Birthing pools

[Josie TB]

My sister-in-law had her little brat- sorry, darling son - two years ago and she used a birthing pool. We stayed with her over the weekend and she said it was brilliant and that she hardly needed any pain control etc etc............

Now i love my OH so much but I think his older sister is an idiot and quite possibly a liar (I'm being polite there) However, even at this late stage I'm suddenly thinking that it may make giving birth easier. After all, I found swimming really helped my backache in T2 and I like the idea of the water supporting me.

So, whats everyone elses thoughts? (on birthing pools, not my s-i - law!) Has anyone actually used one of these things?

I haven't been offered a birthing pool by my mf and I don't know if I can ask for one now at this late stage?

Also, and stop reading this if you're eating right now, but what happens to all the other stuff that comes out when you're pushing away? I wouldn't want my little darling to be born into dirty water.

I'm sorry if I seem really naive about this but when my little Angel was born I just went with the whole hospital, pain control etc bit.

In the morning I might have decided that it's a stupid idea anyway. I've just asked my OH what he thought and he thinks these pools are madness and should only be used by toddlers and big boobed ladies to mud wrestle in.

Josie
XXXXXXX

 

[flexilexi394]

i certainly am a follower of them as i have heard excellent things about them and i agree on that they will help ease pain and my concience! if im ever in pain or poorly etc, i get in a bath so thinking of it that way it would prob help me.
about the "muck" - i think thats jst sumthing you have to deal with and if you really feel strongly about it maybe it isnt the right thing? it doesnt really bother me about that sort of thing, once your at that stage of labour im sure you really dont give a crap about what the water looks like
those are my thoughts and opinions anyway x

 

[sexyamy2005]

im seriously thinking about a water birth,

partly for the pain relief side of it and partly because i kno its good for baby,

im kinda worrying about the poopin bit anyway, so be it in or outa water if its gona happen, it will, lol

im seeing midwife thursday so going to mention it to her then see what she thinks about it,

my best mate has just finished a stint on maternity ward (trainee nurse) and said the ladies who used it said it was bloody fantastic and really made a difference, only thing for me is there is only 1 at my hospital so it will be on a first come first served basis, so i dont want to set my heart on it n someone allready be in it, or it being cleaned or what ever,

i dont know any1 personally who has had one tho, my SIL went for full pain relief straight away, (n she thinks im mad wanting to do it with as little to start with as possible- hey my baby, my choice!! )

good luck xxxx

 

[Sam's Mum]

I think they have little fishing nets to scoop out any bits that shouldn't be there

I didn't use one myself but have heard fantastic things about them and I spent most of my labout with Sam in the bath at home before we went to hospital and it really helped

 

[Sol]

I am lucky because I work at the hospital and was able to take a good look round our birthing pool. (it used to be called the pink skip lol) but they have a new one now which is loverly.

I am definately going to to labour in water unless they have any major objections for the pain relief benefits and maybe transfer to a bed or mat afterwards whatever I feel comfortable doing. I asked my midwife about it and she basically said cause I have had a normal pregnancy so far she couldn't see any problem

If you are having twins or need monitoring then you can't birth in water.

I understand your concern about the dirty water but I think I would feel much cleaner than being all stick stuck on a bed and that and as Sams Mum said the midwife does pick out stuff with a fishing net lol.

Sol xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

I want to use the birthing pool this time but it will totally depend on how labour is going! With laceys labour I got into a normal bath but got straight back out again as I couldn't sit still in there!

 

[lanny]

I used the bath in the early stages with dolly at home and it really helped with pain so thought when I got to the hospital I would like to use the birthing pool.
But I just couldnt sit down at all I found it so much better to walk about and I needed to keep active so I dont think you can really tell till what you feel like on the day.
But best tell your m/w so they have you down as wanting to use it and if you dont you dont.

 

[inky]

I wasn't able to use a pool as I was being monitored and ended up having an assisted delivery, although like a lot of other ladies I spent a lot of time in the bath during early labour as the warmth of the water was a real comfort. I'm not sure I would have liked to spend the last bits in the water though, assisted delivery or not, I felt the need to be upright and on my feet was stronger!

The pool at the hospital did look great though, and my midwife raved about it, so if it's something you're interested in then go for it!

 

[Josie TB]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I may have been slightly sceptical (only because i automatically take the opposite view from my sis in law) but I am going to ask my MF if it can be available for me.

The thought of asking my OH to man the fishing net is just priceless!