Has anyone managed an Overweight Waterbirth?

[LeiaOrganaBananaHamock]

Hi all
I’ve wanted a water birth throughout my pregnancy and made this very clear, even during my booking in appointment.
I had my birth plan appointment at 35 weeks and have now been told that I can’t have one due to being now over 100kg as it’s against health and safety for the midwives, they don’t have lifting equipment as it is meant to be a ‘home from home’ setting in the MLU so would not be able to get me out of the pool in an emergency. Instead I’m being offered a bathtub, which is hardly the same thing! (Plus, how would they get me out of there in an emergency??)
Can I challenge this? Has anyone successfully challenged this? I’m now really considering giving birth at home, but DH is very anxious and would much prefer hospital in case of emergency.

Follow ‘The Heavyweight Midwife’ on tiktok, she offers great advice for these scenarios.

I wasn’t allowed one either being just over 100KG, wasn’t even allowed to birth in midwife unit, glad I didn’t though as she got stuck 😩

I had a water birth in a midwife led centre at 16 stone (which I think is heavier?) I wasn’t questioned at any point about it and had a pretty relaxed labour. I breastfed and the pregnancy weight came off without much effort too.

Sounds so tricky. I totally understand both sides. A pool for the weightlessness I imagine having more benefits if you're overweight. But I can see getting you out of the pool in an emergency is vital too. And yes the bathtub seciario sounds the same. I would not go for a home birth if your husband is not on board. Good luck with your research. Hopefully you can find some positive stories to help. Also, my labour ward had a couple of pool rooms.

If water birth is important to you then do consider a home birth. This is the only way to guarantee access to a pool, even due to normal availability and not just in your situation.

Have a look at the birth place study, if this is a 2nd or subsequent birth then home is just as safe for baby (even safer for mum) as a hospital is for low risk pregnancies. I wouldn't just close off the idea because your partner isn't keen, he has to be onboard but there is this assumption that hospital is safer which isn't necessarily the case. The home birth midwives are very good at transferring you at the slightest inkling of an issue so may be worth speaking to them to get reassurance.

Of course if he isn't on board then it's sort of a no go but maybe doing his research he would be - saying this as someone who convinced my partner with the evidence and he has since recommended homebirth to his friends as it was such a positive and safe experience for us with dedicated 1:1 care and an extremely competent team who we met in advance of the birth.

To add: I hired a birth pool for home and the protocol is to cut it if they need to get you out quickly!
They said that they have never actually had to do that but would do in case of absolute emergencies and if they couldn't get you out another way - we considered having the pool upstairs so this changed our mind!

Instagram Dr Sara Wickham she has alot of information on this

A midwife telling you the protocol is to cut a birth pool at a home birth in an emergency should be wildly concerning.

Just think about the logistics of cutting a birthing pool full of water in your living room. Litres and litres and litres of water, presumably with bodily fluids in, everywhere. The electrical hazards. The abrupt drop in your body temp. The now soaked midwives having to grapple you out of the room, while sloshing through what used to be your dry house.

It is absolute fucking nonsense, believe me.

If it's an inflatable birthing pool, which the majority are, then in an emergency they will let a small amount of air out, enough to lower the side enough to be able to help you/lift you out.

@ObliviousCoalmine
Yes of course I am aware that this is madness but it's not wildly concerning.
As I said, they have never done it and it would only be done as a last resort. Obviously the first action would be to try to hoist you out, with the help of your partner. But if passed out and it was absolutely critical to get you out immediately that's what they would do! (And I'd be glad of that in such a situation, flooded living room vs dead!)

Stick to your guns OP! I was over 22 stone when I had my children but had a water births for both of them. I found it much easier to move in the water as I felt that the water supported my weight. With my second child there was an emergency; the cord was round his neck and I had to stand up very quickly to deliver him. In a solid birthing pool, rather than an inflatable one, I could lean on the sides to help me stand. It's amazing what you can do when you have to! I would say that I'm glad I had a hospital birth tho; not sure that we'd have had such a happy outcome if I'd been at home. Good luck.

I'm 113kg and a water birth at the MLU has been agreed. I had to meet with the midwife advocate and it won't get signed off just yet (only 33 weeks) but nothing was mentioned re not being allowed over 100

Good luck with that OP

I wanted a water birth and when I got to the hospital there was even a water birth room free for me

I never had that water birth though because I was suddenly beset with problems and complications

DS was fine

But you don't always get what you want so be prepared for that

My DS would be dead if I had gone for a home birth

Just putting that out there

I wasn't overweight or anything. I was young and perfectly healthy

Luckily for me there a series on TV about midwives and home births and that put me right off a home birth because there is near to fuck all you can do in some emergencies

Just follow the advice you're being given

Sorry if this is a bit of a rude question, but are you very obviously over 100kg? I'm wondering because I was at the point I gave birth, had a water birth and no one said anything - but I don't remember ever being weighed so I'm not sure how they'd have known?

On a side note there's only 1 water pool room in my hospital so liklihood of it being available - slim as water births are getting more and more popular