water births and other first time mum type questions

[babyradio]

How come you can have baths up until your waters break but you can have a water birth after your waters have broken? Why does it make a difference if you're in your own bath or in a giant birth pool in a hospital/in your living room?

Can you go into labour without your baby engaging? What happens then?

When should I have a hospital bag packed?

Why am I suddenly so obsessed with cleaning?

Is everything I've been told about raspberry leaf tea true/at least a bit true?

I hope these don't seem like stupid questions especially to those of you who are on baby 2, 3, 4 and beyond... I don't know how to search through threads though I'm sure these things have all been answered somewhere. Google was pretty inconclusive on most counts.

The risk when your waters break and you aren't in labour is of infection. Some women's waters can break early (mine at 25 weeks!) but you don't always go into labour if this happens and you are before 34 weeks infection must be prevented after 34 weeks your labour will most likely be induced. If you are in hospital in a birthing pool one presumes you are in labour and that's great!
Your babies head may not engage until you are in labour but then it will dont worry! Or it won't and you will have a section.
Depending on your pregnancy and any history of preterm births prolly from 36 weeks if you're being cautious but a lot of first babies are late.
You are nesting, this is normal.
Hope those answer your questions, good luck!

Thanks that explains a lot :)

My midwife is very keen for me to be drinking raspberry leaf tea, so there must be something in it.

My cleaning obsessions (at 37 weeks) are down to reasons - one, I want to bring the baby back to a lovely clean house and also I'm conscious that if certain jobs don't get done now, they won't get done for months!

I am trying the raspberry leaf capsules but don't expect them to make a huge difference!

I got my bag packed with the bare essentials at about 32 weeks and then properly at about 35!