Water birth and no checks

[Toastiecroissant]

Is it possible to have a water birth if I don’t want any internal examinations? Or will they refuse to let me in?

i find all examinations really painful and stressful, and my priority is staying calm and relaxed - an internal exam is the opposite to that!
my midwife said it doesn’t hurt, but she also said sweeps and induction don’t hurt, and I’ve been told smears and coil fitting doesn’t hurt lots of times and that just isn’t true for me,
The consultant said that they had to examine me, and they had to do a sweep at the same time when I first go in. I know that’s not true and they need my consent, but realistically how am I going to stop them, so I don’t trust anything now.

I was also wondering, if you wanted a water birth and didn’t get one (because pools weren’t free or you changed your mind) were you able to still have a calming birth?
I’m trying to do hypnobirthing but I’ve got It in my head that a water birth is the only way to do that. So now I’m trying to reassure myself it isn’t, so I don’t crumble if it turns out there’s no pool or they won’t let me in it.
thank you

Have you thought about a section? No internal examinations are required and it was the most calming, relaxing, magical experience I have ever had.

Your individual trust will have policy in place on who can use water to birth in. Much more likely that temperature or need for continuous monitoring is contraindicated to birth in water.
Have you considered a home birth with a rented/borrowed pool? Or using this to try to stay home longer before heading in?

Have you thought about a home birth? I had a home water birth with my 3rd child. Was brilliant. Had 2 midwives and they left me to it as per my request. Didn't get checked once and it was a lovely calm experience. But they were there if I needed them.

However, it was my third labour so I knew what to expect and my pregnancy was straight forward.

You can buy at home water birthing pools online for £120

Had two water births. Both I had a check before getting in (not comfortable but not dreadful, and I wanted to see how things were doing for my own knowledge), but none after. They were monitoring the baby carefully with the Doppler but no more internal checks as everything progressed well both times.

My third was not a water birth, but still a calm experience. Hope you get what you’re after 😊

I hope when it comes to it I can trust the person. I could maybe deal with one examine if I knew that was all it was going to be, and they weren’t going to do a sneaky quick sweep like my consultant said they would.

im too nervous for a home birth as it’s my first, but I have considered an elective c section

I had 2 quick labours, was so set on a water birth but we didn't have time. I still had beautiful calm births, focusing on breathing.
I told the midwives at my 2nd birth plan appointment that I didn't want examinations, and they were fine with that. I imagine that being a home birth made this an easier argument.

I wasn't able to have a water birth for 1st baby as she passed mec, but I had a water birth for my 2nd.

So the environments were quite different, the birthing pool room is dim lighting and more "calming" where as the room on the birthing suit felt more like a hospital setting if you see what I mean. And I had to wear the monitor belt thing for 1st baby. But honestly hand on my heart both experiences were relaxing for me. The fact I was in a more clinical setting for my first did not impact on how calm or in control I felt. Positive experience all around.

With regards to examinations, at the end of the day you have final say on if you want this done or not. Informed consent if your best tool, make sure you are aware of all pros and cons to having them before you go into labour so you can make a decision that you are comfortable with.

I had one internal examination with my first then got in the pool and gave birth In it, but one was all that was asked of me / needed. If they'd have asked for more I'd have said yes every time.

Childbirth is unpredictable and you can't plan not having internal examinations or similar. With my second I was at 8cm and literally couldn't progress until they'd broken my hind waters. It wasn't very nice but over quickly and there was no choice in the matter really. You just have to do what you have to do in the moment.

I had 3 water births, first two in hospital and the third at home. With my 2nd the midwife on duty really didn’t want to let me get in because it had been 6 months since she’d done a water birth! I was very persistent I knew exactly what I wanted, and it wasn’t to be examined! My daughter was in a hurry and arrived about 15 minutes after I got in.

number 3 at home was amazing. It was so chilled and I think because my body had done it twice before I was relaxed. I would be a huge advocate of home water birth but with the pressure that now exists on the ambulance service I’m not sure now.

Good luck I hope you get the birth you want x

I might just be clueless because I've never given birth vaginally, but why would they need to do a sweep when examining you if you're already in labour?

I had a water birth and bitterly regret it!
I too wanted minimal examinations etc and specifically chose a water birth so I was 'safe'

I hated it once labour was established but couldn't get out (for context I'm tiny!) and was in so much pain that whenever my dh tried to help me get out I couldn't move and he wasn't able to help me out. Obviously the midwives can't get in with you!

Ds's birth ended up being unnecessarily distressing for him and me, he was born with the cord wrapped around his neck and had to be resuscitated and I tore very badly and needed surgery immediately after birth.
Both of these things wouldn't have happened if I'd had any kind of examination during my labour.

I feel I need to share my story, as there are very few reports of any type of water birth beyond the glorious, candlelit type that I thought I would be having!

Would you consider an elective caesarean op?

I have given birth vaginally 5 times (one set of twins) twice I have had a OB do a sweep without asking me. It is up there with the worst pain ever. In their words, it was to 'Hurry things along'
It was cruel but I hope it was necessary.

No idea
i was told they had to examine me and part of the examination was that I had to have a sweep. I don’t believe either of those things are true, and that makes me more uncomfortable that they’re lying to me and telling me I have no choices

if things have to happen they have to happen (as a pp said she was stuck without waters being broken) but I’d like to make informed decisions for my own body rather than being lied to or someone doing something without asking or without consent
I’ll be really distressed if they just go ahead and do that when I’ve asked them no to, and that’s one of the things putting me off any checks at all

I had planned on a water birth. When I arrived at hospital, the midwife asked to do an internal exam to check progression before I got in. I don't know what would have happened if I had refused (I didn't want to refuse, I wanted to be sure I was actually in labour and it wasn't BH!) but the exam didn't hurt at all, but I suppose maybe it hurts less if you are in actual labour already as I was. I don't think she did a sweep while there, I wasn't asked if I wanted one but I've never had a sweep so don't know what they feel like. I guess if one was done I was completely oblivious to it.

I hopped in the pool and from there they just wanted to do the Doppler every now and again to check baby hr, no more internal exams.

When it came down to it though I realized I didn't want to actually give birth in the water. I don't really know why I just sensed I didn't want to. I think because if you do your semi 'on your own' for the actual delivery as the midwives dont exactly have a scuba kit to help you out! So I gave birth on the couch next to the pool, perfect for me as I was relaxed and everything from the water through the labour, but had the emotional and physical support of the midwife being right there for the actual delivery.

If I were you I'd listen to the medics, they aren't there to lie to you or cause you pain or distress. They are there to safely deliver your baby.

I had 2 great water births.

DC1 I wasn’t examined at all - by the time I got to the hospital I was 10cm - they just looked at me and could see the head, I got straight into the pool and he was born 20mins later.

DC2 my waters had broken so they didn’t do any internal examinations to minimise infection risk. I had continuous monitoring (belt round my waist) but still had a great water birth - total time in labour was 1 hr 10mins.

I loved the water because it meant no one could touch me when I was in the pool. Both times I just wanted to be alone in labour - the pool somehow made it feel really private.

But it’s simply not true that they can’t perform a check without doing a sweep. So that is a lie.
also if I was in labour and they said the best thing to do is a sweep based on my medical needs and how I’m presenting, that’s different to telling me weeks in advance that regardless of the situation, everyone gets a sweep.

@otherwayup thank you for your different perspective.

A sweep is different from an examination to see how dilated you are.

I’m down for having a water birth and was told by my midwife that I don’t have to have any examinations at all.

I think you need to prepare yourself that it might not be a calm birth or a water birth.there’s a high chance of needing intervention, and even if not the birth may not be calm.

I really wanted a water birth for my second child, but I’m very glad I didn’t have one!
(I was not able to organise a water birth as we were also in the process of moving house and I wasn’t sure, til very late on, which town I would be giving birth in).
In the event, my daughter was born on dry land, so to speak, with shoulder dystopia (one shoulder popped out but not the other one). The midwife and nurses were able to manipulate her out, but I was told that if she had been underwater it is likely she’d have drowned.

I've had two water births and used hypnobirthing methods.

With DD1 I was 8cm when I first got there so had one check and straight in the pool. To be honest I was so close to having her and labour is painful I honestly didn't notice any discomfort from the check and I absolutely hate smers.

On DD2 I had to be checked more as got stuck at 4cm for a good while. After the first time every time they checked I had some gas and air. They checked me again just before I went in the pool and offered me a sweep. I said yes and again had the gas and it was fine, DD2 born less than 2 hours later x

Shoulder dystocia (not dystopia) - sorry!

Really interesting to hear about the ‘dangers’ of water birth too. I had assumed they’d be able to ‘help’ the baby out a bit more somehow but it does sound more like you’re on your own if you decide to push in the water. That’s definitely something to think about

thank you for the reassuring comments about it not hurting too!