Nepean hospital currently doesn't have a policy to allow water births. There are midwives who know how to waterbirth who work there but the manager of the birth unit frowns on any "accidental" waterbirths which may occur. There is a policy in the pipeline to allow waterbirths for hospitals in that area health service (Auburn, Nepean, Blacktown, Westmead, Katoomba and Lithgow) but the bigwigs at the top keep delaying approving it despite lobbying by midwives within these hospitals.
Yeah, definitely not epidural during a waterbirth because as mentioned, it numbs you from the waist down and is a pretty major intervention that will require continuous and close monitoring. Possibly gas for pain relief, although one of the benefits of labouring in water is that it provides a great deal of pain relief in and of itself.
I wouldn't recommend sitting on the plug, though. The only thing worse than giving birth on land when you wanted to birth in water, is a poorly-managed waterbirth. Waterbirth is a beautiful experience that is easily spoiled by a frightened, panicked midwife without experience in waterbirth who is desperately trying to get you out of the water. If you are serious about a waterbirth, and your local hospital midwives cannot support you, then you might want to consider looking into a homebirth with an independently practicing midwife, who is experienced in assisting you to have a waterbirth.
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