Home Water Birth - any advice?

Luschka - posted on 07/22/2010

"Looking back, what I remember most is how peaceful most of the labor was." That was how I felt all the way through - and how I feel now when I think back on it... amazing.

So happy you had a good experience!

Abbey - posted on 07/11/2010

what a beautiful story! Isn't it just amazing being at home? You just go back to your own bed and resume life. I can't imagine getting in and out of the water like you did but like I said, mine was super fast so I never had the option! So glad you had such a great peaceful birth, thanks for sharing!

Rachel - posted on 07/10/2010

Thanks for sharing Abbey! I finally went into labor on 6/16 and delivered at 3:40 am on 6/17. It was an amazing labor. If anyone wants to read about it, I've posted my experience on my little blog: http://rhiser.wordpress.com

Regards,
Rachel

Abbey - posted on 07/10/2010

I am in LOVE with my birth! We had a home water birth 4 months ago, our 2nd baby. Labor from start to finish was only 6 hours, all active strong labor. The first hour I ate half of a banana and drank 2 strong cups of red raspberry leaf tea, that's all I had time for! I didn't even hardly move around the house and was only in 2 positions~on my knees leaning over my couch and then in that same position in the pool until my body told me to flip over into a reclined/squat position to birth my baby. We had our pool in our back living room because its the biggest room in the house and there are couches for people to sit on/set things on and its right next to the bathroom and kitchen. The only 'tools' my doulas and midwife used was a hot rice bag on my back and it was amazing! Everything just went too fast to do anything else, but it was absolutely perfect. The only thing I wish I would have done was assign someone to take more pictures!! I didn't wear anything in the pool and I was completely comfortable~and I'm fairly modest as well.

Rachel - posted on 06/14/2010

Thanks Mason! We are actually still waiting for little one to decide to join us. We will be 41 weeks tomorrow. So, your timing is great! Thanks for the advice - and feel free to share anything else you can think of! :)

Mason - posted on 06/14/2010

Oh man! I'm sure I missed the window to be helpful to you and I hope you had an amazing waterbirth! (My license plate reads H2OBORN!)
Food: Easy to digest stuff like bananas, yogurt, toast and bland soups are great. I also have mamas eat athletic gels like GU or AccelGel if they really can't stomach food.

Clothes: An athletic bra works nicely and there are bathing suits with skirts attached, we've had mamas cut out the 'panty' part and just wear the skirt.

Placement: SOme tubs have heater/filters that will cycle on and off like a fridge keeping mamas awake at night, and sometimes the humidity caused by the tub makes sleeping difficult so if you have a tub set up well ahead of birth consider a room other than your bedroom. Some tubs have locking lids to keep smaller ones safe.

Consider putting a tarp under the tub and make sure to have more towels than you think you will need!

Best,

Mason, midwife

Megan - posted on 05/25/2010

Congratulations! I know you'll love being at home. 3 of my 4 were born at home. My second was a water birth, and it was infinitely better than a hospital birth, but not perfect. There were two drawbacks to the water - I couldn't get in the perfect position for me, and my husband didn't like being in the water with me. Of course, he was a sweetie, and did it any way with a smile, but I could tell he didn't like being in "the soup with all it's ingredients" as he so cutely put it. Since he was tense, I felt a little tense, so I didn't do a water birth again. That said, the warm water sure feels nice when you're contracting! It was totally awesome when baby's head was poking out under water and we had to wait for the next contraction. It was like a dream, kind of a spooky one :)

Rachel - posted on 05/22/2010

Thanks Jenny! :D

Jenny - posted on 05/20/2010

I think it's awesome that you're planning a waterbirth at home. My first baby was a water birth at home. It was so amazing. We had a blow up kiddie pool that we put in our bedroom upstairs. We had a special attachment that attached to our ensuite bathroom sink so we could directly add more hot water as needed. My labour was pretty quick (4 hours), but I was in the pool for the worst of it (the last hour). I found the water really helped with the pain. I was naked, but I had planned on wearing a sports bra. Honestly, by the time you're in the throws of labour you really don't care what you are or aren't wearing and who's even watching. You're so focused on what you're doing, you're kind of in your own world. I had a sun dress on before I got in the pool, so that the midwives could check me, but I still had some coverage. I was planning to put on a sports bra before I got in the water, but by then I just didn't care. Believe me, no one cares what you're wearing!
I snacked on toast and juice and definitely water. I also had a fan on me because the water made me flushed at times (it was a very hot July day).

With my second birth we actually got one of the proper birth tubs, with an "aqua doula" that keeps the water warm and circulates it. We had done a trial run to see how long it would take to fill (17min), but we never got to use it. My labour was so quick we didn't even get an inch of water in it before baby was born. I have to say I actually preferred my second birth experience, but I think that was because of the ease and speed of it, not because of the lack of water. If we have a third we will still get the tub and try to have another water birth.

I can't say enough about how wonderful home births can be. Being in your own home, surrounded by only the people you want (okay I ended up with EMT's because the midwives didn't arrive in time, but that was kind of funny anyway). Especially the second time, when I knew what to expect and knew that my body could do it, I felt so empowered, so in control. Such an awesome experience. I'm actually looking forward to doing it again (how many women can say that about labour!). I wish you all the best and I hope you have as great an experience.