honesty needed (:

[ToughhGal]

I know I'm still early but dying for wise answers!

Ever since BEFORE finding out I was pregnant I have dreamt of a water birth! However, I do have genetic back problems. I inherited a VERY crooked spine from my grandmother and not sure if my back will be a major problem. My question, water births are all natural right? And would you ladies do it under these circumstances?

 

[Feronia]

Right, you can't do a water birth if you've had an epidural (I doubt narcotics either), but I bet you could do gas and air.

Why not try labouring in a tub and see how you feel then? You can always get out. After my water birth my legs were sore from squating, but my back was fine -- though I don't have a back problem.

 

[jeanyern123]

If I knew everything about the back condition and was in control of it.
If it doesn't harm baby in anyway.
If I had a great support team and expert midwives.
I would do it.

 

[ToughhGal]

I don't think it would harm baby but rather me! Lol.

But thank you ladies! I might have to bring it up to them, not sure if they know about the back problem.

 

[Kittycat155]

I would think if anything that water would be better then a dry birth. Just how older people prefer to do exercise in the water for pain relief. If your Grandmother had your Mom vaginally then that is a good sign if you do not have it worse then her. Can you ask your Dr/midwife about water birth.

 

[Beneli]

I have slight scoliosis and found my waterbirth was amazing for dealing with the back labour I was having because of the spinal twist.

 

[Mummafrog]

I have no experience to offer you.. but my thoughts about it would be that the water would support you and make labour somewhat more comfortable with your back problems, because the water will lift the weight of your bump etc off your back.
But as ladies have said you can't have any pain relief that has the potential to make you sleepy, or that requires any kind of drip in the pool for obvious reasons. Can have gas + air.

From the health professionals perspective (student midwife here, I don't know a lot yet but have some practical work experience so have heard these things spoken about) they will hopefully want to facilitate you and might see the benefits for you but their concern would be your mobility and whether you would have more difficulty getting yourself in and out of the pool or whether they would have more trouble lifting/moving you using the machines they have available in the unlikely event of an emergency.
These issues have been flagged up because of my BMI so we've had to go through the considerations. If your back problems don't effect your mobility at all in terms of you moving yourself OR the machines they might use to get someone out of the pool, then they probably won't have a problem with it.

Hope you get what you want, remember it's your choice to make at the end of the day!

 

[BunnyN]

I don't have a good back though I don't have as many problems as you. I had a lot of pain in my lower back during labour. What helped for me was to stay mobile. Having contractions laying on my back was 10x more painful. The pain was managable as long as I could move around. At one point making circling movements with my hips was all that helped. I had a quick recovery and have had no lasting back problems caused by the labour.

An epidural or other pain medication might take away the pain but I would worry that might be worse for your back because you wouldn't know if you were in a position that was harming it.

 

[Maxy1]

I also don't have a problem back, but I would think a water birth would be easier on you than a dry birth. The water will take the weight of your back. I knelt in the birthing pool and leaned forward into my husbands chest and leveraged off his arms, so I really let the water take the weight of the bump. I have seen lots of videos of waterbirths where the support person sits behind the mum. But I found it far more natural to kneel and lean forward. Plus with the waterbirth you get lots of chance to move around the pool and change positions until you find something that works for you.

 

[Pearls18]

I'm guessing that's something only your own doctor can answer, but I would have thought water birth would be perfect for someone with back issues, it will offer pain relief to your back, will give you more movability with less effort and if successful would stop you getting an epidural which I have heard can exasperate back issues.

 

[MindUtopia]

Like other ladies have said, my guess is that it could be easier for you than a birth on dry land because the water will help support your bump and take the weight off your back. Lying on your back in labour is the most painful position for most people because it puts pressure on your back during contractions and while baby is descending. But the water would support you and probably make you more comfortable. The only thing you would have to just check is that you're able to get in and out of the tub. Are you able to lift one leg and get into a high-sided bath? If you can do that, you should be fine. If I knew I had any existing pain issues, I'd definitely opt for a water birth.