Home birth without a pool

[SickAndTiredAgain]

I’m due to give birth in a couple of months and am having another home birth. I had one with DD and had a birthing pool. But this time I’m thinking I can’t be bothered with the faff. But I can’t actually remember how much I liked it or found it helped. DD was my first so I have no comparison and I can’t remember whether getting into the water felt good. I definitely didn’t dislike it, but not sure it was good enough to warrant the cost and the bother. But I’m a bit worried about not having it and thinking “wtf was I thinking, I wish I had a nice pool!” once labour gets going.
Does water make much difference? And if you had a home birth without water, what was your set up? Where did you give birth? I seem to read so many stories of home births with a pool I’m doubting myself slightly.

I had both mine at home on dry land, in the living room on a cheap duvet (which I then binned but you could wash). It was lovely, comfortable and I never wanted water at all but even to get in the bath. I labour very quickly though, so no time for filling pools.

Search Emily Norris home birth on YouTube.

Home birth , no pool. Was very happy and didn't miss it. I think I would have found it a distraction to be honest. But the birth was straight forward and baby not overly large, maybe for a more extended/tricky birth it would be different, but I didn't need or want it before or with hindsight.

I used a cheap shower curtain to protect the carpet, bought for the job and binned after.

I had both of mine at home, no pool. I obviously don’t have anything to compare it to but I don’t wish I had a pool. I gave birth on my bed both times

Two home births for me. First one, I laboured in the bath, midwife didn’t expect the baby to be born so soon so we were a bit behind with filling the pool. All a massive faff and I was in it for about 5 minutes before quickly getting out and going to my bedroom. Second time around didn’t bother, bounced around on an exercise ball for a few hours and then had the baby in my bedroom. Both wonderful experiences and whilst I’d have loved the whole birth pool experience, it’s really important to labour where you feel comfortable and safe. Good luck! x

I had two home births, no pool either time. I just couldn't be arsed with something else to be thinking about. And I very strongly wanted to give birth upstairs (downstairs is quite open plan, not all safe and cosy) and I was scared the floorboards wouldn't be strong enough!

Both births were fine BTW. I'm not the sort of person who raves about "amazing birthing experiences", but it was totally manageable, and I felt much more confident and in control at home than I had done in the hospital with my first two.

To answer your actual question (!) I had mine in my bedroom, next to the bed (leaning on/over the bed for the last part of the labour, kneeling on the floor for the delivery). Tarpaulins on the floor, covered with big towels, 3 lovely clean, fluffy towels ready for after the birth. Then the midwives lined my bed with inco pads for me, and I just heaved myself in, and didn't move for about 12 hours. It was amazing.

I had two home births. First one with pool lasted 9 hrs. Pool helped with pain but slowed things down a lot and I had to get out to deliver as I was getting too tired. Second one was 5 mins active labour and didn’t have time to get in the pool. Went in afterwards. If you have a bath I wouldn’t bother with a pool.

I had a home birth with both my kids.

With DC1 I hired a pool, set it up in living room, put up with it for two weeks and on the night we didn't fill it in time (a mw came out at 8pm and said 'oh you won't be giving birth tonight, I'll see you tomorrow morning' - at 11pm I could feel the baby coming out!)

So I didn't get my water birth but I marched up and down the hallway between contractions, on the spot during contractions, stayed upright the whole time hanging on the back of the sofa, and she literally dropped out after a few hours. We had old sheets and shower curtains on the floors. (I'd recommend old sheets and bath towels as shower curtains are really slippy.)
I didn't make much mess, the MW swept everything into bin bags. We actually salvaged some towels as there really wasn't a lot of mess.

The next night I had the most amazing £90 bath. In the living room.

DC2 was another home birth, birth fine, as above on the spot marching in the living room (almost on the same spot as DC1), then to hospital as my placenta wouldn't come out.
Less fun, more mess. We all survived and I'd do it again. The birth itself was calm and peaceful (well... You know...)