Does water really help that much with contraction pain?

[Arimeh]

A question on my mind, cos I really don't wanna go through the same pain as I did with Eden.. LOL

I know that I was scared, and fear = pain, so I probably caused more pain for myself than was necessary. So I know that when I felt a contraction coming I was like, oh no not again, and would fight against the pain, instead of going with it. So I know that wouldn't have helped either.

I went in the bath for about 20 minutes or something when I first arrived at the birth centre, but each time I had a contraction I would lift myself out of the bath anyway to get through it And then I had to get out to have a bowel movement, and never went back in. Shower was never offered for pain relief, so I spent the majority of my labour on the toilet or crouched on the floor screaming for someone to make the pain go away Of course no pain relief was offered because they didn't have any!!

So this time, I do want to handle the pain better. I know my scar will hold up fine, so I don't have that thought at the back of my mind. My chiro has promised she does a sacral hold which reduces the pain of a contraction up to 50% - so that sounds good to me.

But does water really make that much of a difference? How does it make a difference? Is it just that it relaxes you so you don't tense up during a contraction, or is there something more to it than that?

[Janie]

It's probably very individual, and probably changes with each birth......but I found water BLISSFUL!!!!! I really enjoyed DS1's birth, and that's mostly down to using water for probably 9-10 out of 14 hours. I used the shower earlier on, and then the bath when I was getting past 5cm (approx) and getting a bit desperate. And then I used gas in the bath from transition, it was fantastic!

A great experience for me . But I guess it's one of those things that you don't really know until you're in the moment. Sorry, that's not very helpful!!!

[Daydream Believer]

I felt it did make a difference with DS, however once I was in the bath I didnt get out for anything. I got into the bath about half an hour before DS was born & it seemed to ease the sharpness of the contractions.

[MrsFabuloso]

I think for some people it does make a definate difference, and some it doesn't. Not much help huh, lol! For me, I loved being in the bath when I was labouring at home and while I was in pre labour for days. The only place I could get comfy was the bath. I slept in the bath the day before I went to hospital because I couldn't find the same level of comfort I did anywhere else. The shower didn't do anything for me, but the bath....ahhhh, I still remember the bliss! But I love water and I love baths even when not pg, so maybe that might have been why it was so good for me.

[STARRYSKY]

what lilias said! I survived my pre labour by spending most of the nights in the bath, even had a sleep in there, also loved the shower, but was never offered water as pain relief at the hospital.

[Freya]

Nothing better than labouring and giving birth in water imo and Ive done two land-bed-back births and a free flowing waterbirth. I wish I had of had the water option with my first two.

Look, its still painful but not scary painful iykwim? It kind of dulls the pain enough that you can get through it without falling apart. I was chatting and thinking to myself while I was floating around in the tub, and when a cx hit I would lean on the side of the tub and sort of rock/swish my body through the water. Its really calming.

If your someone who has a nice hot bath if you have a sore body part then it would prob be a great option for you. Warm water soothes sore muscles and labour definately invites sore muscles right

[Rowellen]

I didn't go in the bath but I spent aaaages in the shower with the head directed on my lower back. I loved it. I didn't want to get out at all. I really found it helped a lot to get through the contractions.

[Olive]

i spent the last 30 mins of labour in the shower and it was bliss! i directed the nosel to either front or back depending on what felt better, but wish id gotten in sooner but it certainly made transition better!

[Visitor7]

All 3 of my labours have been spent in the shower, the entire time. I loved it, it was my only relief.

[Heaven]

The shower was bliss!! I was in there for hrs and hrs with the hot water on my back or down low at the front during contractions. It REALLY REALLY helped. I didn't like the bath though. I didn't like the weightless feeling. I felt more pain in there. Sort of like with the floating there was no other sensations in my body (like the weight of my feet on the ground, etc, etc) and so only the pain to concentrate on.

[deletedit]

I spent a fair amount of labour with #1 in a nice big bath, and an hour or so in the shower (lying on my back on the floor with the water going straight on the sorest bit) and it really helped.

Was no time for anything with #3 though

[Spring Angel]

I'm a weirdo in labour because I prefer to be lying down on my back. I close my eyes and kinda go into a quiet, still trance like state. I feel like I can't support my weight when I'm standing, sitting and it panics me. I've had inductions so I haven't had the bath option but TBH I couldn't stand the shower.

I think for me next time I'm going to try the shower/bath early on before the ctx get intense so I can get used to the feeling.

[Traveller]

I called my labouring time in the tub my "aquadural". I went from having to remember to try and relax, to being in utter bliss and sleeping through contractions. It's different for everyone but certainly worth a try before drugs.

[maz]

I was dragged out of the bath by the midwife because I kept falling alseep but yes helped me heaps but then so did the shower as Olive said you can direct the water pressure for were you need it by rotating around

[MrsB26]

Oh i loved loved loved the shower. I liked that icould direct the shower head from my back to my belly and it felt like a distraction from the contraction. Once it got really intense i got in the bath. The midwife had to practically drag me out after 4 hours as i was running a fever and she didnt want tme to get any hotter. I'll tell you, once i got out the contractions felt a zillion times worse
This time i'm hoping to stay in and birth in the bath if it works as good for the pain as it did with ds.

[studentmum]

LOVED the warm water - I didn't even have a bath/birth pool but boy oh boy do I want one for #4, with DS the warm shower was DIVINE

The problem with the shower was, it got too steamy, with the pool even if it is warm out you can have a fan in your face to cool off...love it.

Sarah

[briggsy's girl]

i went from nothing to 7cm in less than 2 hours using water for pain relief. the hospital birthing suite had two shower heads that you could direct anywhere, so as contractions hit, i had one on my belly one on my back - it wasn't pain that ended up getting to me, it was shear exhaustion as the prelabour after having the gels for the induction had stopped me sleeping the two previous nights and i just couldn't stand up (and sitting wasn't working as well). i was hooked up to every maching under the sun, so a bath was a no go - but given the relief the heat and water gave me, i reckon a bath owuld have been perfect!

[Liviam]

Both of my labours where spent in the shower - IT WAS HEAVEN!!!! Shower and DH's support where my own pain relief. DH controlled the shower for me and during a contraction it was on my tummy and on my back in between. Poor DH got drenched but he was awesome!!