Does water really help that much with contraction pain?

[Artechim]

For me the bath dulled the contraction pains down heaps so it was only like moderate period pain. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep between contractions and woke during them, rotated my pelvis around a bit until it was over and then fell back asleep. It also seemed to soften up the area so there was no 'ring of fire' for me or any tearing.

[Bloom]

Oooh yeah! I used the shower then bath at home (we have a corner spa bath) and then bath and shower at hospital (only got out of the bath as the MW made me, when the MW realised that I wasn't sposed to be in the bath as I didn't meet the "requirements").

I found it much easier to relax between the contractions and also it definately reduced the pain. Plus I really like being clean (okay, so I shampooed my hair while in labour in the shower at home, I wanted it to be nice and clean!).

One really good suggestion from my BC was to get foam squares cut 20cm x 20cm x 5cm from clark rubber (the look on the teenage boy's face when I described what I wanted them for was hilarious!). They can be used to kneel on or to make the edge of the tub softer for your forehead. I ended up putting one on the corner soap dish thingy in the shower and putting my head on it.

[Beach Mama]

I thought I would love the shower and ended up hating the feeling of it on my back so I got out pretty fast. The bath on the other hand was heavenly and I stayed in for over an hour. Was lucky because I was induced, had the drip in and a portable doppler on. The MW said if it was during the day I wouldn't have been able to do it but as long as I promised not to pull the drip in I could go in. Got out and things got a bit hairy and wished I had stayed in for longer, I loved the sensation of being weightless in between ctxs.