Waterbirth questions

[Thumper]

MY pool arrives in 4 days and I'm so excited! I'm planning on having it all to myself though, we had to hire the smaller pool as our house is pretty tiny. My OH is a big guy and I doubt there'll be room for the both of us! Plus I fancy having it as my space. I love being in water and I can't think of any other way I want to give birth. I plan to stay in to deliver my LO and for the 3rd stage too. All natural! I hope it all goes to plan...

 

[Bumpontherun]

I didn't stay in for the whole of my labour - might next time. One thing I did find though was that it wasn't as warm as I would have liked it. I think it's supposed to stay at blood temp and that wasn't warm enough for me. I was a bit high on the gas and air and kept turning on the hot tap when the midwife went out the room!

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I didn't stay in for the whole of my labour - might next time. One thing I did find though was that it wasn't as warm as I would have liked it. I think it's supposed to stay at blood temp and that wasn't warm enough for me. I was a bit high on the gas and air and kept turning on the hot tap when the midwife went out the room!

That would be me Messing about when the midwife is not in the room, lol!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I like my baths HOT! So we kept the temp quite high as I was pretty sure I'd be getting out to birth ( I had with my previous baby) so it was like being in a giant hot tub! I had very laid back MWs who werent too fussed about the temp while I was labouring as long as I was comfortable.

 

[Tacey]

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!

Getting in the pool was the most incredible thing. I was having a back to back labour and it felt like there was no let up in the contractions. Getting in the pool was bliss - it all melted away! My OH didn't get in with me - I think he'd hate the idea! He rubbed my back when I needed him to though. I pushed and delivered in the pool, but got our to deliver the placenta. I didn't manage to make it from pool to bed before it delivered though! The midwife had to catch it in a bucket!

There wasn't masses of blood in the pool in my experience. Looking at photos after the birth, it went pink after she has been born, but during it was still crystal clear.
I'm sneaking in here as not even pregnant yet, but still dreaming!

 

[blue_kat]

I just had my home visit for my home birth - didnt acually have many questions thanks to this website but thought I'd add a couple of points that mw mentioned incase it helps anyone

1. She suggested loads of towels (she said 20 then said errr maybe not that many..just make sure they are old ones including for baby just because they might get manky (I am now quietly worrying where I am going to get a big batch of old towels)

2. cat - I am planning on keeping my cat in bedroom anyway so not a problem but she mentioned that cats get over protective about their owners in labour and wont leave them alone...plus she said they love to eat placenta and she has had a home birth recently which was a battle to keep the cat away from it! Yuck!

3. obvious but I hadnt thought about it - I have to walk past my front door to get to stairs...its not clear glass but can see reflections through it, I need to hang a curtain incase I want to be running up and down stairs for wees etc and dont want to get dressed each time

4. she said she keeps temperature to my preference although most women prefer it cooler anyway

5. the main thing is that she kept repeating that I wont know how I will feel until the time, and if I want to be transfered - do it! dont be afraid to back out no1 will think any less!