please tell me about your experiences of labouring in a birthing pool.

[champs]

please

Brilliant ! I would recommend 100%...Ok so I didn't give birth in the pool as my contractions slowed down ( a side effect of the pool..so watch out) but to get to 10 cm while in the pool and all within 8 or so hours is brilliant (so I have been told)! I only had gas & air 9although I was open minded to any kind of pain relief) as the pool is a natural pain relief.
It was nice to be able to get into any position you want and also if you are concerned about bearing all ( I know mw have seen it all but it was still a worry for me that my "bits" didn't look like everyone elses Lol..!) then it kind of covers you up..
I wore the top of my tankini throughout but tbh I didn't care who saw my bits once I had taken a few breaths of gas & air! Wonderful stuff !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a GREAT thread! Thanks for all the in put from all the experienced water birthers. I'm hoping for a water birth with baby2 (due in 6 weeks). Saw the birthing pool today. MW said if all goes well, I could deliver both baby & placenta in the pool.

Great tip about taking an old bath robe.

Champs, you might want to ask your MW about DH/DP's role. My MW said DH could either stay out of the bath or get in (whatever he & I felt like on the day). But she said that if he was going to get in the bath, then he needed to take swiming trunks with him (not that she minded, but she has found that this is best to ensure that noone gets distracted!). Women can wear what they want, but naked seems to be the most popular option.

hi KiwiKate!
thanks for tip. DH asked me the other day if I wanted him to get in pool with me once i told him what the sieve was for he quickly changed his mind LOL. Re: distraction, anything that keeps my mind of pain will be great dont think m/w will share that thought tho!

Sorry to be thick (and I might regret asking this) but what IS the sieve for? (My mw has not mentioned this)

As I understand it KiwiKate, the sieve is to remove any "unwanted nasties" (ie. number 2's) that may find their way from you into the pool

Ah. Right. Thanks for enlightening me

LOL!! now you see why DH had second thoughts.

Hi Champs

Only just found this thread. I absolutely loved my waterbirth. I got in when I was about 5cm and just stayed there (about 3 hours)! Dh sat at the side (not in the pool) and the midwife was on the other side. I tried kneeling in the pool on all fours, but wasn't comfortable. I spent all the time on my back with my feet pressed against the end of the pool (I'm quite tall). DD was born in the water - she shot out so fast the midwife, my Dh and I all missed her! I didn't have an injection for my placenta, but the midwife drained all the water out of the pool and then I just squatted over a tray thing and the placenta plopped out (sorry if too much information!).

I used gas and air and wore nothing.

It was an absolutely wonderful experience, totally calm and safe.

thanks to all for sharing

(Still feel a bit [shoc!k] about the sieve)

or even about the sieve

I wanted to ask about birthing pools too!
I am a bit of a lie on your back person,and had reletively easy births, but was wondering about a pool? Has anyone had both and what did you think?

I laboured in the pool and loved it. Unfortunately I had to get out as my contractions slowed and I was so sorry to leave the water! My mw said that you have to keep your bum under the water as you deliver so that the baby is born into the water and therefore doesn't try to take a breath until he/she is guided to the surface but right up until then you can move around quite freely, which is wonderful.

Mumtosomeone - I gave birth on my back in the birthing pool. The best of both worlds for you????

is it more or less painful or about the same?
Only had gas and air with others.

Hi there champs, I had ds in a pool on Monday and I can honestly say it was just fabulous. Dd1 and dd2 were both born on dry land with an epidural, so this was completely new territory for me.

I did find the water too hot, but was willing to put up with it for the benefits. I was about 5-6cm dilated when they started filling the pool, and wasn't examined again, but I guess I was probably about 8cm when I got in. The pain relief was immediate and, on a scale of 1-10, the pain went from about a 7 to a 3. Obviously it got more painful as it went along, but it was still bearable. I didn't use gas and air or any other pain relief except for the pool itself.

I did feel a little self-conscious stripping off to get in to the pool (and clambering over the side, as I am quite short!!), but once in I was really glad I wasn't wearing anything.

Re. the other potential embarrassments - I kept reminding myself that whatever I did, they had seen it all before, so not to worry - and I both peed and pooed in the pool! I remember apologising for the smell between contractions and dh and the midwives in fits of laughter as one of the midwives chased my poo round the pool with a sieve!!! Gawd what a memory.

Best of all, unlike my previous two births, I remember clearly what happened, and the feeling of being in complete control of events. I remember being calm enough to relax between contractions and breathe through them, recognise when I was going through transition (I said "I just want to get out and leave the pain behind in the pool for a bit" ) - and therefore I knew I was nearly there. I kept my sense of humour throughout and honestly felt - and I remember thinking this whilst I was pushing - that it was an enjoyable experience.

I had a physiological delivery of the placenta, which had to be on dry land - presumably the policy of my hospital as some have delivered it in the water - and that's a whole other story as it did not go to plan!! But I couldn't let this thread go without telling you just how great it was (and why I now understand why people are just so enthusiastic about waterbirth once they have done it) .

Sorry for waffling on - still on a postnatal high here

sounds good!!
Might consider it.When do yuo have to let them know?
did DH get in with you?

Miaou

Congratulations!! Have you got another dd or a ds? Your birth sounds wonderful - I feel all emotional just reading about it and remembering mine.

No, dh didn't get in - I think he could have done if he had wanted to, but neither of us wanted him in there! He sat at the side of the pool on a stool and I gripped his arms during contractions.

Mumtosomeone

The only trouble with setting your heart on a waterbirth is that if you go to a hospital where there is only one pool, and someone else is already in it, then unfortunately you're out of luck!

When we phoned the hospital to say we were coming, we asked if the pool was free.

Hope you get yours!

I had a ds Littlefish - he is gorgeous! this thread tells a bit more about what happened and there is a link to a photo of ds too.

Re letting them know mumtosomeone - I had all my antenatal care at the hospital so they knew from early on that I wanted the pool, but I guess if you put it in your birth plan and mention it to your m/w when you go through it, which is usually about wk 36 onwards.

Yes that's how I missed out having a waterbirth with dd2, Littlefish

well its early days yet! not booked in so weeeeeeks to go. As this is the last I thought I might try something different!!!!

Littlefish -- thanks!! sounds wonderful. did dd come up to surface on her own or did m/w have to bring her up after she missed her?
lol KiwiKate!!

Satine -- was this your first? if not, how did it compare to the other time?

Hi Miaou!! Thank you so much for posting. I was so happy to hear of ds' birth. Glad you got your water birth too. I will get a sieve today and pack in hosp bag (still not packed)
Did the temp stay constant or did they top up?
I feel so excited but also apprehensive but i hate the way gas and air makes me feel so out of it.
I hope no-one is in the pool when I go to hosp and that b/p is low enuff.

mumtosomeone -- hi! hope all goes to plan with you, how far gone are you?

Hi Champs

She stayed under the water, swam under my legs and had to be fished out unceremoniously (but very gently!) by the midwife.

The midwife had asked me if I wanted to be the one to catch her when she came out, which of course I did. However, she came out much quicker than I expected, so I just wasn't ready!!
I'll also never believe my dh again when he says he's taken a great catch at cricket, because he missed her too!

Forgot to say that the midwife kept monitoring the temperature and topping it up when it needed more hot. At one point I managed to kick the plug out without anyone noticing and as the water went down, I could feel my contractions getting more and more painful - Cue great amounts of shouting from me and frantic scurrying around by DH to get the plug back in, trying to avoid my flailing arms and legs!

I'm pretty sure she said that she would warm the water up an extra couple of degrees just before the baby was born so that it would come out into the water that was body temperature. Perhaps someone else could confirm this.