Pros of a home pool birth?

[ThatOchreQuoter]

Could anyone who has had a home birth give me some advice please? Contemplating a home pool birth for baby number 2. My first labour was very quick and straightforward. I’m just worried about the mess!

I've had two home water births and there was minimal mess (not that I was clearing up!)

Water birth is probably less messy if anything as every thing is contained in the pool, make sure you hire from somewhere reputable (we used barefoot birth pools - so easy) and that there's a pump to pump water out included - that makes life much easier.

So worth it, they're bliss. My second labour was 30 mins and we still managed to get me in there!

I had both of mine at home, though without a pool as it didn’t appeal. It was lovely and I wouldn’t want to do anything else, unless there was medical need for a higher level of care.

Join some UK based home birth groups on Facebook. They will answer all your questions. It’s truly not messy if you prepare and someone actually makes sure the protective coverings are under you. With my first, I was moving around a lot and when the time came, no one thought to go get it and put it between me and the carpet! It was fine. Dh sorted it out. Hopefully no one ever takes some luminol to that room though. 😂 Second time around, I made sure I stayed put while pushing. No mess at all. The midwives just chuck it all in a bin liner and take it with them.

I had a HB in a pool 17 years ago- it was my second DC (I had first DC in hospital as obviously didn’t know what to expect and HB felt a bit risky. As it turned out, it was a fairly quick and very straightforward birth so I felt confident to go for HB the second time).

I bought an inflatable pool
online and we set it up at home and had a practice run of filling and emptying it. On the day, I woke up to a contraction at 7am. Called midwives at about 9 maybe and one headed over. I was in the pool by maybe 10.30. The midwife was excellent- so unobtrusive and spent most of her time sitting quietly out of my eyeline writing notes, so I could just get on with labouring in my own little world. She let me know she had G&A in her car and would go and get it if/when I asked. I didn’t need it in the end, just moved around in the pool with my eyes closed with some excellent music playing (Sacha and Digweed’s Northern Exposure off the 90s if anyone remembers it!)

Once my contractions were ramping up, the midwife moved into position beside the pool and just soothed me through each contraction with her calm voice. She monitored baby’s HB once with a Doppler (she reached under me to access my belly as I was on my knees leaning on the side of the pool at the time). She only did that the once and I didn’t have an internal examination at any point. At the time I didn’t ‘notice’ that hadn’t happened, but in retrospect it’s all part of what made me feel so calm and in control.

The second MW arrived about ten minutes before baby arrived- around midday. Baby’s head was born into the water and he stayed there for a while until the next contraction when I pushed the rest of him out. Then cuddles in the water for a while. When contractions kicked in again for the placenta, I told the midwife and then stood up (with DH’s support) and the MW caught the placenta and whisked it away (a while later, I overheard her and DH discussing it in the kitchen- sounded like they were having a bit of a root around which made me laugh.)

Then the midwife cleared away all the mess, accompanied me to the loo and then got me settled on a puppy pad on the sofa with big undies and a pad and blankets. Meanwhile DH had cooked a couple of pizzas and we all had a bite while discussing the new baby. After the MWs had gone, DH emptied the pool into the garden and then we all went to bed 💚 Absolutely magical!

Sorry I have ended up writing an essay but I absolutely love reliving it because it was genuinely an amazing experience and one I would have happily done time and time again.

I had a home birth with baby number 3, almost 28 years ago now. I didn't bother with a pool and there was no mess at all. Everything was contained on a plastic sheet which was rolled up and disposed of by the midwives. It was a wonderful experience.

hb with a pool 32 years ago for dc2 - it was wonderful. We filled it every night for a couple of weeks before my due date and it was bliss to wallow in it. Come the moment I insisted on getting out to deliver. Don’t remember any mess or spillage but it wasn’t my problem!

Ahh yes do it. My experience was v.similar to @Waitingfordoggo (including DH and midwife discussing the placenta in the kitchen!!)

The mess will not be your concern and you will be able to climb into your own bed afterwards with your new baby which will be bliss!!

My wife & are planning our second home birth and she would like to be in the pool again. You either love it or hate it, but it really helped her. We are using private midwives so for us we feel in control.

I almost want to have a third DC just to do it all over again - amazing, comfortable, in control. No mess, really.

Highly recommend reading Why Homebirth Matters and joining Sam gaddesdons Facebook group 'homebirth support group UK' which has Hundreds of birth stories

I was desperate for a home birth but ended up not getting one as I had slightly high blood pressure during pregnancy. I really wanted a birth pool.

If I’d had that I’d have had a dead baby as my daughter was born with a condition where all of her organs moved up into her chest cavity during pregnancy. It’s not that rare. It was on my scans but wasn’t picked up by an ultrasound technician. A midwife definitely couldn’t have saved her as she needed immediate ventilation (which sadly she didn’t get, even in a hospital).

I was told through all of my scans that I had a “healthy” baby.

Love reading these stories of home birth... Sounds wonderful. I wonder has anyone had a home birth after a 3b tear? I'd love one in the future for a second but uncertain if it's wise as I had a 3b tear with first...

The only thing is they're big! It took us ages to rearrange the furniture to make space, then it cluttered up the place until we had time to deflate and wrestle it back into the box. I didn't actually use it in the end, I went to midwife unit and used the one there before we got as far as filling it. The one at the unit was great though!

I almost want to have a third DC just to do it all over again - amazing, comfortable, in control. No mess, really.

Exactly the same! I loved mine.

I attempted 2 HBs with pool, 1st took so long that DH had filled and refilled it 3 times to keep the temp right, before I ended up transferring to hospital. DC2 came so fast the pool wasn’t full enough yet and I couldn’t get off my hands and knees!!

I agree with what others have said. Not messy if you plan ahead a bit and think through roughly where you might want to be within your house.

I did hire a pool but things happened quickly so it wasn’t used. I was glad we did a trial run with it though, so we knew where it could go with the hose length etc.

Puppy pads were very useful, a cheap shower curtain, but mainly just lots of old towels from friends and family. Most were fine after washing but obviously it’s less stressful if you know you can just bin anything if necessary.

Good luck!

Me! I had a 3a/b tear with my first (also at home) and had to transfer in post-birth. I then had my second baby 18mo later also at home and only had a 2nd degree tear which was repaired on the sofa - I was elated!!

Both births were absolutely incredible.

It's great to hear you're considering a home pool birth for baby number two! Many people find home births to be a beautiful and empowering experience. Many families find home births to be a wonderful experience, and the mess is usually manageable. Wishing you all the best on this journey!

Ahhh @Motherdoodle thank you for giving me hope! And congratulations on the birth of your babies... I hope you're all ok/healed and well now :)

I had a a home birth in the pool and it was the best birth of three.

I never managed the pool at the hospital with the first two because I was too far gone by the time I arrived. DH sorted the pool setting up and taking down. The midwife whispered to me that pools are good because they give the partner a job 🤣, which was equal parts condescending and true. He likes being helpful.

The birth still did hurt. My labours were all short and intense. I still tore in the same ways I did with the first two, but I loved being at home and would do the pool again in the impossible scenario it ever came up. My tear was also fixed on the sofa.

First was in a midwife centre in the pool. 2nd was a Homebirth with a pool. Bloody amazing experience, no tears, so no stitches either. Contribute this to the water I loved the pool both times. But it’s not for everyone. No 3rd child, but if there was, definitely would have been another Homebirth. Had the most amazing midwives both times.

Hospital birth with too many interventions and massive episiotomy with No.1

Home birth on dry land with No.2

Pool birth at home (poolinabox) with No.3 - so chilled that baby turned up before midwife.

Pool set up well before labour - to the delight of No.1 and No.2

Clear up - not my job!!! Think DH siphoned it all into the garden

My second was a water birth at home. (For my first I had hired a pool to take in to hospital but things went more quickly than expected, my husband had been sent home and we didn’t have time to get it ready).

Second time round, we had moved house and although the local hospital had a water pool, you weren’t allowed to actually give birth in it. I remember expressing my disappointment to the midwife and she said “our mums who want a water birth usually have one at home”. That option hadn’t occurred to me and I immediately thought “Right. I’ll do that then”.

The pool was lovely and relaxing. I went for as deep a one as I could get and was in a fairly upright position to give birth. It was very odd seeing my baby’s head just hanging there, before the rest of her came out! I got out of the pool to deliver the placenta.

The midwife was wonderful and it was all very easy to clear up.

I highly recommend it.

I had gas and air delivered in advance and was asked in advance if I wanted pethidine (which I didn’t). Obviously no other pain relief was available at home so that was a gamble, but one I was happy to take, given how the first birth had gone.

It was all OK! I did lots of women's physio after the big tear and it healed well.

And this doesn't make any sense but the second tear almost improved the scarring from the first....its like it reorganised itself?

Don't fear a home birth, especially if you healed well after the first tear. X

AHH that's really interesting, women's bodies are incredible hey!... I've been the same with women's physio, both NHS and private. All seems to have healed well tbh, I am only 7 months PP but I am struggling with potential prolapse... I am waiting on Gynea and have been advised prolapse doesn't stop another vaginal delivery so hope is there!

I've had 2 home water births.
First one NHS trust supplied pool, second time we had moved to a new area and had to hire one. Tbh the second NHS trust wasn't as keen on home water births, I think more from a resource point of view. I was warned if there weren't available and experienced midwives on shift I'd have to go to hospital.
However for both births the midwives were lovely and seemed to enjoy being present at a home delivery. There were fairly hands off.
DH put pool together and filled and emptied it, kept him busy and he felt useful. He said he felt a lot more involved /proactive then when I had a hospital birth although he originally was a bit concerned by the idea.
There was no mess(that I had to deal with anyway!) Gave birth in the pool, midwives keep everything clean and tidy, they ran me a bath afterwards and thinking about it also put clean sheets on the bed.
I found it more relaxing and less stressful being at home and you get a lot more attention from Midwives, one initially and then a second one joins near the end of the labour.
You can only have gas and air but that was OK - ime being relaxed at home in water and feeling in control also helps manage the pain.
I'd really recommend it.
The only thing that's really undignified is if you need stitches afterwards! One midwife helpled support my legs, one stitched and DH held a giant torch!
If things don't go to plan they will get you an ambulance quickly. My second choice would have been the birthing unit at a local hospital and in an emergency I'd been transferred from there too so I didn't feel it was any more risky than that.
Good luck with whatever you decide and, as long your pregnancy is low risk, don't be afraid to push for it if it's your preferred option.