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Original poster

Tell me about how clean the water stays in water births...

30 replies

iloveberries · 11/07/2016 12:38

Hi - I'm pg with DC2 and like the idea of a water birth... But I'm also worried about how "clean" it will be.

In my first labour i know I let out more than the baby Blush and it was quickly sorted but i don't know how this all works in a water birth. My worry is sitting in a mucky pool with DP having to fish things out of it!

Thanks

OP posts:
ThePartyArtist · 11/07/2016 13:06

I am interested to know too. I did read somewhere it's probably not best if you're squeamish.

RadicalPessimist · 11/07/2016 13:10

In my experience it can get a bit messy at the pushing stage. Blood and fluids will end up in the water. If you poo (lots of women do) that will end up in the pool too. Midwives have a little sieve to fish it out with. They are used to doing this so are discreet and don't make a fuss.

twolittleboysonetiredmum · 11/07/2016 13:14

It does get mucky, I pooed during dc3 birth (ironically not with the other two who weren't water births) I knew I'd done it and I think they fished out the bits they could reach but there was definitely bits bobbing round as I was pushing etc probably as they couldn't get near it as husband was supporting me. Worse also was the smell of poo once the water drained out as we were still in the room with the pool with baby for a while. That was a bit grim.
So, if you don't mind that sort of thing then go for it, I loved it except that and still cringe about the very obvious poo everywhere. Not that the midwives etc mentioned it obviously.

Dixiechick17 · 11/07/2016 13:17

Poo just gets sieved out. I didn't notice the water to be honest, it was a short labour and I progressed quite quickly so I didn't have a lot of time in between contractions to pay attention, I was in the pool less than two hours before I needed to push. I presume all was ok for the baby to arrive in it as they were happy for me to push, but I got out to deliver as I was hot and bothered :)

Original poster
iloveberries · 11/07/2016 13:19

That's an idea... To labour in the bath then get out to deliver baby

I love the idea of water birth but REALLY don't want to be surrounded by bobbing poo

OP posts:
gallicgirl · 11/07/2016 13:19

My son was born in his amniotic sac into the pool. No mess at all. [smug]

I suspect most of the mess arrives after the baby so you can always get out pretty quickly if it bothers you. A water birth is brilliant though and so helpful for pain relief.

peasofcake · 11/07/2016 16:23

DS was born in the water, didn't arrive at the MLU till I was pretty close so I got in and was pushing within half and hour I honestly can't remember thinking or seeing any muck or goo. I think there was a tiny poo which as other have said got fished out. My labour started with a massive upset tummy tho so perhaps not much in to come out.

NeedATrim · 11/07/2016 16:38

It won't always be messy.

I have birth recently and midwives estimated that I lost around 5ml of blood. My plug could be seen floating around though which looked like a glob of bloody mucous. Otherwise, the pool looked clean and the water still clear.

NeedATrim · 11/07/2016 16:40

I'd LOVE the novelty of a baby born in its sack. Get you!

Petal40 · 11/07/2016 16:45

I love berries ,,,,err no.when you are ready to push you won't be in any state to clamber over the side out of the water and get yrself dry....in between contractions....not going to happen...ive had 2 water births .water was clean and warm throughout..midwife frequently let out water to fill up with warm again...even at the end hardly any muck.just a slight tinge to the colour of the water....however each time I was near to pushing there was way I could of got out of the pool.not a chance ...but then I'm very much like ,don't come near me don't touch me ,when I'm giving birth...so maybe that's just me

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 11/07/2016 16:46

Didn't get anywhere near the pushing stage with my one attempt at a water birth but I did have a mucus plug happily floating around in the pool.

Petal40 · 11/07/2016 16:49

Dixiechick,wow I take my hat of to you...how did you manage to get out so near to pushing?...I was away with the fairies in la la land at that point...in fact I think I would of punched someone trying to move me so close to the end

Iamnotloobrushphobic · 11/07/2016 16:52

I had a water birth fairly recently. It was much less messy than my previous births (on beds). We were advised to bring a sieve but it wasn't needed. The only mess was a bit of meconium from baby straight after he was born and that just sank to the bottom of the pool and more or less stuck to the pool base in a glob.

InternationalHouseofToast · 11/07/2016 16:56

From asking them at work, my understanding was it was the job of any attending student midwives to fish "foreign bodies" out of the birthing ppol with a sieve. It certainly wouldn't be the job of your DH because I guess blood etc. has a contamination risk for him.

peaceloveandtwirlywoos · 11/07/2016 17:00

I laboured in the pool then got out for an examination and didn't get back in as I was pushing by then and too sore to climb the steps! I didn't notice it, but DH said the water was revolting and I hadn't even started pushing yet.
The fact that I didn't notice is something to hold onto, though Grin

Iamnotloobrushphobic · 11/07/2016 17:05

It certainly wouldn't be the job of your DH because I guess blood etc. has a contamination risk for him.

Well that isn't true because partners are allowed to get into the birthing pools (at most hospitals) if they wish as long as they wear swimwear. My DH was only too happy to tell anybody who would listen that he was looking forward to sieve duty.

DowntonDiva · 11/07/2016 17:09

I tried to labour in the pool but found the shower more comfortable. Does your hospital have that facility? Not sure about pushing in the shower tho Hmm

I transferred to the labour ward for pushing and poo'd twice. By that point I didn't care not sure if you'd even notice.

millionsofpeaches · 11/07/2016 17:17

I had a water birth in the living room in an inflatable pool. I honestly don't remember anything about the state of the water other than it was a bit red once she was born. I was just leaning on the side though so couldn't really have looked even if I had wanted to and I was totally in the zone once the pushing had started so wasn't in any fit state to notice.

Not sure what dh made of the emptying....

But water birth was the best decision I ever made. Sooooo much better than bed based. Made the pain almost bearable Grin

PerspicaciaTick · 11/07/2016 17:42

I have no idea why anyone would think it is OK for student midwives to be exposed to "blood contamination risk" but not DHs who have presumably been having lots of unprotected sex with their DWs. One of the most bizarre things I've seen on MN.

AMomentaryLapseOfReason · 11/07/2016 17:47

I had to get out of the birthing pool mid birth (head out, shoulder dystocia). It's amazing what you can do if you have to! Can't remember the colour of the water though!

LifeIsGoodish · 11/07/2016 18:08

The water was so...erm...full of stuff that it was totally opaque. I didn't see ds until his face was nearly coming out of the water.

But, frankly, I could not give a damn! Neither could any of the other adults present - if any did, they didn't show it. It was the best birthing of my 3. Utterly awesomely amazing. Ds opened his eyes underwater and I swear he looked straight at me. He was so calm. Made up for it soon enough, the hyperactive darling.-

LifeIsGoodish · 11/07/2016 18:39

It wouldn't be the dh's job because his job is supporting his dw, not housekeeping (he gets to do that later). Nothing to do with contamination risk.

Dixiechick17 · 11/07/2016 20:16

petal lol I don't know, I was just determined to get out of the pool and onto the mat on the floor. It was an interesting birth as my midwife also got me to walk to the bathroom to sit on the toilet to get the head out (she put something in the toilet just in case) I then had to waddle accross the room back to the mat with my DD's head between my legs to finish Blush

almostthirty · 11/07/2016 20:20

I got out which made my waters break as I was trying to get down steps. Cue going I to shock and throwing up exorcist style everywhere . In hindsight I should have stayed where I was!

Dixiechick17 · 11/07/2016 20:21

Also, I wasn't near to pushing, I pushed for a while in the pool, got hot and bothered then got out, I agree with amomentarylapse it's amazing what you can do when you are really determined.

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