Home water birth vs hospital birth

[Melly+2]

Im wanting to have a home water birth but i am unsure of the risks involved. What are the pros and cons of each and what do you say the chances are of something wrong at home as that my biggest fear, thanks ladies, id love to hear your experiences if you dont mind

 

[Mildly]

I've no experience or wisdom to impart but am hoping to have a hospital water birth. My hospital has one birthing pool so I'm hoping it won't be in use when I go into labour! Personally a home birth scenario isn't for me, not because of any specific medical reasons but as this is my first and I have no idea of what to expect pain wise so I would rather be in hospital with all its pain relief options

As far as I know, if you've had a normal uncomplicated pregnancy you should be absolutely fine to go ahead with a home birth. The midwife who attends will be looking for signs that either you or the baby is in distress and you would be rushed to hospital at the first sign of trouble. However if this is worrying you, I would have a talk with the midwife who is going to be there to reassure yourself that you trust them to make the right decisions at the right time. Because to be honest, if you're that worried, it may spoil your home birth experience.

 

[maybebaby]

I had hoped for a home water birth because I knew I'd be able to deal with the pain better if I felt in control, and that meant my own environment. I ended up not getting the water part because he came too quick to fill the pool up, but tbh if I'd gone to hospital I don't think I would have made it into the pool so no water birth for me.

I'm filling up the pool a week before my due date this time & just keeping it warm!

 

[Hazel]

I want a water birth but means travelling to the next town so a 35 minute drive to the birthing centre and a transfer if any problems. Also condidered the home birth but my living arrangements and noisy neighbours meant that wasn't really an option. After having antenatal class and them telling us I can have use of the bath I decided on hospital. I won't be getting a waterbirth or pushing stage in bath but can stay in it up until then. Spoke to mw about it today and she said that is fine and put in my notes "labour in bath".

 

[Sherlock]

I had a homebirth and used a pool to labour in. I had planned to deliver in it also but ended up getting out for the final big push.

Homebirthing, if you've had a healthy pregnancy is no less safe than delivering in hospital. It will mean little in the way of pain relief and no medical intervention. If its what you really want and if you understand the pros and cons then go for it.

With regards to anything going wrong, the chances are small either in hospital or at home (consider the amount of babies born each year). Many women deliver their babies normally.

There are a number of things that may happen be it at home or in hospital but your MW's will be well trained to deal with them in a home setting. She can explain a few weeks before your due date about what might happen and what she will do if it does. If a problem presents that the MW's cannot deal with they will transfer you to hospital asap. They will not do anything to put you or your baby at risk. Transfer time to hospital will allow the Doctors there to prepare for your arrival (theatre for C section etc) and you usually would have a 30 minute wait time before making it to theatre in hospital anyways (average). True 'emergency' C sections are rare. Also first time babies tend to arrive far more slowly and problems are picked up in plenty of time as a rule.

Homebirthing means one on one care, then 2 MW's in attendance for actual delivery and after. I've yet to read a bad hombirth experience tbh. Even the women who had to transfer to hospital had nothing but good things to say about the home part.

I highly recommened a homebirth if you are fully aware of all aspects and are well informed. Also that you are comfortable with the small possibility that you won't have your baby at home but may need to deliver in hospital for whatever reason.

Have a read of this site http://www.homebirth.org.uk/

It explains all the pros and cons very well and about any possible problems. As I said, if you've had a good pregnancy then go for it. I think women who opt for a homebirth have a whole different approach from those that opt for hospital. Its often either because they don't like hospitals and wish to reduce the chances of medical intervention, preferring to go the slower more natural route at home. Yes we are aware of the possible risks but we weigh them up carefully and feel home is best all things considered.

Had I delivered in hospital (I was advised against a homebirth but ignored that medical advice) I'd probably have ended up with a C section due to losing my contractions and having a big baby. As it was my MW gave me time to get my contractions back, massaged me and got me moving. She was never worried that things had slowed down. She knew how to get them moving again. I delivered my baby boy an hour or so later. I doubt in hospital I'd have gotten my contractions back at all as no one would have massaged me with clary sage or given me the time to walk and get focused again.

You have to trust your body and your MW for a homebirth. If you can do that it should be a positive experience. The chances of something happening are small. Keep positive, focused and get in tune with your body through your pregnancy. Encourage your baby into a good birthing position and keep active with walking etc. Also light exercises for labour can help, as can breathing exercises and so on. I'd also suggest you do some reading on it and get fully informed as I do believe it makes for a better birth if you homebirth.

My birth story is in my sig below. Feel free to drop me a PM if you have any questions

 

[Sherlock]

I want a water birth but means travelling to the next town so a 35 minute drive to the birthing centre and a transfer if any problems. Also condidered the home birth but my living arrangements and noisy neighbours meant that wasn't really an option. After having antenatal class and them telling us I can have use of the bath I decided on hospital. I won't be getting a waterbirth or pushing stage in bath but can stay in it up until then. Spoke to mw about it today and she said that is fine and put in my notes "labour in bath".

Ummm, sorry to say this but I hope the hospital bath is big Having been heavily PG and laboured in a pool I'd have to say a normal bath would be hard work to labour in. It isn't deep enough to cover bump and back for pain relief nor does it allow you to move around as you will need to in between and during contractions. I'd never have managed getting in or out either.

I have no idea if maternity unit baths are on the big side or how they are to floor level but hoping for you they are big and deep enough to offer pain relief.

 

[beanie]

I want a water birth but means travelling to the next town so a 35 minute drive to the birthing centre and a transfer if any problems. Also condidered the home birth but my living arrangements and noisy neighbours meant that wasn't really an option. After having antenatal class and them telling us I can have use of the bath I decided on hospital. I won't be getting a waterbirth or pushing stage in bath but can stay in it up until then. Spoke to mw about it today and she said that is fine and put in my notes "labour in bath".

Ummm, sorry to say this but I hope the hospital bath is big Having been heavily PG and laboured in a pool I'd have to say a normal bath would be hard work to labour in. It isn't deep enough to cover bump and back for pain relief nor does it allow you to move around as you will need to in between and during contractions. I'd never have managed getting in or out either.

I have no idea if maternity unit baths are on the big side or how they are to floor level but hoping for you they are big and deep enough to offer pain relief.

the baths at the maternity unit I went to when inlabour with seren were massive. I managed to laboiur in my bath at home, and found it amazing (and it is a small bath)

 

[Sherlock]

the baths at the maternity unit I went to when inlabour with seren were massive. I managed to laboiur in my bath at home, and found it amazing (and it is a small bath)

I was hoping for Hazel the baths in hossie would be bigger than normal home baths. Good to know they are.

Are you on the shorter side? I'm 5'9 ish and trying to fit in my bath at 34 weeks was hell. I tried it during latent labour and it nearly killed me pain wise. Getting out was awful. I found the pool so much better as I could lie right back, stretch out, float around and cover my bump and back properly. My MW would not go for me to labour in my bath as it wasn't suitable for access to me either. She needed to monitor me and so on and as it was fitted against the wall etc it was not felt suitable to use during labour itself for me. I guess each MW is different, as are we

 

[Hazel]

I'm 5 10" (and about 5 10" wide at the moment also ) . The hospital has three baths in the delivery suite which are there for the use in labour so I would assume they would be fine, they said they are only for ladies in labour and afterwards we would be moved to the ward where there are showers. MW said I can basically do what I want when I get there, my birth plan also says I want to be left alone as much as possible.

 

[valentine]

Im wanting to have a home water birth but i am unsure of the risks involved. What are the pros and cons of each and what do you say the chances are of something wrong at home as that my biggest fear, thanks ladies, id love to hear your experiences if you dont mind

Hi Mel,

I find it hard to compare the two as I have only experienced a home water birth - here's a link to my birth story - clicky.

A water birth is just amazing and water is a wonderful pain reliever and the minimal intervention and the chance to be the first person in the world to touch your baby is just mind blowing.

Re. home vs. hospital - it really depends what you want out of the experience. Home offers the chance to give birth in your own surroundings, where you perhaps feel more in control of whats happening and there's less medicalisation of the birth and there are huge advantages like your OH doesn't have to leave at any point before, during or after. You can also wash and recover in your own bathroom and bedroom and get lots of peace. Hospital offers, well I don't know, but I assume the reassurance that the docs and medical equipment are nearby?

Its a hard one but I'd weigh up how you'd really feel if something went wrong and how practical it would be to get you help quickly? I'd also look to your experience of your past birth - did it go smoothly? Did you have a straightforward labour and delivery? How does your OH feel about you considering a home birth - would he be supportive and very good before, during and after the birth as this is crucial?

I can't sing the praises of home birth and home water birth highly enough so my reply is very biased. I know its possible to have a positive experience in both home and hospital though.

Valentine Xxx

 

[lisa&alex]

Un like some of the others i have birthed at hospital and at home..

waters broke 37 weeks 7i laboured in hospital in teh bath but its wasnt deep enough i couldnt stnad in the shower as i was in to much pain i jsut wanted to be in water but so that i could be free.. not have half of me covered in water.. my birth at the hospital was fantastic though.. it wasnt as painfull as my 2nd birth but i did have pethidine..

2nd baby.. waters broke 36+5 and i was booked for home birth i rang up to say i was staying at home and i knew the risks. the pool was blown up.. and alex started to fill it.. i was 3cms at 1.30am and i got in teh pool.. it was amazing.. abolutly fantastic.. but coz he was early they didnt want me to birth in it.. so i got out about 6.45 and this was the most painfull part of my labour (which i guess is normal haha) but i really wanted to be int eh water. it was agony outside it.. and i wasnt using gas and air properly as i felt like i needed to be in control coz charlotte was asleep upstairs.. anyways he was born 7.35 home birth was comptelty amazing i would recommend it to anyone.. its fantastic to get into yuor own shower use your own towels and get into yuor own bed after.. amazing!!

 

[NIE]

It was in my birth plan to have a water birth at hospital but it didn't turn out that way. xxx

 

[debecca]

I can't vote - my option isn't there!

I had a water birth at a midwife based unit because I'm petrified of hospitals. It was FAB and the midwife was ace. Next time I'm going for a home birth mainly because I worry I wouldn't have enough time to get to the unit / to hospital (my last labour was 5 hours from waters breaking)...

 

[Melly+2]

Well i have asked gal if hes ok with it 'what ever you want, how much will the pool cost'
hes a good support and i think he will feel more involved at home. I like the idea of being able to sleep in my bed rather then the hospital ones as i hated it last time. My last labour was straight forward but very long, hopefully it will not be like that again, but if it was i just had gas and air and pethadine so im sure the water would be a substitute for that. Im littlerally 10 mins max from the hozzie if anything goes wrong only thing is id have to have someone on standby to come look after hope but im sure that could be sorted nearer the time, how much do birthing pools usually cost, would a padddling poool be any good

 

[lea m]

get into yuor own bed after.. amazing!!

Oh im the opposite! The thought of getting into my own bed after labour is horrible to me haha
I want a water birth in hospital! Im hoping for one but not banking on one! All Im sure about with the birth plan is it will be in hospital, and I wont be having pethidine or diamorphine!

 

[beanie]

the baths at the maternity unit I went to when inlabour with seren were massive. I managed to laboiur in my bath at home, and found it amazing (and it is a small bath)

I was hoping for Hazel the baths in hossie would be bigger than normal home baths. Good to know they are.

Are you on the shorter side? I'm 5'9 ish and trying to fit in my bath at 34 weeks was hell. I tried it during latent labour and it nearly killed me pain wise. Getting out was awful. I found the pool so much better as I could lie right back, stretch out, float around and cover my bump and back properly. My MW would not go for me to labour in my bath as it wasn't suitable for access to me either. She needed to monitor me and so on and as it was fitted against the wall etc it was not felt suitable to use during labour itself for me. I guess each MW is different, as are we

I'm 6'0 and my bath was against the wall. I don't think my midwife was going to argue with me as I was not in a tolerant mood by that stage

 

[Jade&Evie]

I laboured at home in the bath then went into hospital at 6cm. I laboured in the hospital bath (HUGE!) for another couple of hours and got out to push.

I only used water as pain relief and it worked! I don't think I'd like to give birth at home- the idea is lovely but all my carpets/ walls/ sofa etc are cream....

 

[Sylvie]

Had planned water birth at midwife-led unit but my labour was so quick (baby was born 4 hours after my waters broke and contractions started) that I only stayed in the pool for 10 minutes... had to be transferred to hospital delivery suite for final stage because baby was in distress as everything was too frantic He was born less than ten minutes after midwives decided to transfer me... so I don't know what would have happened if I had been at home

 

[nutcase109]

Hey!

My birthing pool cost about £120 all together, with all the bells and whistles! Lol!

I got a super duper one and its great! Even strong enough for 15 stone man to sit on the side without it even crumpling! (Its a blow up).

All the accessories and everything you could possibly need to go with it is included in that total.

I got it from 'birth pool in a box' xx

 

[Sherlock]

Well i have asked gal if hes ok with it 'what ever you want, how much will the pool cost'
hes a good support and i think he will feel more involved at home. I like the idea of being able to sleep in my bed rather then the hospital ones as i hated it last time. My last labour was straight forward but very long, hopefully it will not be like that again, but if it was i just had gas and air and pethadine so im sure the water would be a substitute for that. Im littlerally 10 mins max from the hozzie if anything goes wrong only thing is id have to have someone on standby to come look after hope but im sure that could be sorted nearer the time, how much do birthing pools usually cost, would a padddling poool be any good

Depends what you want to spend. Ours cost £25 all up. We went for a large paddling pool and it was fine. Depends on your height really. If you are under 5'7 a paddling pool like the one below should be fine.

Got this one for homebirth. It was really strong and could support weight on the sides just fine. I was leaning on it loads as was OH. Plus we could both fit in it if we wanted.

Need hose to fill and empty it, a foot pump (£5 from Amazon) and thats about it. Can also buy an electric pump thing if you want an easier way to empty it. We looked at the Birth pool in a box and just thought it was way too expensive to fork out for just in case I didn't get to use it. As it was I laboured about 4 hours of a 12 hour labour in the pool and delivered out of it standing up.