Water birth?

Julie - posted on 01/23/2010

My first birth I had an epidural and it ended with an episiotomy and ventouse delivery. I was determined I didnt want that again so planned a home water birth. I spent most of my labour in the pool and it really helped take the edge off. I also had gas and air and the mw monitored the baby with a waterproof electronic doppler. When I was in transition i got impatient and asked for my waters broke. I lived to regret that as there was meconium in my waters so they wouldnt let me back in the pool. I ended up pushing for 2 hours and it was so intense without the benefit of the water.He was eventually born on my settee. Im pregnant again and this time I intend to birth in the pool.

Amy - posted on 01/22/2010

April, the same thing happened to me, I went for my regular apt, and they noticed i was having contractions, no pain mind you. I was admitted and had no idea why becuase i could feel him moving and was not in ANY pain, The doctors pited me, and made me stay in the bed. I wanted a natural birth and i kept arguing with them, but i was just some dumb 20 year old girl what did i know this was the attitude they had....I reached 6cm over 19 hours of their rush to get me in labor. Everything went wrong babys heart rate fell due to the stress the "doc's" induced, my blood preasure went south, and I kept asking for them to stop, but all the sudden i was in distress, and they had to "do what was best" So 20 hours of horrible pain, and being put down for not wanting to do it their way I was rushed to the OR for a c- section....With my 2nd baby i wanted a v-bac, i went into labor my husband and i went in, and becuase of my prior c-section the on call staff told me if i wanted to stay they would have to call in an or team to stand by, and the nurse we saw told me that i was not in labor to come back when i was in pain..i have a very high tolerance, We got a call from our doc on Monday asking to come in she had seen our chart and wanted to make sure everything was ok, I was 42 weeks, well it turned out i was in labor my water had been leaking slowly, and there was no fluid in the womb when our Dr did an ultra sound, they could hardly get a reading on her, so off to the OR we went again.... I was denied a natural labor after that and had to go through 2 more c-sections with my last 2 boys. If i could give one bit of advice to moms it would be dont let them "help", babies will be born, and all the drugs they have to shorten labors to fit into neat little time slots should be thrown out, We are meant to feel the pain, to recieve the joy that is the little one we worked so hard to bring into the world, All the pain is worth that.

Elle - posted on 01/22/2010

Some hospitals/ birth centers have tele monitors that can go in the water. Not too many places have them but it doesnt hurt to ask.

April - posted on 01/22/2010

follow your heart. my experience was very similar to lisa moreau's first, only I ended up having a c-section because I never dialated past 1 CM. It is also important to note that my due date was still a week away and there was no reason to induce!!



Hell will freeze over before I deliver in a hospital with doctors ever again. I am planning to have a water birth and I dream of an experience like Lisa's second. That was what i wanted with my son, but my doctor told me it was dirty and gross.



When my son was born, i was on so much medication that I didnt feel like i just met the best thing that ever happened to me. NEVER NEVER again is someone going to steal my moment from me again!!

Erin - posted on 01/22/2010

I started out in the water, but my son got stuck and so I was prepped for a c-section with the epidural and everything, but he ended up being delivered with a vacuum instead. You can't have pain meds in the water, so it is painful, but you can move around and find a more comfy position during contractions. Between contractions I would float up so my belly was out of the water and the nurse would monitor the baby then. I wish I could have delivered him in the water, because I was more comfortable pushing there than in the bed even with the epidural. Everyone's different, but if you want to try a water birth, I would. You can always get out of the water if it isn't working for you.

Minnie - posted on 01/22/2010

I had a birth with a lot of interventions with my first. Induced with cytotec, had an IV with nubain, an epidural, a belly monitor, etc. Laboring and pushing on your back is horrible. I felt like I had no control over my body, over my birth, and the drugs prevented that wonderful rush of love hormones, so that when I pushed my daughter out, I was completely apathetic. We had a hard time bonding. Breastfeeding was successful, but I never enjoyed it.



I vowed never to do that again. I had a home water birth with my second. I labored in the tub, and pushed her out and lifted her to the air myself. My midwife just stood back and observed. She checked the baby's heartbeat once or twice during my four hour labor, and not while pushing (I pushed only for four minutes). I brought my daughter up to my chest and nursed her right away. I loved this birth so much! We got in bed afterwards and just cuddled and nursed for a couple of hours before she was checked over by my midwife. The rush of hormones results in the most crazy high ever. My ability to bond with my second daughter was so much easier. I was in control of my labor and birth, no strangers were around me, I could move, no one touched me, and neither of us were drugged. I am thoroughly enjoying nursing my 15 month old, and plan to let her self-wean.



The pain really isn't all that bad. Being in a cozy comfortable relaxing setting helps a ton. And water is considered the next best pain reliever to an epidural. This seriously was the best day of my life.

Amy - posted on 01/22/2010

I recently watched a great film Business of being born, check it out, its a really great film all about having babies, and has great info! check it out, i think you'll gleen alot of info from it. http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

Hannah - posted on 01/22/2010

Sorry no personal experince to offer, but I have heard that with water births the only pain relief you can have is gas and air, epidurals are not an option.

Although as you know from your first labour, you can plan things, but sometimes the baby has other ideas! My second had to be induced, luckily no need for an emergency c section, but it was so quick I managed on just gas and air and she was born too quickly for me to even ask for an epidural. So good luck, I hope you get to have the water birth if that's what you decide to go for.