Waterbirth questions

[Tryingfora4th]

I'm really hoping to have a waterbirth this time round altho in all 3 previous labours I've needed syntocin to aid contractions so I dont know if I'll be able

Assuming things are ok and labour progresses normally I just wondered what everyone else did or is planning for their waterbirth.

Did your OH come in the pool with you?
Did you get out to push?
Did you get out to deliver the placenta?

The only thing putting me off is being in the water with all the blood and other stuff!

 

[Ozzieshunni]

:wave: I think I made a post about this before....OH is def not coming in the tub with me

 

[KandyKinz]

My hubby REFUSES to come into the pool with me. The thought of amniotic fluid makes him wanna The thought of sitting in a pool of amniotic fluid makes him wanna rip his skin off..... But I still LOVE him lol

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Frankly, I don't want DH in the tub anyways. He's too bony and I'm sure I'll be sensitive and sore enough as it is without running into his elbows and knees when I'm trying to shift around to get comfortable

 

[Bournefree]

1 - My OH didn’t but nothing to stop him if he wanted to.
But you know what your OH is like in bed - will he take up all the room!>!? Mine would! Seriously, it is whatever you are comfortable with. But it can be nice to have the pool area as your protected space.. It limit’s not only the Mws interference with you, but anyone else too.
If he does get in, he might like to wear some swimming stuff, - one MW was telling me about one ladies OH who got in butt naked, as mum was naked too, Bit of embarrassing for the Mws initially, but still not a problem! Made me smile though! Your OH might need a change of clothes, even if he isn’t getting in - as you will be wet and prob holding on to him at points.. Or if he’s rubbing your back etc, he is unlikely to stay totally dry!
I went for naked.. didn’t even think about it really.. It just seemed right at the time.

2 - I didn’t get out to push.. You might want to, but that was the main big plus of being in the water for me. It was so relaxing swishing about, letting your bodies natural buoyancy take all the weight and pressure away.

3 - I did get out to deliver the placenta. Though I hadn’t planned to. I just had the most painful cramp in the whole of one of my legs.. I just had to walk about!! It’s upto you. There is likely to be more blood if you do do 3rd stage in the water. You have to be aware that blood in water looks a lot worse than it really is. It only takes a very small amount of blood in water to colour it up all pink! Think of it like if you nick your leg while shaving in the bath - it can look like you’ve done more damage than you actually have!
Don’t let your Mws tell you that you have to get out to do 3rd stage - some prefer women out so they can asses any blood loss better, but it is still upto you… you could still have baby attached, so might not want to move (that’s what I wanted)

However you birth, land or water you are going to have some blood, mucus, amniotic fluid on you - but it’s all you - nothing gross about it at all! It’s all sterile. Even if you wee in the water, that is sterile too! I found the pool made me feel cleaner - I didn’t feel I wanted to have a bath or shower after.

It is a wonderful experience, and I felt the water made it all the more comfortable. I do hope you get to have your waterbirth
XxX

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Bourne, I just read your birth story. AMAZING! I can't wait to have a water birth, but I'm having mine at the maternity centre.

 

[emyandpotato]

Are water births easier? I was completely against it at first as (and this is going to sound ridiculous as I won't care how I look) but I have icky scars on my back and don't really want to be fully naked and for them to be visible in front of everyone, but now I am swaying towards it. Has anyone had both a water birth and a normal birth so they can compare how much each hurts?

 

[KandyKinz]

Has anyone had both a water birth and a normal birth so they can compare how much each hurts?

Ask me in 2 to 7 weeks!

 

[Bournefree]

You don't have to be in the nude in the water - you could wear a tankini to cover your back if you wanted. Though I found in labour, I just didn't really care about who was going to see me.. I was in another place entirely.. and it was a really nice place too!

I had all sorts of thoughts before labour about my body, and about; wanting to trim my pubes, sort out my bikini line.. perhaps even get a wax done, or a touch of fake tan - but it doesn't matter one iota!!! You unlikely to care and your MWs certainly won't care! Save all the worry about your body for when your 80! Be proud of your body, it is going to do something phenomenal!!

I don't have anything to compare water to land, so I don't know - but there has to be someone that has done both?!

Thank you for reading my birth story.. it's pretty long, you must have good patience!
XxX

 

[pimento1979]

My OH came with me into the pool. Even when he knew I peed in it and I eventually puked in it he still stayed in, bless him. (We didn't stay in too much longer after I puked!)

 

[MadamRose]

Hi yes OH get into the water with me, no i didnt get out to push, and no i delivered the placenta in the pool but they were already emptying the water whilst i delivered it. Would love to have a water birth again i was so relaxed. My mum was also in the room, and they turned all the lights off other than a lava lamp and they had a lamp to do checks when they needed to. It was that relaxed at points my mum fell asleep.
I used gas and air but that was it and chloe was 9lbs 12oz

 

[helen1234]

i've got zero chance of getting my oh in the pool with me lol,

i'll let you know if i deliver i there, the plan is to,
and havent really thought about the placenta.

x

 

[blue_kat]

Since our trial run, my OH keeps hinting at coming in with me (he loves baths and started talking bout keeping it inflated in the living room all the time lol)

I said its fine and up to him but I KNOW he will be out of there the second anything comes out of me lol - I dont think he thought about that! He can have his swimming gear ready anyway incase!

 

[s4m4nth4]

Did your OH come in the pool with you?
Did you get out to push?
Did you get out to deliver the placenta?

The only thing putting me off is being in the water with all the blood and other stuff!

Hi, My husband didn't get in the pool, there wasn't any need... I went on to all 4's in the pool, one push and he was out! I did end up getting out for the placenta, and it just plopped out as I stepped over the pool! I found the water stayed clean until he was born, then didn't get too bad after, but I didn't stay in too long.

 

[KandyKinz]

I said its fine and up to him but I KNOW he will be out of there the second anything comes out of me lol

 

[Pixxie]

Did your OH come in the pool with you? No, he didn't want to but we weren't allowed anyway.
Did you get out to push? Nope, she was born in the pool. Even if I wanted to I don't think I could have got out!
Did you get out to deliver the placenta? Yes, they got me out almost as soon as she was born and onto a bed were we had skin to skin, first feed, cord cut. It took about 40 minutes though because apparently my placenta was inside out!

Ask me anything else you want to know xxx

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Did you have a shot to speed up placenta delivery?

 

[Pixxie]

No I wanted it all natural xx

 

[Pixiegirllily]

After seeing one of the girls on One born every minute and how well she seemed to cope with it really well.. does it help with painrelief like it seeemed?
and ive been told that you can get quite cold in the water, is this true as i wouldnt want to be thinking about shivering?

 

[Ozzieshunni]

Pixie, I think they keep the tub at certain temp throughout the labour and delivery.