Who has had a waterbirth?

[Cherished]

Cherished1 has a beautiful waterbirth story for you, it makes me well up with tears every bleedin' time!
It's in her signature if you're keen for a squiz.
xx

Awww Thanks Sunny Yes my water birth was just beautiful! I am pretty sure that if there is ever #2 that we will have a home waterbirth. The birth of ds was very quick so I didn't spend that much time laboring outside of the bath but the difference from standing to being in the water was incredible! While standing there was always a pressure there, the sensation was never gone. In the water I obviously felt the waves (contractions) but inbetween there was no sensation at all, I may as well have been just relaxing in a warm bath. As for the water being dirty I didn't have a clue, the lights were dim and I had my music playing and I was only focused on my body and the beautiful little baby that was about to be born. What I can tell you is that I never saw ds with blood on him or looking purple like most babies do. I guess he had a wash on the way out in the water and because the lights were dim I didn't see him purple. So my memories are just of a beautiful looking little bub and it all felt 'clean' being in the bath if that makes sense. As Sunny said my story is in my sig. Best of luck x

Just had a little loosky at my birth story, I didn't mention in it that I didn't have any stitches either so perhaps being in the water also helped with that?

[human bean]

I can only echo what everyone has said here about how amazing birthing in water is. I knew as soon as I got in that bath there was no way I'd be getting out again until after bub was born. The difference it made to ctx was remarkable. They turned off all the lights in the bathroom so only the soft light from the delivery suite was shining, MW sat in the corner with a torch, and I just did my thing. To be honest I don't even know if/when the water turned manky, not straight away and at some point they pulled the plug just before I said I wanted to hop out anyways. Was probably around 10 mins as we did delayed cord clamping and the first person to take DD from me was DH so I could stand up.

ETA I didn't have any tearing or grazing either and do often think perhaps being in water for almost 2 hours did help there? Who knows.

[Jennifer13]

DD2's home birth was in the water. I loved it. You'd have needed to drag me out with a crane to deliver her anywhere else!

I loved being able to easily move around to any position and kneel for the whole time on the padded floor (I have dodgy knees). And I thought it would probably help with tearing. Not sure if it was water or the position, but I had no tearing. And I was able to catch my baby myself. That was amazing!

I lost only a little blood so the water was fine really. M/ws had a scoop to fish anything out during pushing but I didn't notice. I had to get out to deliver the placenta, but that was about 50 mins later when I'd had plenty of cuddles!

If I ever have another baby the pool will be ready early, water certainly didn't slow my labour down.

[*LittleMissSummer*]

Thanks everyone! Now i am getting VERY excited!!

Its the contractions i worry about, they were so intense and overwhelming with DD's labour which made me have pain relief which i really didn't want but i wasn't coping.

Because all of the new rooms have baths every woman has the option of a waterbirth but i will be saying i want one so they can be sure i have a midwife who is trained to be there.

Cherished, i'll check out your birth story soon! Looking forward to it!

[Traveller]

Sometimes when there is a bath in the room, the hospital policy is not to allow a waterbirth but just to allow them for pain relief. It depends on the depth of the water. Also in a bath you can be restricted for movement. Speak to the hospital and if this is in fact their policy you may be able to take an inflatable birth pool into hospital with you (depending again on their policies). They may also have a larger birthing pool somewhere which is very awesome for labouring.

[*LittleMissSummer*]

Oh no they are promoting water births. I was asked what i thought about it and if i was interested. This particular midwife has been at 24 water births and she said each and every woman loved it. She said she found water to be a great pain relief for herself.

The only time i wouldn;t be able to have the water birth is if i didn't have a trained midwife. But i will be making note that i am very interested.

[Jennifer13]

I have heard some m/ws will not object if you stay in the bath/pool, even if it isn't policy. I've often wondered what they'd do if you refused to get out anyway?

You need the water deep enough so the baby's head cannot get above the water until it's completely born and lifted out. That's right, isn't it Trav?

And the baby is quite slippery when you lift them out!

[meow]

Make sure you check their water temps too. I've heard a lot of hospitals have luke warm water and a water birth is pointless because you don't get the pain relief from nice warm water.

I was almost falling asleep between contractions in the birth pool- it was awesome. And I was much calmer and zen during them too. Outside of the pool I was carrying on and panicking during contractions and willing myself to relax between them.

[Traveller]

that's fabulous then, what a brilliantly equipped hospital! I struggle with the concept of being trained for a waterbirth but as you say as long as you let them know from the offset that this is your plan then it shouldn't be a problem

[Traveller]

I have heard some m/ws will not object if you stay in the bath/pool, even if it isn't policy. I've often wondered what they'd do if you refused to get out anyway?

You need the water deep enough so the baby's head cannot get above the water until it's completely born and lifted out. That's right, isn't it Trav?

WRT the birth if you refuse to get out the bath, not unheard of for the plug to be pooled so you are in a cold hard bath with no water. It helps if you don't push vocally so you trick them into thinking the birth is a while away though.

In reference to the water depth: Yes that's right

The hospital I had the twins in had baths in every room but strict warnings of no births in them because they were not deep enough. However they had a lovely pool which was massive and loads of room for turning around. I loved it

[meow]

And the baby is quite slippery when you lift them out!

Oh yes! TBH I found the birth pool a pain in the bum within about 5 seconds of giving birth I suddenly noticed the water was colder, I was tired and trying really hard to hold onto slippery, soft baby and not drop him in the water. Then when I wanted to hand him to my H to hold so I could get out of the water my MWs wouldn't let me because it might jerk the cord so I somehow had to heave myself out the pool (it was a high sided wooden one too) while holding baby and I was kind of ****ed off and cranky about it all. As much as I loved it at the time, I was so glad to be out!

[*LittleMissSummer*]

My understanding is the current maternity ward/delivery suites have a seperate room where the bath is. The other hospital i had DD had a bath in a seperate room and i had to get out and walk back to my room to start pushing But the new delivery suites all have baths in the rooms so they are very equipped and hope to have all the midwives trained.

As for the luke warm water, the water wasn't very warm for DDs labour but it was enough to give me great relief. I think just having the water on me made it all better.

[Traveller]

I found, water temp aside, the buoyancy of the water was fabulous. When the water was warmer though it just made me sink into myself which was wonderful.

[ummAadam]

may I ask which hospital it is LMS?

[*LittleMissSummer*]

The Canberra Hospital. I went through Calvary with my DD.

[Jennifer13]

I think hot water was added to the pool from memory and I stayed in for over half an hour. DD1 cut the cord while we were in there. I had to get out in the end to deliver the placenta because I was so relaxed all cx stopped completely! But we had a blow up pool so no wooden sides. Although it was a bit slippery climbing out. I was somewhat awkwardly waddling to the toilet, but not too badly after 50 mins of pushing!

[Cassius2]

i remember the midwives adding hot water soon after DD2 was born...but i was pretty ready once the placenta arrived to get out (this was 45 minutes after DD2 was born).

[phynna]

Elly is a waterbaby! I laboured for hours without the pool because it took so long to fill as our hot water system ran out early on, and the difference once I hopped in was unbelievable! I could float on my back in between contractions and flip back forwards to my knees when they hit, no climbing or waddling, and it was amazing catching her myself too. She was so relaxed until I lifted her body out of the water too much and she got chilly. Took another 1 and 1/2 hrs for placenta to come, but delivered in the water just as the middys had convinced me to get out because I was shiverring s badly by then. So our water got pretty bad, but I didn't notice till the next day in the daylight, and we pumped it out the window straight into the garden anyway. Having another home water birth in Aug/Sept too, can't wait! You hear don many first time mothers speak of the horrible pain, and yes the contractions got pretty horrid but my birth was wonderful, best thing I've ever done!