Considering a water birth - experiences?

[SAHF]

I just wondered if anyone could share their experience, whether positive or negative, of having a water birth in hospital?

 

[xjdx]

I had a water birth with my daughter. In the labour ward at my local hospital. I loved it. She was 9lb 6.5oz, I had gas and air, laboured in the pool and gave birth within an hour. It's very relaxing, I had my son before this in a bath so I got the water birth I really wanted.
Once I had my daughter I had to keep hold of her until the cord had stop pulsating and it was cut. Then I got out of the pool and sat on a commode like chair and a few pushes later my placenta followed.

I'm allowed in the Birthing Centre this time, there is a pool in every room there. So fingers crossed everything goes smoothly and I go into natural labour so I can have a pool birth again.

I wore a long vest top in the pool, I didn't mess with swimwear, then I binned my top afterwards xx

 

[Pin badge]

Hi I had a great water birth in the midwifery led unit attached to the maternity ward. I laboured at home til I was 8cm, then had gas and air while they filled the pool. Bit more gas and air once I got in there and DD arrived. In under an hour, I'd say pushing was 20 mins max. DD was 8lb 8oz, I picked her up from the water which I loved, held her for a couple of minutes before they passed her to hubby to get warm and dry. They passed her back as I delivered the placenta and she had her first breastfeed.

I was naked as the day I was born! Lol, I had a bikini in my bags in the car but things progressed so quickly I never had time for hubby to get it. I couldn't have cared less lol!

I loved it so much I think I'd like a home water birth this time xx

 

[ShowingPromise]

No experience but I'm hoping for a water birth. I absolutely love being in water and used to use it to soothe period pains and whenever I've been poorly the bath is always the first place I head. If I've had a crap day or am stressed a bath always sorts me out so I'm hoping this will also help me during labour - I've only heard good things so far, am keeping my fingers crossed am that everything goes smoothly so I can have one.

 

[Rooster30]

Yeah I had one. It still hurt. To be honest I found it all a bit gross. Having my daughter born in a pool of blood and other gubbins wasn't that nice.

 

[jrm06]

I had a water birth with my daughter, I got in the pool at 9cm and gas and air, I found it very soothing and relaxing. I'm hoping for another one this time around, I would recommend it x

 

[holly_mai]

My cousin had a water birth planned, she got in, and was only in there for around 5 minutes as it was too hot! and ended up having him just on the bed with no pain relief. I think its hard to plan as your not aware of what pain you are going to be in. I've gone for epidural as i don't think i'll be able to handle it! 8 weeks to go and counting!

 

[ShowingPromise]

I laboured in the pool for a couple of hours and it was lovely. Hubby put some arnica and lavender oil in and it was really nice and relaxing. Sadly it wasn't enough pain relief for me and I had to get out but it was nice for the time I was in there.
I did struggle a little with getting comfy in there though, I found on my knees leaning forward was best but made my knees hurt after a while!

 

[doll_eyes]

I laboured in the pool for a couple of hours and it was lovely. Hubby put some arnica and lavender oil in and it was really nice and relaxing. Sadly it wasn't enough pain relief for me and I had to get out but it was nice for the time I was in there.
I did struggle a little with getting comfy in there though, I found on my knees leaning forward was best but made my knees hurt after a while!

Did you bring your own lavender oil in never thought about taking some in x

 

[Baker_Baby]

I had a water birth too with gas and air. I'm a wimp and was planning to have every drug available but I can really recommend the pool x

 

[MrsS143]

My issue with wanting a water birth is all the restrictions

No complications
Bmi must be under 32
Cant have high bp
Cant be induced
Waters mustve gone within 24 hours
Gas and air only. No harder drugs

So don't wanna hope for it to totally not meet all the requirements to be able to get it!

 

[kellylou]

I had hoped for a water birth last time but had to be induced which then led to emergency c section this time I was adamant I wanted an elective because of the problems I had progressing but am slowly coming around to the idea of natural delivery again but waiting to discuss at vbac clinic next month

 

[MrsFLL]

I had a waterbirth with my last daughter it was amazing this time I'm having a home waterbirth my birth pool arrived last week and I'm really looking forward to it couldn't recommend it enough.

 

[Eryinera]

I wanted a water birth with my son. I went in to be induced at 7 am but was told I was already 3cm so didn't need it i was told to walk around for bit to get it started.it didn't start so they burst my waters for me at 7pm then I had a paracetamol then a bath then a bath with gas and air then the water birth and that was fantastic except I thought I was a dolphin and kept trying to swim under water. At the end I decided to get out and had my son on the steps to the birth pool. I would highly recommend it. I has no horror stories and just a tiny graze where his nails got me on the way out. I did freak out a bit when the midwife asked if I wanted to feel his head when he was half way out I took the gas and air out my mouth stopped mid push looked her straight in the eyes and went. "Why the beep would I want to do that?" Lol he was born almost straight after and then they tried to sit me down to deliver the placenta which was totally gross by the way!

 

[MrsTS]

Just to share my experiences-
I had my wee one about a year ago. I came to hospital at 5cm and went straight in the pool. It was a great experience but definitely had cons. Unfortunately she didn't progress so I ended up having to go for an epidural (an awful experience for me!) but here's the pros and cons I found of the water:
On the plus side it is very relaxing, you can float around and all the midwives I had were really calm and relaxed while I was in the pool.
Quite a few negatives-it was really hard to get comfy for me. Don't know if it was the way she was lying but I couldn't lean backwards easily so was perched on my knees, they had towels underneath my knees but I still got pins and needles a lot. I got in and out of the pool once or twice for the toilet and definitely felt the contractions stronger and more frequently when out of the water. So in one sense I think the water is soothing but I personally felt it slowed my contractions. I'm not sure if she wouldn't have progressed anyway had I not been in the water. Thirdly the pool does get really manky haha. I poo'd a lot while pushing (lovely, lovely midwife discreetly cleaning it up-I owe her so much!!) and I really don't like the idea of that all floating around me. They can only fish out so much! A doctor friend of mine questioned the safety of baby's first mouthful of fluid being gungy bath water...fair point I suppose!

Have recently found out I'm expecting baby 2 and am debating now if I'd go for the pool again. I'm swaying more towards yes, despite the cons. Really hoping I dont end up back in the position of needing an epidural. It didn't work well for me, gave me awful reflux due to the position I had to remain in and I ended up vomiting everywhere.

Guess the bottom line is that you need to weigh up everything and make up your own mind I'm certainly keen to hear other people's opinions-especially the negative ones!!

 

[goodishka]

good info