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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Birthing pool for labour

17 replies

AM1994 · 21/04/2019 07:09

Morning everyone

Just looking tonhear from people who have used a birth pool just for pain relief during labour and if they found it helpful? Not for the birth itself

Thanks x

OP posts:

Stuckforthefourthtime · 21/04/2019 07:10

The pool is only for the birth itself - you can get in the bath before that?

olderthanyouthink · 21/04/2019 07:20

I gave birth in our (small) bath, my labour was fast and I don't know when what stage happened but within an hour of giving birth I took my TENS machine of and got in the bath to labour in there. While I wasn't sure it helped at first when I tried to get up out of the bath the pain got way worse but I was pushing and this point.

It's hard to do a direct comparison between TENS and the water but TENS to me hurts (even now but it doesn't hurt everyone - we tried it) but distracts from the contraction and I think the water was just a bit soothing.

BigMamaFratelli · 21/04/2019 07:21

I don't think that's true - I laboured in a birthing pool but got out to give birth to dd2.

I found it pretty useful pain relief wise.
Just be warned that getting out whilst in labour is not an easy feat!

VaselineHero · 21/04/2019 07:23

I gave friends who have used it just for pain relief and said it was really helpful. They used gas and air while in it and got out when ready to give birth.

BelulahBlanca · 21/04/2019 07:23

Would 100% recommend- found it very calming and it focused me when I was getting hysterical.

FaithEloise · 21/04/2019 08:17

I used birthing pool for my first, it is relaxing especially good idea if your planning on not using pain relief, i didnt want pain relief but the pool was enough.. my 2nd was born on a beanbag on the floor but he came fast

99calmbeforethestorm · 21/04/2019 08:18

I could use the pool as they didn’t have enough midwives.

Normally they say from 4cm dilated which is the start of active labour that you can use the birthing pool.

Darkstar4855 · 21/04/2019 14:27

The pool is only for the birth itself - you can get in the bath before that?

No it isn’t! My midwife specifically suggested to me that I might want to labour in the pool but get out for the actual delivery, apparently lots of people do. The pool has lots of space for you to move into different positions, is easier to get in and out of and is temperature regulated.

As it turned out I had to get out anyway as I ended up needing forceps but I laboured in the pool for more than eight hours (from 5cm onwards) with just gas and air and loved it. I would definitely use it again if I had another one.

foreverhanging · 21/04/2019 14:39

I laboured in the pool and it was wonderful for pain relief. I got out to push her out in the end - I think I was too light and floaty in it :)

Pppppppp1234 · 21/04/2019 14:43

I think it really depends if you find baths relaxing?! I’m not a bath person at all... doesn’t relax me at all.
I remember being in labour at home before we went in ( I was actually 7cm at this point) and the midwife on the phone recommend to use a bath to sooth the contractions and to take paracetamol. Did it heck work!! Wasn’t relaxing and I found it more of an inconvenience. For me a bathing pool is a total no no

Original poster

AM1994 · 21/04/2019 19:47

Thank you everyone for your experiences, I’ll deffo be wanting to use it labour, sounds like it’s worth a shot

OP posts:

BlueCookieMonster · 21/04/2019 19:51

Laboured in the pool for two births, got out to give birth. Would highly recommend.

Thatsnotmyotter · 21/04/2019 19:55

Think of it as one of the ‘steps’ on the ladder of pain relief (and remember you can go up and down that ladder to some extent - obviously once you have an epidural there’s not really any going back but everything else is temporary).

You might find changing, positions, going for a walk, massage, aromatherapy, or having a bath work for a while (or even all the way through). You might then think about paracetamol or codeine. You can try getting in the pool and/or gas and air once you are in established labour. You can consider stronger drugs like pethadine (can’t be used in the pool but can be brilliant in early labour and it’s fine to use the pool once it’s worn off) or an epidural as things progress, or if time goes on and you need a rest.

It’s an option. I don’t really know why anyone would discount it unless they’ve tried it previously and know it isn’t to their liking.

TerriB1984 · 21/04/2019 20:38

I had the same plan as you with my DD, to labour in the pool but get out to actually give birth. When it came to it there was not a chance I was getting out as I’d gone too far and couldn’t face moving. So I ended up giving birth in the pool. Currently expecting #2 and hoping for another water birth this time. I got the impression it was much more common to labour in the pool but get out for the birth itself as the midwife on the postnatal ward was surprised I’d had a water birth.

NannyPear · 21/04/2019 21:22

I'm really surprised that anyone would want to labour in the pool but not give birth in it. Why would you not want to give birth in it? Genuine question! I had a, rather unplanned, water birth and never once considered getting out of the pool.

Also the birthing pool is nothing like the bath. I went in the bath and because there was no room to move about it was so uncomfortable.

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 21/04/2019 21:27

I used it for pain relief with dc2.

It was great relief when I first got in- more effective than gas and air, and obviously you’re still ok to use that in the pool as well.

BUT I then got so relaxed that it slowed my contractions right down- I went from having one every two-three minutes to one every ten. I opted to get out to avoid having a never ending labour, and things sped back up immediately.

annlee3817 · 22/04/2019 06:34

I laboured in the pool, it was nice to float around in between contractions, but for me that was it.

I got out during the pushing stage as I felt extremely hot and bothered in the water, so the midwife helped me out of the water in between pushes and I hugged a giant bean bag on the floor instead with a fan on me :)

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