Is anyone considering a water birth?

[littlefishygg]

Unfortunately (especially in the US) most doctors want you lying flat on your back with your legs up in stirrups so they have the easiest access to you and baby. It's one of the worst positions to give birth in! But I imagine a high risk mother wouldn't be allowed to birth in water simply because doctors/midwives can't be very "hands on" and baby can't be constantly monitored.

I had noticed this! In the US there appears to be a totally different approach from professionals towards birth. As far as I can tell the attitude in the UK is very much let the woman go with what feels right and they really encourage moving around as much as possible and as little medical intervention as possible but in the states it seems to be approached much more like a medical procedure. Like here you will only have a doctor at your birth if something is going wrong or is likely to go wrong.

I'm hoping that despite being a high risk pregnancy and needing extra monitoring to check the baby is growing as he should there is no reason to consider my birth a high risk delivery. I have that debate to come with the medical staff I guess.

 

[Elizdia]

So if you have a high BMI by end of your pregnancy...say 35, does this mean you are high risk?

 

[lj2245]

When I went into labour with my son 14 months ago, my waters broke at 9am. By 4pm my contractions still hadn't started so the hospital asked me to go in to get checked. As I was walking to the car my contractions began. THey were 2 minutes apart by the time I was examined at 7pm and the midwife let me have some G&A. She found I was only 2cm dilated and that my cervix was still unfavourable. They were going to send me home but because I'd had the G&A they decided to let me stay. It was quiet on the labour ward so they asked me if I wanted to use the pool. I agreed and they took me through to the pool room (all it had in it was the pool) and she began to fill the pool. I climbed in and the pool started to drain of water slowly. The pool had a fault. At that exact moment my contractions started rolling on top of each other and I remember clearly feeling pressure and telling my husband and the midwife that "If I can go and poo I will feel so much better". Next thing I know I am pooing in the pool like it's the most natural thing in the world. I couldn't help myself and I didn't even question it. My husband was staring at me with an open mouth and the midwife hit an alarm, screamed for someone to bring a bed and told me I had to get out of the pool that second, my baby was coming and there wasn't enough water in the pool for him to be born in. I said "No I'm only 2cm" and she said we can see your baby's head Laura, get out of the pool now, and started to run the cold water full force. I got a shock at the cold water and it brought me to my senses...I climbed out while holding my baby's head and threw myself onto a bed that was half in the room and half in reception and promptly gave birth to my son

So no, it didn't slow my labour down at all. I went from 2cm to baby in arms in 45 minutes.

Yes, I pooped in the pool. It stank to the heavens, everyone knew it was there, I was mortified and my husband still teases me about it.

Would I consider a water birth this time? Yes, if I don't give birth in the car on the 30 min drive to hospital

 

[NotNic]

I am hoping for a water birth but haven't spoken to my midwife about it yet. I am technically a high risk pregnancy because I have a health condition that increases the risk of miscarriage and premature labour and obviously I know if I go preterm I would be having a high risk birth but apart from that this condition doesn't raise any risks delivery wise so if I get to full term does anyone know whether I would still be classed as high risk?

Nothing you've said, would indicate to me that you couldn't have one as long as your baby is a good size and you make it to term. Definitely mention it to your mw. Most hospitals in the uk have pools now, so even if you are considered too high risk for a birthing centre / midwife unit you could still well have one. Some units will also allow you to labour, but not push in the pool or a bath so do ask what your hospitals policy is.