# Pros & Cons of water birth ?



## nicoleJOLIE

This is my first pregnancy and I'm really interested in having a water birth , although im not sure about going through labor & delivery 100 % natural . 

Could you guys please list off some of the pros & cons of water birth ..

and do they give you anything to help ease the pain ?


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## Leopard

From what I have heard you can have gas and air.


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## Tampa

Pros
Yeah you can have G&A. 
The water helps to keep you comfortable in lots of birthing positions
Less chance of needing episiotomy. 
Some believe babies are born calmer. 
You can get out any time - I'm thinking I'll labour in the pool, get out got the birth

Cons: 
Midwife will have to fish out your poo with a net! 
You have to keep getting out to pee. 
No stronger pain relief. 
But if you need something stronger, you can get out anyway!
It can slow progress of contractions. 
Some believe theres a risk to the baby on birthing - in case something stimulates it's breathing too early. 

I'm going to hope I can get one - hospital only has 2 pools and they're in demand. It just sounds lovely to me (except the poo-nets!) x


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## chuck

Tampa said:


> Pros
> Yeah you can have G&A.
> The water helps to keep you comfortable in lots of birthing positions
> Less chance of needing episiotomy.
> Some believe babies are born calmer.
> You can get out any time - I'm thinking I'll labour in the pool, get out got the birth
> 
> *Cons:
> Midwife will have to fish out your poo with a net!
> You have to keep getting out to pee.
> No stronger pain relief.
> But if you need something stronger, you can get out anyway!
> It can slow progress of contractions.
> Some believe theres a risk to the baby on birthing - in case something stimulates it's breathing too early. *
> 
> I'm going to hope I can get one - hospital only has 2 pools and they're in demand. It just sounds lovely to me (except the poo-nets!) x

OK just to dispel some of those myths...

Your MW may have to whisk some poo out with a sieve...who gives a fuck better than popping on a bed iin plain sight.

You can pee in the pool dammit you're going to have more than pee in there soon enough

I may slow contractions if you get in too early because you relax...make sure you are really in established labour first

No stronger pain relief...you wont want it water is amazing and there's nothing like an unmedicated birth

Baby will only breathe when they come into contact with the cool air so as long as you keep you butt underwater baby wont breathe until they are brought to the surface and there's no rush because they get all their oxygenated blood from the placenta/umbilical cord.


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## Jaysmummy

I can only write from my experience so here goes: 

Pros - The water is great pain relief, I was leaning over the edge on my knees which was veeerrrrrrry comfy, I had a fast delivery (not saying it was because of the water or position but you never know :shrug:) I was allowed gas and air, relaxing, baby was born relaxed.

Cons - Can take a while to fill and I had to take my tens off which I wasn't happy about! :dohh: The midwife did have to fish my poo out :blush: but I honestly didn't care by that stage anyway!

Also I think this varies on hospital but I wasn't allowed to have the injection to deliver the placenta, I had to wait naturally, which didn't bother me at all, only took around 20 mins.

I also healed quicker "down there" after my waterbirth compared with my 1st "bed" birth. I still had stitches and baby was 9lb 10ozs so not sure why this was.

I would definitely have another waterbirth this time :thumbup:

xx


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## nicoleJOLIE

thanks ladies ! i think you've got me excited on my idea of having a water birth ! i think i might just do it!!


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## CJane

My experience - 

Wonderful!! 
Waited until was 5cm and it didn't slow down any contractions. 
Did ease the pain, or at least distracted me from them.
Midwives kept their distance but DH was right next to me the whole time passing me either gas and air or drink. (Take lots of bottles of drink, you will get very thirsty with the gas&air)
Didn't care about peeing in the pool at all - who sees?? :blush:

Best way to tell if it is for you - wait until braxton hicks start in last few weeks then try a warm bath. If it helps ease the pain/discomfort then go for the water!! That was how I knew I wanted water birth, the last month I practically lived in the bath. :haha:


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## Cee108

Midwives have recommended I think about a water birth - Looking forward to reading more first-hand experiences on this thread!


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## SIEGAL

I'm all for laboring in water but I was watching a documentary once and a dr. said us humans are land animals, we are not designed to give birth in water. I think he is probably right, its just does not seem "natural" to me. I also heard that contrary to popular belief babies can get sick from water birth, all the poop and crap and stuff in the water and they can breathe it in (they do breathe).


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## chuck

https://www.youtube.com/verify_age?...utube.com/watch?v=tc7PNNR1tRo&feature=related


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## mum22ttc#3

I had to 'bed' births with my eldest 2 and a water birth with this Lo. The biggest pro for me was that I was able to move around alot more freely. TBH I cant say that I found it any less painful but also no more painful than my other 2 labours, (one induced and one back to back), it just helped out with getting into more comfatable postions. 

I didnt get to the hospital till I was 8cm, so cant say whether it slows down contractions or not as they say this is only when you get in at below 5cm, which my hospital didnt allow anyway.

I know someone said above that they wasn't allowed the placenta jab but I agree that it must vary between hospitals, I was allowed it as I got out of the pool.

Also my hspital only allow gas and air while in the pool which is what I had, but if you do feel you need more than that there is always the option of getting out.

Good luck :flower:


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## tangangng

i think i might just do it!!


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## kirsty1987

I had a waterbirth it was great you could move around easily, I wasnt allowed in it until i was over 6cm (i think) i had gas and air and the injection to deliver placenta, i also poo'd but didnt even know till the midwife and OH told me after LO was born!!! would def do it again! Im so glad chuck put the myths right, in my opinion there isnt any cons!! at the end of the day if you dont like it you can get out! xxx


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## MissyBlaze

I would say that another pro is a reduction is perineal trauma (my biggest fear!). 

Also the midwives should be hands off so you deliver your baby into the water. If you've ever watched youtube videos of births where the babies look like they're being yanked out by their heads, this would be avoided. Water birth tends to be much much calmer and if you've got an experienced midwife she'd keep her hands away unless she was worried about the baby being stuck at all.


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## jillypoop

chuck said:


> Tampa said:
> 
> 
> Pros
> Yeah you can have G&A.
> The water helps to keep you comfortable in lots of birthing positions
> Less chance of needing episiotomy.
> Some believe babies are born calmer.
> You can get out any time - I'm thinking I'll labour in the pool, get out got the birth
> 
> *Cons:
> Midwife will have to fish out your poo with a net!
> You have to keep getting out to pee.
> No stronger pain relief.
> But if you need something stronger, you can get out anyway!
> It can slow progress of contractions.
> Some believe theres a risk to the baby on birthing - in case something stimulates it's breathing too early. *
> 
> I'm going to hope I can get one - hospital only has 2 pools and they're in demand. It just sounds lovely to me (except the poo-nets!) x
> 
> OK just to dispel some of those myths...
> 
> Your MW may have to whisk some poo out with a sieve...who gives a fuck better than popping on a bed iin plain sight.
> 
> You can pee in the pool dammit you're going to have more than pee in there soon enough
> 
> I may slow contractions if you get in too early because you relax...make sure you are really in established labour first
> 
> No stronger pain relief...you wont want it water is amazing and there's nothing like an unmedicated birth
> 
> Baby will only breathe when they come into contact with the cool air so as long as you keep you butt underwater baby wont breathe until they are brought to the surface and there's no rush because they get all their oxygenated blood from the placenta/umbilical cord.Click to expand...

I'm desperate to have a water birth for the above reasons! Having said that, my OH has said he wants to get in with me (cos im a bit worried about pooping with everyone seeing) and he said if I poop he will too, he said "when else am I gonna get a chance to poo in a pool?!" lol he is such a weirdo and since saying that i've been a bit worried about him having a bath incase he tries pooping in there to see what its like lol x


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## LoubyLou79

SIEGAL said:


> I'm all for laboring in water but I was watching a documentary once and a dr. said us humans are land animals, we are not designed to give birth in water. I think he is probably right, its just does not seem "natural" to me. I also heard that contrary to popular belief babies can get sick from water birth, all the poop and crap and stuff in the water and they can breathe it in (they do breathe).

They don't actually breathe under the water. The breathing reflex only kicks in when they reach the cold air above the water level. They are still attached by the cord to the placenta so are receiving oxygen via this whilst under the water.


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## TattiesMum

Hi :)

My daughter had her 2nd baby - my gorgeous granddaughter - in a waterbirth only 10 days ago.

Her labour with her first (in the same hospital) was a nightmare ... stroppy midwife who wouldn't listen to her or me, refusal to do an internal to check if she was fully dilated despite her wanting to push which resulted in her having to lay on her side and pant for nearly 2 hours and then an epidural because of their actions (her son eventually crowned on his own, less than 5 minutes after the epidural had been given, with the midwives then going into panic mode because they had been wrong all along!). 

This time around it could not have been more different ... we arrived at the hospital at 7am after Tattie had been in labour all night. After we had been checked in the lovely midwife did an internal and found that she was 4cm, rising to 5/6 at the height of a contraction. Thankfully she listened to me when I told her that (like me) Tattie labours quickly after 5cm's and that baby would be born in the next hour or so and she immediately offered to fill the pool.

20 minutes later Tattie was climbing into the most amazing pool I have ever seen ... huge, underwater lit, numerous ledges at different heights and deliciously warm. The room itself was lovely ... long, low seating for me and Tattie's partner (right next to the pool), water cooler, dim lights and wonderfully calm. There was even an ipod dock for those who wished to play music!

As soon as she got into the water I could see Tattie relax ... she was using gas and air - which her partner held for her between contractions and she suddenly seemed completely calm and in control. At first her contractions slowed a little, so she moved to one of the higher ledges, which brought the bump partially out of the water - immediately re-starting the contractions. she then moved back down into the water and just relaxed - using the flotation ring to rest her head on and allow herself to drift in between contractions.

The midwife monitored baby's heartbeat a couple of times, but time seemed to stand still. No one rushed around, voices were hushed and everything was calm.

At about 9.15am Tattie wanted to push ... the midwife calmly explained to her that she was to do what her body told her to do ... push if she felt like it, move around however she liked, and that things would take their natural course. Tattie's partner and I knelt next to her, supporting her under the arms and just held her as she pushed ... two contractions later the baby's head was born!

The midwife didn't touch either Tattie or the baby ... it was absolutely incredible to see the baby's head just sitting there (no hands in the way or any sense of 'hustle and bustle'), and with the next contraction she just floated free :cloud9: The midwife immediately caught her, righted her, and brought her up onto Tattie's chest/tummy, so that her body was still in the water but her head was clear and she could take her first breaths.

At some point shortly afterwards, once the cord had been clamped and cut (by a very proud Nonna), Tattie got out of the pool and delivered the placenta on a beautiful birthing couch that enabled both of her birthing partners to sit right with her and coo over her new arrival. 6 hours later, after a stay in a well equipped single room on the unit (midwifery led birthing unit) both Tattie and baby Taylor (who weighed in at 7lb7oz) were home.

It really was the most incredible birth ... I had home births with two of mine and they were amazing and precious, but watching Tattie and being a part of such a wonderful experience almost makes me wish I could have another one just to try it!

No tears, just a couple of small grazes, a totally fulfilled and happy Mummy and an amazingly calm and contented baby. Taylor's Daddy benefited too - because Tattie felt completely in control and he was able to feel like he was helping her and not being pushed out by midwives, it created a warm family cocoon and he bonded with the baby instantly :cloud9: So beautiful to see :cloud9:

so ... from an old hand, whose birthing days are well and truly over (but who has attended 3 births apart from my own 3) I would say - if you have the chance then go for it :hugs:


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## diz

The above is such a wonderful account of a water birth. It evoked memories of my first which was of the same tone. Im planning another water birth and hope I'm just as relaxed this time round as i was the with the first.


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## princess2406

What a lovely water birth story. I am hoping for a water birth (am yet to discuss with my midwife). To me there just dosent seem to be any cons, stories I have heard have all been such a positive experience :flower:


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## BlaireUK

Thank you TattiesMum! What a wonderful story. This is exactly how I imagine my dream birth experience to be. Fingers crossed! X


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## nicoleJOLIE

wow definitely a beautiful experience that must have been . thats DEFINITELY a pro of water births ! :thumbsup:


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## ZoMo

I have been getting myself so terrified and wound up over thoughts of giving birth, having read this thread and watched some Youtube videos of both water births and non-water births, I think I am definitely swaying towards a water birth. They just seem so much more relaxed. I also did not want my OH going anywhere near the business end to see what was going on during a bed based labour but the idea of him watching (should he wish to) in a pool for some strange reason doesnt bother me. Maybe its the thought of generally being more chilled out about it all!


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## lesleyann

Not had a water birth however I will say with my son I was in water till I needed to push (was not allowed to push in the big old corner bath hmmph!) and the water was such a pain relief in its self, I was comfy and relaxed and could move easyer.. So this time I am booked in for a home water birth I will come back with my story providing all goes well!


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## Torontogal

LoubyLou79 said:


> SIEGAL said:
> 
> 
> I'm all for laboring in water but I was watching a documentary once and a dr. said us humans are land animals, we are not designed to give birth in water. I think he is probably right, its just does not seem "natural" to me. I also heard that contrary to popular belief babies can get sick from water birth, all the poop and crap and stuff in the water and they can breathe it in (they do breathe).
> 
> They don't actually breathe under the water. The breathing reflex only kicks in when they reach the cold air above the water level. They are still attached by the cord to the placenta so are receiving oxygen via this whilst under the water.Click to expand...

What LoubyLou said. Plus, I disagree with the statement that we are not designed for water - yes, we are land animals now but we evolved from water creatures. As a scuba diver, how could I be down at 120 feet below the surface of the ocean with nothing but a bikini and a tank of air if an aquatic environment were that foreign. Plus baby spends the first 9 months in an aquatic environment in the womb anyway!


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