1st pregnancy - water birth stories please!

[Worrywort98]

Hi all,
I am 35 weeks, and currently considered to be having a low-risk pregnancy. Baby is healthy, measuring 57th centile, around 5.2lbs so far.

I would love to try having a water birth, with gas&air or morphine injection for pain relief. (my hospital can facilitate water births, so long as one is available to use at the time.)

I really don't want to have an epidural if I can help it. A c-section would only be in emergency scenario.

Does anyone have any positive stories or experience of having a natural water birth as a first time mum? TIA ❤️

2 home water births, the water worked brilliantly for me. No pain relief, not even gas and air ! Felt superhuman afterwards, drove myself and both the DC to toddler group a couple of hours after having DC2 🤣

I did work hard to keep fit in both pregnancies (strength work & lots of walking) which really helped with the endurance / stamina. Having a great midwife with positive approach helped enormously

Meant to add that whilst I didn't enjoy it I was lucky that it didn't slow down my labour, I got in at 5cm and 90 minutes later I was pushing

First of all, adjust your expectations accordingly OP and don't be disappointed if you don't get your "dream" birth. By most measures I'm super-fit and have a high pain threshold but that bore no significance whatsoever with the complications I had with DC1. I started off in the water and all was going fine, until it wasn't.
However, with DC2 I then went on to have a textbook water birth and it was pretty good.
I wish that before DC1 I'd properly understood that birth plans need to be very flexible, and that interventions are often completely outside of your control, no matter how fit, how prepared, and how much hypnobirthing or yoga you've practised. Go in there hoping for a water birth by all means, but I wouldn't be expecting to have one.

I had a water birth with my second son at home. It was worlds away from my first traumatic labour and I could take things at my own pace. I call my son a mermaid as he now loves the water!

If I’m honest though I wouldn’t have a water birth again as I felt too hot and trapped in the pool, I don’t feel like the water really did anything for the pain and a few times my legs went completely numb as I was stuck in one position.

Second labour was such a positive experience due to it being a home birth and not a water birth.

First time mum currently sitting with my 2 week old!
Had a great experience with water birth. Went to the birth centre to have my daughter - arrived 5cm dilated and spent the rest of the time in the pool. I had sterile water injections (they were a dream - I had a back-to-back labour!) and just had gas and air for the rest of my labour. The pool massively helped in feeling relaxed for the next 5cm. I then spent an hour and a half pushing 😬 - I did most of this in the pool though but had to get out in the last 10/15 minutes to just change positions to get baby out as I'd been pushing for so long. But change of position and 10 minutes later, baby girl was here! The pool massively helped throughout though and I would have had her in the pool, but my contractions were quite short so I just didn't build enough stamina to physically push her out whilst I was in there so be prepared to get out if midwives think it's in your best interest! Good luck!

First time mum. Was older (late 30's). Perfect pregnancy no issues.

I laboured at home for as long as possible with a Tens machine. Went to hospital as contractions got closer and was examined and found to be ready to have water birth if wanted ( I did)

I laboured in water and eventually gave birth in water. It was magical. I just had gas and air up to a certain point bits then taken away.

Noone could touch me which I hate when I'm I'm in pain. I had a blood pressure check (I think) once every 30mins and got out once to be examined.

Just the best way to deliver and I felt very very lucky.

Had a birth centre with my 2nd. Was amazing. Arrived fully dilated, they filled up the pool and gave birth half an hour later!! Home that evening. Was lovely, calm and quiet.

I had a water birth FTM birth centre. I had pethadine which helped me dilate as I was stuck at 3/4cm for a while - that got me a rest and to 10cm.

I thought I would hate the water but it was really relieving for me and I had a bath at home before going to hospital.

I also used G and A which makes some people sick but was great for me.

I was avoiding an epidural/hospital because it was covid and they were dishing out c sections and I lived with lots of stairs.

Strategy worked by luck - baby could have had a different plan!

Good luck

I had a textbook delivery with my first in the midwife led suite. I spent most of my labour in the water and only got out for the final 15mins of pushing. I didn't use anything else except TENS as I didn't like gas and air. The water felt amazing and it was an all-around great experience.

Both babies born in water :)

First at midwife-only unit - amazing care and a beautiful room
Second at hospital during covid - a plain, tiny room and I got an annoying midwife! But it still went well
Used gas&air for late stages both times.

I would ONLY do this approach if you've prepared thoroughly mentally, via hypnobirthing courses/audio. Labour is bloomin' PAINFUL, but you CAN do it, hypnobirthing teaches you to understand your body, and the stages to expect, and gives you the confidence to keep going.

I used sunglasses and earbuds with my chosen relaxing music throughout to stay in my zone. My husband was my gatekeeper and handled all questions etc. Had very fast 5 hour labours.

I think water births are dignified, soothing and I would definitely recommend x

I found the birthing pool excellent for pain relief, I spent most of my labour in it with only gas and air. In the end I got out of the water as I wanted to know how far along I was (getting impatient!) and my midwife said I'd have to get out to be checked. Turned out I was fully dilated and didn't get back in the water, had my baby on the bed. If I were to do it again I'd choose another water birth and try to stay in there longer! Good luck.

Two midwife led Unit water births here. Low risk births,also. Heing in the water was bliss and was the only thing that stopped me from vomiting. Labour progressed very quickly once in with dd1 being born after two hours and dd2 after 45 minutes. Good luck.

I had the option with both dc, and as I love water and usually find it soothing and relaxing (and helps with my usual bad period pains) i thought I would adore it.
However both times I couldn’t think of anything worse. With dc1, as I kept being sick during my labour (due to the pain) in the early stages, the midwife heavily encouraged me to have a bath that they had available and it was horrendous. I just wanted to jump straight out, but I was sick everywhere.
And both times in established labour the midwives filled the birthing pool, I lasted 5 minutes both times before apologising profusely for wasting their time filling it up and getting back on to dry land!
Absolutely adored using hypnobirthing breathing techniques for my second labour though, and I didn’t think I would!!

Just wanted to update my birth story for anyone interested. I was 9 days overdue and DS lying very comfortably back to back, he wasn't going anywhere 🤣

Basically my birth went the total opposite of everything I'd hoped for haha.

Got induced, had awful, painful hyperstimulated contractions with no break between them, that went nowhere and put both our heart rates sky high and needed medication to bring it down again. Overnight in hospital with contractions and the next morning was 5cm dilated and got moved to the labour ward.

I requested to go into the water but the midwives said as i had been induced, i needed to be monitored. After hours of slow labour, they put me on an oxytocin drip, as well as breaking my waters.

Had a morphine injection for pain relief as thr contractions intensified.. didn't do much other than drowsiness.. (I always swore I wasn't going to get an epidural) but it was getting bad enough that I got an epidural.

The midwife told me that I wouldn't feel contractions, and at 10cm dilated told me to start pushing. Against my own gut feelings as I didn't feel ready, I pushed and it only caused DS to be distressed. I was in so much pain as the epidural only half worked. Next thing I knew there were doctors in the room performing an episiotomy and forceps ...and then DS was born. It was a slightly traumatic, out of body experience to be quite honest
But I'm glad he is here safely

Well done you. You're safe, he's safe. I hope in time you have space to process it if you want it xxx