Is water birth and "breast crawl" compatible?

[Lewa]

I really really want a waterbirth, it just seems so much better to me in every way, so hoping I can have one at the maternity unit. I also really want to have skin to skin with baby right away, and allow for him to do a "breast crawl" where he himself will instinctively search for the breast and suckle and latch on, as letting the baby initiate this is supposed to be the best way for baby to start breastfeeding.

I just recently realised that it might not be that easy to do both. I want to stay in the water until the placenta is delivered, and then have the cord cut after that, so I would have to wait for that before I could get out of the water to lie down to allow for baby to feed.. so just wondering how that can work out in the best way possible? Does anyone know if the delay of waiting for the placenta might be negative in any way for the baby in consideration to breast feeding?

In the video I watched about breast crawl a part of it was that the baby kicking towards your bay to move to the breast would be helpful in delivering the placenta, so it seems like that is kind of supposed to happen around the same time, and not one after the other..

I might be over thinking this and I might end up with a c-section for all I know, but would like to know if anyone have any input on this?

 

[LouiseB]

I've not heard of this breast crawl thing, but i've watched lots of water births on YouTube and i remember one in particular where the lady managed the baby breastfeeding while still in the water and attached before the placenta came out xx

 

[masonowen]

I had my second baby in the pool, I waited untill the placenta was ready to come out and then cut the cord, and had no problems breast feeding while we was waiting, he found his own way to my breast, I was too knackered to notice at first!! The pool I was in had a step to sit on so that helped, not sure if all of them do.

My first didn,t latch on for at least an hour after birth and that was with help, and didn't feed properly for about 24 hours as he was sleepy from me having pethadine, and I managed to breast feed him for 11 months so the delay didn't stop him from feeding sucessfully.

 

[Lewa]

Thanks to both of you! I will put in my notes that I will try to allow baby to breastfeed while still in the pool then, if the pool allows for it so to speak. I know that it's not critical that the baby breastfeeds right away and by own instinct, but want to at least give my baby the chance to make it as easy for him as possible...

Louise B, here's a video, with a very detailed text below. (if you are interested) I came across it randomly, but I think that if this is in the babies instict to do, then I want to let them do that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9WtH4dq-cw

 

[masonowen]

Aww that's a lovely vid, I was sat up with Owen lying in my arms so he was almost at breast hight anyway, don,t know of that counts as a breast crawl?? he did latch on himself but didn't have to go far as they were dangling in his face lol

 

[JensBump]

That video is lovely and the writing underneath is very interesting

 

[nikkie88]

They give you an injection to deliver your placenta while baby comes on to your chest & then delivery of placenta doesn't take too long apparently.

If you were to deliver placenta naturally (without injection) it could take anything to an hour & could cause more blood loss.


Midwife has advised us that they prefer babies to have as much skin to skin contact as possible and to breastfeed within the same hour for best results.

but on the other side, she also said, once babies come out of the water in birthin pool, they cannot re-enter the water. (not sure why?!)



In other words. You could have baby resting and bonding on you (getting skin to skin contact) and doing a "breast crawl" while u remain in the pool to deliver the placenta. Baby from neck Down would have to remain in the water though, and im not sure if this is idea for their Temperature adjustment?



Hope this helps. x

 

[Lewa]

Thank you Nikkie!

I am going to talk to my midwife about it when I see her on friday I think. In my NHS antenatal class they said that you have to get out of the pool to deliver the placenta, so I'm guessing I might need to just do a delayed clamping, then hand over the baby to be dried etc while I get out of the pool, and then get the baby back once I'm out, and continue with skin to skin then. Shouldn't matter too much if he's away from me a minute or two I guess I just think I won't want to let him go!