Physiological third stage in Birthing Pool

[emdeb]

Hi All, my midwife has reluctantly given in for me to have a home birth so she came around on Wednesday to fill in the forms and leave the pack. When she was going through all the information and I told her I wanted a Physiological third stage she said that it was better and prefered for me to get out of the pool for it. I have never read anywhere that I had to get out for this as I had intended to stay in the pool with baby feeding until everything was over.

If anyone can give me some advice that would be great

 

[stella123]

i think she'd prefer it if you got out of the pool so she can assess how much blood you're losing, as water can be quite misleading.
however, this is your birth experience, and midwives are trained to adjust (albeit reluctantly at times) to your choices.

unless hemorrhaging is apparent, do what you feel comfortable with

good luck and all the best xxx

 

[Rmar]

^WSS, that is the main reason why midwives feel comfortable with that but another thing is sometimes the placenta comes out easier on land than in water but not always.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Totally agree with Stella. It's to make THEIR lives easier and not for any actual medical reason. At the end of the day, it's your choice x

 

[Jenniflower]

^^WTS

I'm expecting this from my midwife as well but I remember my hypno teacher telling me that it's just easier to deliver it in the pool if you can. Keeps the mess all together, hahaha. You may need to get out, maybe sit on the toilet or something? But that's only if things don't seem to be moving.

Let her know that you appreciate her advice but that you plan on staying in the pool to breastfeed for up to at least 30 min unless there is any medical reason to do otherwise.

 

[crazydiamond]

There are some medical reasons why they like you to get out although I am not too sure how much evidence there is to support them.

See this site for more info https://www.homebirth.org.uk/water.htm

'The other issues apply if you are planning a natural (physiological) third stage, but not if you intend to have drugs to speed up the delivery of the placenta. Some sources suggest that staying in the pool for the third stage can delay the delivery of the placenta and hence increase blood loss, particularly if the water is warm - 36-37C. There has been little research on this in the English-language literature on waterbirth, but in Germany apparently the practice is to have the pool at 35C or below for birth, and in 'Holistic Midwifery', Anne Frye states:

"Enning finds that uterus clamps down rapidly after a waterbirth, especially when the water is around 86F (30C), although colder water can lead to premature separation. Conversely, if the water is too warm, the placenta can be retained for hours." (Holistic Midwifery vol. on labour and birth, p479)

There are also concerns about the baby receiving too much blood through the cord after birth, if you remain in the pool and the cord is not cut - the idea is that the warm water keeps blood vessels dilated which would otherwise have closed down in a physiological (natural) third stage. If the baby receives too much blood in this way then it may become very jaundiced (neonatal polycythaemia) . Although there has been one case reported in the medical journals which may have been due to a third stage in water, this cannot be known for certain - after all, many babies have the same problem after land births, and managed third stages. It is certainly true that most babies have had no problems after third stages in water. It is possible that this is a theoretical concern rather than a realistic one.'

 

[NaturalMomma]

Most MW's want you to get out so they can assess blood loss, check for tears, etc. However, there are many MW's who do let their mommas give birth to the placenta in the water and then stay there until they are ready. I had a land birth in my living room, but I did have a birth pool up. My MW was going to have me just stand to deliver the placenta and then have it in a bowl and then I could sit back in the pool with babe still attatched and everything.

 

[carries]

I had both boys in a pool at home and stood up to deliver the placenta but was in the pool up to that point. I assumed it was so that the midwife could check I hadnt retained any. To be honest it took about 30 mins after the delivery and by that point I was ready to get out of the pool anyway but as the ladies above have said you need to do whatever you are comfortable with.