I know it's early...

[Samantha55]

But, my husband and I were in bed last night and he was talking about having a birth plan. I haven't really thought about this except I want baby out safely and I would like a water birth. Also I know the birth will be hard to plan amyway and any decisions maynbemoutmof my hamds if things don't gomas planned. The main reason I was thinking of a water birth is because I am the kind of person who likes to lay in the bath when I'm feeling ill or run down etc so thought it would be the most relaxing environment for me.

However, my husband said last night that he wasn't keen on this as he had read in his baby book that babies can die through drowning with a water birth as they breathe in water in their nostrils and when you then cut cord later on and they take their first proper breaths they can then inhale this water. So he said he would prefer ifs laboured in water but got out of the water before pushing baby out. Of course I did say this would be a very rare thing but he thinks its not worth the risk...

I do kind of feel that as I will be the one in labour I should give birth to baby however I feel comfortable but I do of course still want my husband to feel involved with the decision making etc as much as you can with an unpredictable situation!!!

This is my first pregnancy so I am quite naive to all of this so just wondered if any other mums knew much about the pros/ cons of water births and what the risks are etc?

Thanks for reading!!! Xxx

 

[Kelly450]

All I can say is.. water births wouldn't be available if that risk was high or even slight..

So many women opt for water births these days - including myself. And ive actually never heard a bad word about it or what your husband has said. But, lots of home births are also water births. And at home, there isnt a wide selection of midwives there. So I dont think they would encourage this if it was that risky.

Id explain that to your OH. Say u will consider getting out the water but u do want to try it.
Recently ive heard two stories of water births from births of family n a friends family.
1, she hadnt planned a waterbirth.. but as it was available she gave it a go and loved it! Loved the relief and feel of it.

2.she planned a water birth but hated being in the pool so was almost straight back out of it again..


Sent from my GT-I9300

 

[Lau]

Babies are floating around in water inside us... They don't take their first breath until their heads are out of the water, and therefore they won't be inhaling any water (hence the baby not drowning)
This is why they don't pull the baby from the pool straight away as the baby still thinks its inside the womb.
This is how my midwife explained it to me. It's perfectly safe.

Maybe he could go to an antenatal class with you and get a piece of mind??
I can't wait to have a water birth (touch wood) it just seems so much more relaxed.

On the flip side, I always live by trusting what my gut tells me, so only you and OH can make that decision

Xxx

 

[Samantha55]

Thank you for your replies ladies. Will definitely discuss it some more I think xxx

 

[Haylian]

I would definately look more into it as I've never heard of what your husband has mentioned, I too would like a waterbirth and have looked into it and sounds perfect for me. If you find more infor your husband might nit be so against it? I think it's important for you to do what you feel is right and hopefully with the right information your hubby will feel more relaxed about it x

 

[l_maclean]

I dunno where your husband got that from but its completely in correct. Baby is submerged I waters in the womb - even when these break babies lungs don't inflate until they come in contact with the air outside the womb.

If baby moves from womb straight into water, it still thinks its in the womb and lungs remain inactive until baby reaches the surface.

Chord cutting is not done instantly, infanct the longer you leave that the better - so baby will have gone from womb - to water, then out and breathing before cutting cord is even considered.


Only time there is any risk is if baby's head is out of cervix while you are out of water - for example if you stand uptake for a check and head comes out - in that case Lungs will inflate and MW will NOT ALLOW you to re submerge - as in that instance you would be putting a breathing baby underwater.

 

[buggy1]

Yeah I agree with everyone, they make sure the babies head is fully under the surface of the water when born so that they don't touch the air until you lift them out, they don't start to breathe until they hit the air.

If it was dangerous they wouldn't encourage it on the NHS!

 

[Samantha55]

It is in his baby book... A published recommended book for dads, have read it also so did see it in there... Hmmmm. Still want to have a water birth but you never know as these babies do tend to do what they want to so may not get to have one anyway!

 

[SarahLouB]

I don't know where he read that but it is absolutely untrue. Babies have a reflex in their windpipe until about the age of 2 which stops them inhaling water which is why it's ok to let your baby swim under water from a young age because they will not inhale any of the water.

Water births are completely safe and as other people have said, they would not be so widely available if there was any risk.