Home Birth Question

aanchor · February 2013

DH and I have decided on a home birth this time but I can't decide if I want to do it in the water or not. I have heard that the warm water can be "nature's epidural" which is very alluring to me but it seems like it would be a pain in the a$$ to set-up during labour (not that I would be doing it). What are the other home birthing ladies doing and why? Also, side question: Do you have to purchase your own pool?

caymarks · February 2013

I've never had a home birth, but I know several people use their bathtubs just to labor in and then get out in time to deliver. In our area I know you can rent a tub or just buy them.

I've even seen a few people buying a blow up pool (make sure its sturdy) and using it. If you are planning on having a MW I would just ask her what her opinion is on the best option or what she might feel the most comfortable working with.

ETA: Don't google birthing tubs. I just saw a family of 5 (including newly born baby) sitting in a tub of water post baby delivery. I will not get any more descriptive!

aanchor · February 2013

caymarks:

I've never had a home birth, but I know several people use their bathtubs just to labor in and then get out in time to deliver. In our area I know you can rent a tub or just buy them.

I've even seen a few people buying a blow up pool (make sure its sturdy) and using it. If you are planning on having a MW I would just ask her what her opinion is on the best option or what she might feel the most comfortable working with.

ETA: Don't google birthing tubs. I just saw a family of 5 (including newly born baby) sitting in a tub of water post baby delivery. I will not get any more descriptive!

Haha! Good to know, I will stay away from google.

My MW has just said that some women prefer water and some don't , so basically just leaving it up to me. I forgot to ask her about the tub but maybe they have something we can rent. Thanks for the info.

botanicalbliss · February 2013

I'm not having a home birth with this one, but I want to in the future. I have no real advice, but I'm excited for you!!!

bethanyharvel · February 2013

I had a homebirth with my first and am planning on another home birth with this baby. My midwife gave me the option to rent the one she owned or to buy one myself. We opted to just buy one, the one we bought looks like a kiddie pool with fish on it. It is deeper then a normal kiddie pool and it was less then $100. I thought I would deliver in the pool, however I mainly labored in the water. It was a nice place to labor but in the moment you are going to just go with whatever feels best. But I am glad I had it available to use

aanchor · February 2013

bethanyharvel:
I had a homebirth with my first and am planning on another home birth with this baby. My midwife gave me the option to rent the one she owned or to buy one myself. We opted to just buy one, the one we bought looks like a kiddie pool with fish on it. It is deeper then a normal kiddie pool and it was less then $100. I thought I would deliver in the pool, however I mainly labored in the water. It was a nice place to labor but in the moment you are going to just go with whatever feels best. But I am glad I had it available to use

How did you keep it warm? I assume someone had to keep bringing in buckets of hot water?

SandiaPinaMama · February 2013

My friend rented one. Trying fill it with warm water prevented her husband from being with her during labor, and it never did get warm enough to use. Her DD was born while she laid on a birth ball.

ruth*ann · February 2013

I'm delivering at a birth center with deep tubs. On the tour, the midwife said that some months, as many as 90% of women labor in the tub and 50% of the births are water births.

That made me pretty sure that I at least wanted the option to labor/deliver in the tub.

Good luck with your home birth!

OldGlory · February 2013

Here's my understanding of a Home Water Birth (from my MW).

The tub is inflated (or the garden tub is prepped) towards the end of labor.

The tub is filled with water only deep enough for you to sit in it and it be about waist high.

The mom is usually only in the water 2-3 hours during the end of labor/transition.

DH/ Doula/ or MW will blow up the tub and fill it with water at the proper temperature.

(The following is my opinion, not based on experience or researched fact)

I'm hoping to do it b/c with the pictures I've seen, both mom and baby look more at ease. The water could help make the perineum softer and help lessen tearing. Keeps the 'mess' a bit more contained. (IMO) Baby is not shocked from being in warm environment to cold air, but born into something more similar to being familiar.

OldGlory · February 2013

aanchor:

How did you keep it warm? I assume someone had to keep bringing in buckets of hot water?

My MW said that at the start of labor, turn the Water Heater on high, then you're using just the hot tap water. If while in the tub, it begins to cool, you can fill a bucket with some of the cooler water and dump it and add more hot water to bring it up to temperature. Additionally, you can use a waterbed water heater under the pool (and with proper covering so it doesn't melt the pool) to keep the water a steady temp.

aanchor · February 2013

OldGlory:
aanchor:

How did you keep it warm? I assume someone had to keep bringing in buckets of hot water?

My MW said that at the start of labor, turn the Water Heater on high, then you're using just the hot tap water. If while in the tub, it begins to cool, you can fill a bucket with some of the cooler water and dump it and add more hot water to bring it up to temperature. Additionally, you can use a waterbed water heater under the pool (and with proper covering so it doesn't melt the pool) to keep the water a steady temp.

This is a brilliant idea and we happen to have one! Thanks for all of the info, I really appreciate it.

starshineamator · February 2013

I'm planning a homebirth and my midwife has them that you can rent from her and she will bring and deal with all the set-up and clean-up. She said many people love it, but others end up not wanting to use it and feeling pressured because it is there and they've paid for it. I've been thinking about it this whole pregnancy and I've decided that I do want to have one there- I love being in the water anyways, and it seems so calm and peaceful. The best birthing videos I've watched are the water births.

christamarie713 · February 2013

We've decided on a home birth as well. My midwife brings a birthing stool, a pool and a few other things with her and then as you're going you can choose what's comfortable for you. I don't plan on using the pool, but she said it's always good to have the option. & as far as set up and things hers is super simple to set up and she always brings two assistants to every birth so they can get it up and filled in about 15 minutes they said while I'm in bed or whatever I'd like to be doing. But certainly talk to your midwife about it and what to expect.

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