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Original poster

Anyone not get the water birth they wanted?

104 replies

JustAnotherUserinParadise · 18/11/2020 20:48

Hi Everyone,
I am hoping to have a water birth, (currently 26 wks and low risk so far).
For some reason I am really worried that when I need to go in to hospital the pools will all be occupied and I won't get it! I could see myself suddenly getting completely unreasonable and refusing to get out of the bath at home...
What do you think the chance of this is? Has anyone had it happen to them?

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Ginfilledcats · 18/11/2020 22:30

I badly wanted a water birth as I find water so relaxing.

Unfortunately when my waters went they had merconium in them and I needed to have the ctg monitor on constantly so couldn't get in the pool. Ended up with forceps in theatre but it was honestly a breeze!

Ginflinger · 18/11/2020 22:30

Or 34 weeks, rather

jellybe · 18/11/2020 22:31

Yeah twice I didn't get a water birth. DC2 got to the hospital they started running it did a quick check and said 'well this one will be here before that has finished running shall we not waste the water?' He was born about 10 minutes later.

dC3 I didn't even make it off my bathroom floor into my own tube let alone to the hospital.

Plan for what you want but be open to things changing.

Pegase · 18/11/2020 22:40

To be frank @JustAnotherUserinParadise I think you just need to be aiming for a happy and healthy baby and for you to be healthy at the end too. My first birth was a car crash and not a positive experience but we are both 100% healthy. I do think birth should be a positive experience but that is largely down to receiving good care no matter whether you give birth in a pool, at home or in an operating theatre.

I think evangelising about water births with candles, no pain relief and serene music is setting unrealistic expectations, particularly for first time mums who more often have longer labours, induction etc. If the worst that happened was that the pool was booked you would be laughing trust me.

Original poster
JustAnotherUserinParadise · 18/11/2020 23:12

@Pegase have you read my previous posts? That's exactly what I'm aiming for and I said nothing about no pain relief, candles or music!

OP posts:
jellybeans7 · 18/11/2020 23:37

I had my heart set on a natural water birth. Labour ended up being back to back the pain was excruciating so I ended up having an epidural 🙈 I would suggest keeping an open mind but I had the same worries about the pool not being available and was told by my midwife that the pools are very rarely taken up as usually even if they are busy by the time your in active labour one would be available :)

clearbluebastards · 19/11/2020 06:54

@olympicsrock

Ha ha ha - I wanted this and ended up with an Induction and crash section. Better not to have too fixed a birth plan. Better to be flexible!
Same
ThatDamnScientist · 19/11/2020 07:15

I wanted a water birth and was told my both my midwives (I had a mental health one as well) that it would be fine. I got to the hospital and one midwife took me towards the water birth room, the one in charge refused to let me. No reason why, I'm still pissed now (daft I know, but I wasn't listened to).

Hatepickinganame · 19/11/2020 08:06

Never even crossed my mind with my first, I was 19 and had no real clue about birth options. Had one with my 2nd, was amazing and my best labour by far. Got in at 4cm ish, and had to get out around 8/9cm as my waters were tinged with blood. He literally arrived within minutes. Last time was induced, and not allowed in pool. Really wanted a water birth this time, but it doesn't look likely as I have so many complications. Good luck with everything!

Amelia891 · 19/11/2020 08:51

I spent most of my labour in the pool and it was great, but I was so relaxed I wasn’t progressing quickly enough so the midwives asked me to get out and do some pushing on the bed for a bit then I could get back in to have my daughter... I never made it back in! Once I was on the bed she came pretty quickly plus I was too worried about everything slowing down again if I got back in.

raspberryjamlove · 19/11/2020 08:56

I was hoping for one but there was a problem with the water that day...there was no hot water! All icy cold! Actually though I doubt I would have gone in because it turns out the way I dealt with contractions was to sway from side to side. Sometimes your body has only plans for you! Good luck op Grin oh and I remember hospital saying it could happen that the water birth rooms are all full but you'd be very unlucky xx

nuggles · 19/11/2020 09:02

I tried 3 times for a water birth.

1st ended up with induction and forceps.
2nd had meconium in the waters
3rd midwife had the bath ready. I just looked at it and couldn't make the two steps to the bath. She was born 5 minutes later. Ironically born in her sac

TheTeenageYears · 19/11/2020 09:04

Water birth was the plan but then arrived early so plan went out the window. Didn't bother with a plan second time round and definitely wouldn't have been a water birth unless a home birth had been in the plan. Barely made it out the ambulance and into hospital.

BuffaloCauliflower · 19/11/2020 09:07

Hey OP, I had my baby a week ago and had the same plan as you, love being in water it makes me feel calm and I did get a pool room (my MLU has 3 and says only once have they all been full) but spent maybe 5 hours max of my 30 hour labour in it in the end. I found it soothing but it also slowed my contractions down. He was back to back and so wasn’t putting enough pressure on my cervix to dilate in the water. I ended up on all fours or sideways on the pull out bed with my TENS machine (my main pain relief throughout) for longer.

In the end contractions slowed a few times and I ended up needing a hormone drip twice to increase them. We moved to the labour ward for the second half due to this, so I gave birth in a normal labour room in the end - though with my own twinkly lights and music Smile But my birth was really great, a totally positive experience and even during it I thought ‘I could do this again’. I have no concerns about giving birth again! Your preferences will adapt as you go and even in the event you don’t get a water birth you’ll be ok. If you’re not already doing the Positive Birth Company online course I’d definitely recommend, feeling really prepared and in the right mindset definitely helped make my birth experience great.

BedsorestoaSloth · 19/11/2020 09:16

I always requested water birth. First time they wouldn't let me for ages because I was dilating so slowly, eventually they did but had to get in and out to be checked periodically. Meconium. Back to back. Trace. Epidural eventually. Thankfully DC was fine but the water was a distant memory by then.

Second time, pools were all full but one became available after about an hour. DC2 arrived in it a couple of hours later. It was great for me but a MUCH more straightforward delivery.

As previous responders, my headline would be - by all means request a birthing pool but flexibility of plan is a much better preparation for coping with whatever the baby actually does....

OhThatNamingThing · 19/11/2020 10:58

I wanted a water birth and no one was using them when I was in labour, but when I called up, the midwives said I wasn’t in labour (irregular contractions, not long enough, could talk through them). So I got in my own bath and laboured at home, the second I got out, my waters broke and we went into mlu. Walked in, talked to the midwives. They wanted to send me home again because I couldn’t be in labour 😂 I asked them to check and I was 8cm dilated and gave birth 10 minutes later...really hoping they’ll listen to me this time

LifeIsBusy · 19/11/2020 11:02

I really thought I wanted one too. Got into it and then was dragged out hours later because of a prolonged birth and they needed to monitor he baby. It was fab whilst it lasted.

Original poster
JustAnotherUserinParadise · 19/11/2020 11:24

@OhThatNamingThing yes if I have a long early labour at home I plan to spend much of it in the bath! If all goes to plan (unlikely but hey ho) I'll be wrinkly as a raisin by the end!

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 19/11/2020 12:08

@JustAnotherUserinParadise just a word of warning about getting in the bath, as it’s a much smaller space than a birthing pool you may end up lying on your back rather than being upright or on all fours which runs the risk of turning baby back to back. The more you can stay upright or even on your side the better for you.

Christmasbiscuit · 19/11/2020 12:21

[quote BuffaloCauliflower]@JustAnotherUserinParadise just a word of warning about getting in the bath, as it’s a much smaller space than a birthing pool you may end up lying on your back rather than being upright or on all fours which runs the risk of turning baby back to back. The more you can stay upright or even on your side the better for you.[/quote]
I never realised that. I went into hospital at 5cm and baby was back to back. Before that I'd spent about 6 hours mostly in the bath at home.

Original poster
JustAnotherUserinParadise · 19/11/2020 12:27

@BuffaloCauliflower yes I had wondered that actually! They say to stay upright so I was thinking of staying sitting up/on all fours...

OP posts:
MoonDelay · 19/11/2020 13:19

Nearly ten years ago now. I got in, shit, and had to get out again 🤦‍♀️. They fished it out (nice lol) but didn't mention cleaning and refilling or even being allowed into a different one or anything. I was a bit pissed off, not at them of course just really wanted to try it. I was in labour for hours afterwards and ended up with forceps, vontouse etc. Wasn't the end of the world but it would have been nice. I did have to ask a few times to be "allowed" to use one, not sure why they were so hesitant 🤷‍♀️

They were probably too busy which is understandable obviously.

BuffaloCauliflower · 19/11/2020 13:23

@JustAnotherUserinParadise definitely have a look at The Positive Birth Company, I highly recommend based on very recent experience. The more prepared you are the better x

bluechameleon · 19/11/2020 18:30

My waters went then nothing happened, so I ended up being induced, ending in a c section. There are all sorts of ways things can change, don't bank too much on one particular birth plan.

SockQueen · 19/11/2020 21:47

Quite fancied the idea, but ended up being induced both times so the pool was a no-go unfortunately.