Water birth vs Regular and Midwife vs OB

[wanna_baby]

Hi ladies,

I am expecting my 3rd and final baby and my first 2 were natural somewhat speedy normal labor. This time around, I wanted to experience the water birth so went with a midwife vs an OB for this reason... after learning more about it, two things that I am concerned about are i found out I can't have an epidural for a water birth also, there's really no hospital stay after the birth with the midwife...

although I like the chances of less tearing with water birth (I tore for both my other babies), I am not sure if I can handle without epidural....

Also, I do enjoy the rest time at the hospital and a pediatrician examining the baby vs the midwife doing all the assessment and basically get sent home after the delivery...

I should also mention that I am in Canada and it's more common to go with OB for pregnancies here over midwife.... the only reason I wanted to go with a midwife is for the water birth experience...

Can anyone share some insight to the difference?? which did you prefer if you had both?

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

You can find an OB to let you labor in the water OR give birth in the water.

You can do the same with a midwife and are not sent straight home 2 minutes after pushing the baby out.

I labored in the water, then got out for the epi with dd2. (Ob)
I was supposed to labor and give birth in the water at home with dd2 but she came at 34 weeks...(midwife)

 

[wanna_baby]

Thanks for the response OnEarth.. NOt sure if those options are available here in Canada where the OB will do water birth... I will definitely look further into it. If that's available, then that would be my best option...

 

[Rebaby]

I'm afraid I'm in the UK so can't comment on whether or not you could find an OB to facilitate a water birth, but I just wanted to reassure you that you may find that the water helps so much that it lessens the need for an epidural. I planned a water birth with my second but he was in too much of a rush to wait for the pool to be ready but I was so calm and relaxed during his labour vs his older brothers that I only ended up using a tens machine and having 2 paracetamol whereas two years earlier with my first I'd had gas and air and an epidural.

All the women I know who've laboured and given birth in water have told me how fantastic it was for relaxation and pain relief. I have a friend with 5 children - 3 born in the pool and she says now she wouldn't do it any other way.

As for the hospital stay after baby- I don't know about Canada specifically but here in the UK if everything has been straightforward the normal stay is about 6-24 hours post birth, so I doubt they'd be sending you home any earlier than that unless you wanted to.

 

[wanna_baby]

Thanks for your response Rebay... I guess that what I needed to hear from those that have experienced it that you don't really need the epidural for the water birth... I'm still swaying towards a water birth but will make a decision soon.. I am also attending a birthing workshop at the midwife's this week... so hopefully I can learn more about it enough to make a decision...