I think it really does help - on the labour/birth summary that I was discharged with, under pain relief it had "hydro immersion" so it must be legit!!
For my first labour, I used the shower sporadically, along with gas, for pain relief. I quite liked it.
For my second, it all happened much faster and I had thrown up and got a bit of muck in my hair, so I jumped in the shower to wash my hair and was in there for a good 40mins.
Got to the birth centre and said I might need some pain relief, could I try the gas or jump in the shower? Being a birth centre they were very quick to say "let's try shower first!"
I was in there for about two hours, with DH holding one nozzle on my back and me facing the other nozzle so it went on my tummy. I loved it.
When it wad time to start pushing, the MW told me to come out of the shower and I almost cried! Said I might need the gas then and she told me it was too late!
i hated the shower, i got in for about 10 minutes and couldn't wait to get out. Not sure why...... just wasn't helping me. I was much happier on a fit ball.
I only used the shower at home, and only for about 10 mins early on and it really helped (thought I should save the hot water in case I needed it later, never got back to it), but I also found while I was at home I got a lot of relief sitting on a fit ball with a hot wheat bag pressed against my lower back. The heat made all the difference when the contractions started in my lower back. So for me, heat was fantastic and I think a hot shower would have been great. By the time I got to hospital, I was ready to push so no time to do showers or baths then.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks