Heated pool/home birth, can't decide if this is a good idea...?

[alasia]

Hi, my last two labours were both scarily quick - written on my notes as 1hr 20 and 1hr 10 total.

I never seemed to get 'proper' contractions until the very end, no prior signs or anything...in fact the only reason I knew to phone the hospital was that I dark green goo in my knickers with my first, and bright red blood with my second! I literally got to the hospital with my second, hopped on the bed and gave 2 pushes then she was out

So anyway - I'm single, with two under-5's and my parents live 20 mins drive away. I'll be phoning them as soon as I know something is happening, the MW shortly after as I'm considering a home birth, but - is it a good idea??

I'm petrified of it all going too quick and giving birth on my own with no one there/no pain relief, which is why I was considering a pool so at least I have something to relax me (hopefully) and maybe lessen the pain a bit.

However...I don't think I'd have time to inflate/fill a pool in time so am not looking into hiring a heated one - but I could only afford for it to be delivered at 38 weeks costing £270. Is this a silly amount to pay, bearing in mind it may not end up getting used...?

Has anyone used a heated pool/found them useful - and what are your thoughts on my quick labours, lol...if you were me, what would you do?

Thanks in advance

 

[indigo_fairy]

I'm not sure what to advise I'm just sitting here with my mouth open at the length of your labours! I would definately consider the pool option, I do understand your worry of £270 is alot of money to potentially be wasted, although the comfort of the pool (I'm hoping - as I'm planning a waterbirth) at the time might well outweigh any risk of wasting the money if you get me? I'd say a homebirth is definately a good idea especially with your history of very quick births, no travelling during birth has to be a plus! If I were in your position I'd probably do it as I'd rather have the slight regret of wasting the money (what does £270 get you these days anyway?), rather than the big regret of not having it in birth when I really wanted it, especially as no birth is the same, this one could take longer. Good luck with everything!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Another option could be a doula who providses birth pool free of charge. A new doula ('trainee') would cost you a maximum of £200 and they would set it up and clear it all away too and even an experience only may not cost you much more than the £270. We are happy to negotiate in cases of genuine financial hardship. You would also have her there from the first sign you are labouring and she can help with the children etc too. Just another option to consider maybe

 

[alasia]

Hmm, possibly...I was looking into hiring a doula a few weeks ago when I thought my mum wouldn't be able to be there during my labour, but now she really wants to be here - and also I tend to go a bit into myself during labour/birth. I want my mum and children to be present but to be quite honest am struggling with the thought of the MW interrupting my 'flow' by being there, let alone another outside person.

The home birth idea appeals to me as I hate being in hospital and would hate to stay there overnight; as it happens though I've had to with both my previous two - as my first was in distress and my second had a slightly dilated kidney so had to have a scan at 24 hours old. This time, I want to be at home, have the baby then be left to it more or less so me and the children can get back into our little routine asap.

Haha...I sound like such a loner don't I! I'm not

 

[alasia]

I'm not sure what to advise I'm just sitting here with my mouth open at the length of your labours!

Forgot to say; I can't quite believe it myself, and my worry is that I won't be able to recognise that I'm having contractions quick enough, hence considering the home birth - but then I just have this real fear of giving birth before the midwife turns up, as I said in my first post.

Having said that though, some people's labours are slowed slightly by being in water aren't they, so maybe/hopefully that would happen with me.
Plus for £270 I'd make sure I used it a few times before the birth! Lol.

 

[RaspberryK]

I am getting a heated pre filled hire pool, I don't think it's a waste for me ... but I have no idea for you due to your quick labours.

x

 

[Mervs Mum]

You sound like you labour well!! Going inside yourself is exaclty what we doulas try to facilitate! I've supported a birth of a single mum where where parents were there (her birth story is here somewhere) and a couple who's mum was there too. We had quite intrusive mws at the latter birth so one of my main jobs was ensuring THEY didn't interupt the woman's flow. Keepers of the birth space The single mum birthed just before the mws arrived so that was slightly different!!

Obviously not everyone wants a doula but it just occurred to me as a possible way round your pool dilemma x

ETA: water can slow labour when you use it very early on or speed things up if you are cracking on!

 

[alasia]

Hmm...Mervs mum your last paragraph got me thinking - with my last baby I remember being in the bathroom and rushing to the toilet as I felt something gushing out - turns out it was bright red blood, so then I got in the bath thinking that would help (by this point I was in pain but as far as I can remember it was one long pain and not contractions with spaces in between - anyway, got in the bath and immediately my pains got 10x worse and I almost didn't make it out again I then got halfway downstairs and felt really hot and sweaty, which I've since read can be a symptom of being in the transitional stage; this was roughly 45 mins after I first got up...so from then it was 20 minutes before I gave birth - if I really was in transition at that point then maybe a water birth might not be such a great idea unless I somehow manage to realise I'm in labour earlier than I have done previously...

Ohhh this is so confusing! Hehe.

Spoke to my mum about it earlier and she has no idea what I should do either

 

[Mervs Mum]

Definitely sounds like you were transitioning then. I had another woman have a very gentle transition and get in the pool and give birth within 8 mins! In fact that happened with another women too but the mws were fannying around over letting her in the pool (hospital) because she was a VBACer.

I think what ever you decide to do regarding the pool, you shouldn't feel bad about ringing the mws out potentially 'too soon' because of your history of short labours. I would say a planned home birth is probably a very good (and safe) idea rather than risking giving birth en route to the hospital. x