Water Birth

[MamaToBeOMG]

Hi there mums and mums to be so im currently 23 weeks and now starting to think about my birthing plan. Unfortunatley i have no family support or partner so i will be doing labour completey alone which is terrifying enough without thinking OMG theres a baby coming out of there!! What i want to know is your experiences on water births am currently thinking about opting for one with just gas and air support as i dont want epidural due to ongoing back problems and ive hypertension so i just thought maybe water would ease pains and you can move freely in there i suppose and chosse a postion thats comfy for you. Rather than lied down puffing and panting and having no sort of movement. Is this the case or is there still a postion your ment to be in. Any sort of experience or advice and tips would be massively appreciated thanks x

No advice re water birth , just make sure you're prepared to not get your water birth. I desperately wanted one and wish I had been more prepared for being stuck on a bed. It wasn't actually that bad being on the bed, but the whole process was tainted by the fact that I SO BADLY wanted a water birth.

I had a water birth with my second baby with just gas and air and I really want the same this time around again! Totally different compared to my first labour, which was early and awful and ended up with every drug going.

Would highly recommend!

I know they tell you it's important to have a birthing plan but I actually disagree.

Very rarely do I hear people with them getting what they would want in their plan.

I personally, had a relatively easy labour with my first. 5 hours in total, uneventful really. Although I had previously put I did not want pethadine. I heard it can make babies have breathing trouble or make them sleepy when they are born. Once in labour I couldn't get the pethadine quick enough and it completely unaffected my baby.

I am 21 weeks pregnant with number 2 I do not intend on making any plan to avoid disappointment. Will just need to see at the time how I feel x

Oh and I am sorry to hear you are doing it alone. You are one strong mumma already x

I had 2 water births - I was lucky. I was well prepared via daisy birthing classes for all the eventualities, in particular I was walking around or on birthing ball with tens machine until I got to 5/6 cm then got in pool- you ideally need the baby head pressing on your cervix to keep things going. (Learnt that at class) water obviously takes some if the weight off hence in theory can slow things down as less pressure on cervix. By being well informed I felt I was much more in control and understood the potential risks/benefits of the available drug options and various positions to both me and baby.
I tried gas and air and hated it, made me sick - So I dumped that lol.

Under water I felt really safe and cocooned - and private. Forgot water was see through

Midwife was great, I had DH there but to be honest he didn’t have much to do at all - someone to chat to between contractions I guess? I wouldn’t have minded being on my own - everyone is different though so do what feels right for you (but don’t worry about being alone as they will look after you).

Good luck whatever happens - I had pretty nasty tears to be honest but still have overwhelmingly great memories of both births, and the key I think for me was being well informed of what happens so I understood it. I chose to have natural placenta delivery for instance and no vit K - because I read up on it ahead, I knew about all the millions of old wives tales on bringing on overdue labour, that sort of thing. Really enjoyed reading Ina May Gaskin (American midwife with loads if birth stories) - as to be honest before this I had no idea what to expect, if they did cover the full details in biology class I clearly glazed over 😂)

Good luck whatever happens, and to be honest the best advise is to remember it’s just one event - how they come into this world feels like such a big deal at the time, but it really is just one tiny snapshot of your (and their) life together. So long as you all go home safe and on one piece (ish) then you have had a successful day. Same with feeding - everyone has an opinion but do what’s right for you at the time
Good luck!

I spent a good few hours in the water but it didn't do it for me. I couldn't get comfortable, and they wouldn't let me have it hot enough to help the pain so I was naked, cold and fed up by the time I started pushing. Ended up getting out and finishing on the bed. Just go with how you feel on the day and make sure you have all your concerns written down if there won't be anyone there in person to advocate for you.

I have had water births with both dd1 and ds1 now 39 weeks with dc 3 and hoping for water birth number 3! I found the experience more relaxing than being on the bed and the water plus gas and air got me through. I found the actual births very calm under water too my baby's arrived quite chilled (not sure if that was the water or not) just be aware most birth centres only have a set number of pools (2 or 3 at mine) and if they are in use you will have to wait or choose an alternative . All the best .

I hadn't thought about water until the midwife asked if I wanted to hop in.... It was a quick labour and I was only in the water for maybe half an hour tops.
But omg it was amazing compared to my first..... I felt so comfy, I could prop myself up facing my partner (there are ledges in the bath/pool).
Be prepared to have a poop but it's fine, they'll scoop it outa the way.

I didn't even no he'd been born and they were telling me to sit back so I could grab him out 😂.

I spent most of labour active but got in the pool for the final stage and pushing baby out with 2/3 of my babies. No pain meds. Highly recommended water birth!! Love it. Xx

Had a water birth for number 1, now really hoping to have the same for number 2. Just used gas and air and water. It was amazing - can't recommend it enough - I can remember thinking I have no idea how women give birth on dry land without the pain relief of the hot water. It makes it so much easier to change position too as you can just roll around in the water.

Hi @MamaToBeOMG do you have any friends or relative who you like and trust enough to be your birth partner?

I highly recommend a water birth, although as everyone says they’re not always possible. That doesn’t mean you can’t try for one though.

I completely disagree with those saying don’t have a birth plan, they are super important. They just come with the condition that things might go differently on the day, of course. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have important choices to make.

I recommend a hypnobirthing course of videos online from the ‘positive birth Company’ - it’s £39 but worth every penny. It will teach you about how to aim for the best birth you can.

You’re doing the right thing by preparing now, well done. It’s your body, your choice xx

@Gerdticker hi no completley alone and i dont really want my mates to see me that up close and personal but im strongly thinking of putting down water birth in my plan if it dosent happen it doesnt happen thats life and i suppose labour cant really be planned as i may be early,late or need interventions etc its just nice to have a plan however i know it may change but thanks to everyones opions and @Flyguy2019 thanks alot

Good afternoon,

I had a water birth with my 3rd and an attempted one with my 4th.

I have to say water births are brilliant. I am due my 5th in January and will definitely be having one again then, God willing.

With my 3rd child, it was just really relaxing and definitely much easier to push in the water and definitely took the edge and the weight off. My only regret is that I wasnt in it longer.

With my last baby born 2018, I was 4cm dilated and wanted the birthing pool. Midwife filled it up and I laboured in it for a good few hours. But my contractions slowed right down so the midwife suggested breaking my waters. I asked her can I get back in the birthing pool afterwards, she said absolutely no problem. But her shift literally came to an end so midwife 2 took over and I said that I wanted to continue labouring in the birthing pool. She just said no, I have a bad back. I begged again, no I have a bad back. So I never got my water birth. I wish I had just asked for another midwife, but didnt know if that would be rude of me. I really wish I got my water birth and will definitely be making sure I get it this time. It's amazingg.i love it. And highly recommend it.

Best of luck Op

@MamaToBeOMG

Have you had a think about how you’ll get to hospital once in labour? Obviously driving is not an option! Maybe have a chat about these kind of practical concerns with your midwife?

One option for a birth partner would be to hire a Doula? They know all about how to make your labour the best it can be but aren’t medical - they’re on your team and can support you in every way that you need. Maybe have a google of doulas in your area?

I was really hoping for a water birth but unfortunately when I got into the pool at 9cm dilated my contractions stopped altogether. I’ve since learnt that this is fairly common.