I won't be able to have a water birth, will I?

[purplespink]

I haemorrhaged with both of my births; not to the point I was taken into theatre. I was offered a transfusion the first time which I declined (stupid and young) but not the second time as I only just met the threshold for haemorrhage. I meet the consultant end of January to discuss options, but I don't think that he or she will say it's okay, will they? They were both traumatic but I really wanted to try and have a calming experience

Could you perhaps labour in the water but then get out when it is time to deliver? That's possibly a reasonable compromise that your medical team would feel more comfortable with.

You might find you don't even like it, i tried with my middle one and immediately wanted out. Found I have a need to pace and it felt too confined. Can you find something else that you find calming such as noise cancelling headphones with something on that relaxes you. Mother and baby healthy and safe is the main thing not how it happens🌼
Edited to take out a random fly emoji that appeared 😂

Just like the poster above, I was keen on water delivery but my body was like no. My pain went from 20mph to 100mph as soon as I was in the water.

What happened in your labours beforehand? Where they messed with at all? Interventions increase the risk of pph. Lengthy labours contribute. I had home births outside of guidance partially so I could guarantee the water if I wanted it. I understand this isn't for everyone though. The compromise of labour in water, birth on dry land could be one to explore.

Yes, this is was what I did after a 4th degree tear the first time round and they needed to control the head.

Not the point I know, but it was overrated tbh. I was cold, felt cramped and it didn’t help with the pain at all.

I'm another who loved the idea of the birthing pool for DC1 but found the reality totally overrated, I was chilly and couldn't find a comfortable position, and it didn't do much for the pain or make me feel calmer. I was happy to get out and get dry and warm and into a better position! With Dc2 I didn't even bother to ask. As PP says maybe you can labour in the pool if it's working for you, but come out for delivery as a compromise? For DC2 in the end I had to be attached to the oxytocin drip and monitoring but managed to create a calm space on a yoga ball with my own fluffy socks on, my chosen music and low lighting (took my own fairy lights, might sound weird but worked for me!)

I turned up at the maternity ward and they had a water bath all ready for me but then things went sideways so it never happened

I did end up having an epidural which was bliss though

Oh interesting as I haemorrhaged with my first but was hoping to give birth at a birthing centre this time in the pool. I also have to speak to a consultant at the end of January about it, but my midwife just said they'll probably encourage me to have the Vitamin K injection, which I had the first time anyway, she didn't mention anything about it affecting my birthing options.
Started at the birthing centre with my first but had to move to the hospital because of complications. For what its worth, being in a normal bath and the birthing pool was my preferred pain relief in my very long labour and I plan to stay at home in the bath for as long as possible this time. Hated the TENS machine and the injection made me vomit a lot. Had the epidural after being transferred to the hospital but I hated how confined it made me feel, they made me stay on the bed the whole time.

Honestly OP discuss it with your consultant in your birth choices meeting, then you’ll know the clinic opinion and the full picture of risks etc. you’ll get a vibe from them.

i was told to have a labour ward birth second time but I wanted to try a VBAC in birth centre. I went against guidance and tried the birth centre as planned (ended up in labour ward anyway). But because it was on the same corridor I felt equipped after my birth choices meeting to know if my out of guidance choice failed then my back up plan was just down the corridor and I had a safety net.

if you did birth pool in birth centre would you be in a hospital and close access to crash team??

I hope you get to try it at least, but you can have a relaxing experience without being in water. I don't think I'd have liked being in water at all. I lay in the dark on a giant beanbag and hoofed gas and air until I felt like I was in space. It was pretty chilled, apart from the obvious.

You can have a water birth, you’ll be advised to come out for the third stage is all. Ultimately it’s entirely up to you where you choose to labour & birth. UK MiDSS has a useful infographic on their website for women planning a birth centre delivery with a history of PPH if you google it.

Also if you have a water birth you can't have an epidural

I had an epidural for both so no pain at all apart from the beginning of DS birth for a while which was excruciating

DS birth was chaotic with a room full of panicked consultants and whoever

DD birth was completely different and calm as you like. Epidural for me one doctor one midwife and out she gently popped with the help of a suction thing on her head