1st time homebirth hopefully in water.....

[Bimble]

Hello Mumsnetters I'm booked for a homebirth and have a lovely pool that DH, DD and I have recently tried and tested. I'm really excited but it takes an hour to inflate and fill. My 1st DD arrived in around 3hrs from waters breaking to pushing her out and a few people have said I may well not make it into the pool. What are people's experiences with subsequent births-are they always quicker where there are no complications? If I am mega quick I guess I should have some plastic sheeting handy in which case what do people think is the best birthing position out of water. I really don't think I want to lie down on the bed...

Hi Bimble - my second labour was quicker than the first - but my first was 24 hours!! I had dd2 at home - I leant over a beanbag and chair.

Good luck a home birth is fab - i still look back on my day with fond memories as it was so lovely.

Hi Bimble - well my 2nd was half the length as the first(3 1/2 hours), but my third was 4 days...apparently this is pretty typical with 2nd labours being half the length as the first once you get to the active labour stage....

I've had three homebirths (the last one was in the water and was the best by FAR!!) so soon as you feel today could be the day get that pool filled up even if its a false alarm and you end up having to drain it...

My tips for a good homebirth are to keep moving as long as you can bear it....just distracted (I made food to go in the freezer while in labour the first two times, I went walking around our neighourhood, and even went to IKEA during my last labour - however the last option probably wouldn't be a good idea if you are afraid of a very quick labour! )

Good positions for me varied,but generally hands and knee's leaning over something: birthing ball, stool, rocking ottoman, against DH.....I think during labour you naturally gravitate to a position that works best for your own body and your babies position...

Anyway enough waffle from me, fingers crossed for a great home waterbirth for you! Look forward to reading your birth announcement!!

I gave birth on all fours-just felt right.

I've had all 3 at home - the last one in water. My second birth was so quick we didn't get the pool filled in time and it was all a bit of a shock. I had known throughout the day that I was 'in labour' but the arrival just didn't feel imminent. However, from waters breaking to transition to baby out took an hour and was not much fun. So my advice would echo a previous post - get the pool up as soon as you think this might be it. 3rd birth, I was well prepared and got the pool full in good time - labour was 4 hours.

As for position - both land births were with me in a supported squat and water birth with me squatting supported by the water. Brilliant as I hate to be touched and it meant that I could feel the head and pull her up and out. Lovely.

My sis had four home water births and in each case used the bath....so as baths are quicker to fill than birth pools, it's worth keeping that in mind as an emergency plan B in case your labour seems like its galloping forward ahead of the pool-filling....

Assuming you have a bath, that is!

Granted, baths don't have as much room to manouvre as a birthing pool, but my sis swears by 'em (and probably in 'em at the time!!)

we managed to get the pool (la bassine) inflated and filled just in time for me to climb in and deliver ds3
labour was 45 minutes! (i literally just got in and then had him lol)

my advice would be to keep it inflated if you have room (older children like to play in it :-D)
and then just start filling as soon as you are in labour

we managed to get the pool (la bassine) inflated and filled just in time for me to climb in and deliver ds3
labour was 45 minutes! (i literally just got in and then had him lol)

my advice would be to keep it inflated if you have room (older children like to play in it :-D)
and then just start filling as soon as you are in labour

Hi girls, thank you so much for all your advice. I've been offline for a bit due to tech issues not labour!!! I went to inflate the pool again today with the idea of keeping it inflated and the damn thing has sprung an air leak somewhere but I just can't detect where.I think I must've overinflated it. I don't know whether I should try and use it still and get DH to keep topping up the air (noisy pump!) or get a liner and accept that he won't be able to get in this time and that the sides will be a bit soft (floor part of it seems fine still) or whether to go for the dry land option. I didn't think the midwives were keen on letting you deliver in the bath as it's more difficult for them to examine you. That's certainly what I've been told by one. Anyhow one thing is for sure it won't stop me from having this baby at home!