
I’ve had a bath and managed to watch the first half of Corrie, the cramps have eased quite a bit so maybe things will tail off into nothing for now.

I’m having another girl DD will be 7 in May so a bit of a gap! This will be my DP’s first baby.
@icecreamgirl94 I spent a large part of early labour at home in the bath and then had a water birth in the birthing suite, would love one again this time!

@icecreamgirl94 Hope you’ve made it through Corrie this week! Any signs?

@dinosaur17 he arrived just after 10 on Monday night! So I missed the second half of Corrie in the end
Hope you’re doing ok and hanging on in there

Ah congratulations!!! Haha, hope you’ve caught up! X