PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT ACTUAL BIRTH IN THE WATER

[mad4mybaby]

am going to be giving birth (hopfully) in birth centre my second dc. First time round i planned a water birth but was 8-9cms and wasnt enough time. This time round i WILL ring them and say labour has started as i know it can take like 45 mins to fill the pool?

Anyway, can you 'give birth' to the placenta in the water? I dont want to give birth to baby then have to get out (pics of umbilical cord hanging round my knees dont help!) and traipse to a bed to do placenta...What is the deal with this? I plan on having the injection to quicken it up.

I had my first DS in the birthing pool and it is a wonderful experience. The water is relaxing and I am sure the birth is less of a shock to the baby as they are delivered into similar environment.

I gave birth to baby in the water and then waited for the cord to stop pulsating before cord being cut (15-20 mins), so had lots of lovely watery cuddles. I got out to deliver the placenta at the MWs request and before the birth I was worried about the whole cord thing and that I would find it gross but at the time it didn't matter a jot and the midwife held it and helped me out etc and it was all a non-event.

If you are in a birthing pool in hospital, it seems it depends on their policy too. I had DS1 in the water (although I hadn't planned to!) but they asked me to get out to deliver the placenta. I stayed in the pool-room, and sat on a cardboard potty type thing....for about an hour! (DH held DS1)wasn't keen on an injection, but eventually I was so cold and fed up sitting waiting I asked for one and had a huge painful contraction and out it came. It did take ages, and wasn't ideal - although I would certainly have another water birth given the chance (am 32 weeks with DS2 and no chance waterbirth here in France )

i had a really bad dream that i gave birth in the water! On the plus side i had no pain relief! I think ill speak to midwife on next appt about it. Im glad i asked on here but it has put me off.I know the things ive pointed out are minor but its the sort of thing ill be wprrying about nearer the time and i dont need anymore to worry about! It may go like ds that i dont even have a chance to HAVE any water!

I gave birth to the placenta in the birthing pool - also a home birth. It just fell out after I gave birth to dd2, no time to get out of the pool. The water turned red, but on the plus side everything was contained within the pool.

I still had the injection a little while later as I was bleeding very heavily.

*Jenpet - shame no chance of a water birth in France! They are quite popular in Belgium.

I was with a client who had a waterbirth this weekend. One of the reasons why mws don't like the placenta to be delivered in the water is so that they can check it's whole and that there is no unexplained bleeding. If you are having the syntometrine injection then you'll definitely need to get out of the water. There is no reason to think that your placenta won't come quickly if you leave it be. Also with the injection you'll need a managed third stage where the mw massages your stomach and pulls down on the umbilical cord.

When my lady gave birth (a beautiful, smooth birth) she got out of the water and lay down with the baby on her chest. The placenta came nice and gently. Prior to coming out the cord finished pulsating and her partner cut it. Wonderful!

Marslady - it's interesting what you say about unexplained bleeding - because I lost far more blood then they actually realised at the time.

I want to give birth on my bed this time. And stay on it afterwards, not having to move anywhere.

I didn't notice the cord because when I was helped out of the pool I was more concerned about the 10,000 pints of blood that appeared to be flooding the room

(All that water makes it look much worse than it is!)

Belgo I know, I was quite suprised - I'm sure I read somewhere it was a French obst. who initially pioneered water birth too. My GP is really forward thinking and open to new ideas, she was fascinated by my experience in the UK, but said she was not aware of it outside big cities....(bit far to get to Belgium sadly!

With Dd, I got out to deliver the placenta(took about half an hour after birth)with no injection and no contractions for it either. There was though, part of it left in me which didn't appear for 3 days and was really frightening. I got the shakes and Dp fed me chocolate to bring my blood sugar back up. I think they often like to monitor blood loss, which they can't do in the water...

Jenpet.. you're thinking of Michel Odent!

Water does make it look like there is more blood than there actually is.

I laboured in water with Ds, but had to have forceps as he got stuck, so had to get out, otherwise, the plan was to deliver in the water...I'm sure I would've been asked to get out for the 3rd stage though.

It only took about 10 minutes to fill the pool for Dd's delivery. Very fast. I was surprised. Several biggish pipes from the taps to the pool, one hot, one cold.

I'd definitely go for another water birth if I was ever lucky enough to have another baby. I'd also opt for a home birth, which I've never done before. No chance though, so I'll stop dreaming

I opted to have the injection - so got out of the water after ds was delivered.

Honestly can't remember about the cord dangling there - it must have!

What has stuck in my mind is that the placenta wouldn't come, even after a tug by the mw. She suggested I empty my bladder and tried to insert a catheter for some reason. It hurt like hell, at which point dp suggested that perhaps I might be able to just pop to the toilet? Which I did. And felt the urge to push. And out popped the placenta into the toilet.

I fished it out by the cord and was standing there naked and bloody as the mw came in. She was highly amused.