Talk to me about water birth

KMEss86

My son was born drug free in a hospital bed. This time, I have switched midwives and hospitals to be at a hospital that provides water birth option. I am interested in it, but not 100% sure if I want to do it. 

I have heard conflicting things. My midwife is all for the water birth. And I am pretty sure I want to labor in the tub, but I have heard other midwives/ friends say that actually giving birth in the tub is not recommended. Can anyone share experiences/ information?

The thing that I keep worrying about, and I know this is probably silly, is that what if the time between when the baby's head is out, and the rest of the body is out is too long... could the baby get water in the lungs/ drown?

Thanks for anything you have to share.  

headgear03

I have had three water births and highly recommend them. Don't worry about the baby there coming from one water environment to another . They will not take there first breath till they come up out of the water its natures safety feature . As long as you don't cut their cord while their under water there fine . I love the tub during labor its so relaxing and helps take the edge of the contractions . As far as the birth goes in the water I for one would not be able to move and get out of the tub once I was ready to push . Water births are amazing don't worry about the baby drowning you have to remember there already swimming around in amniotic fluid with no air all there oxygen comes from the placenta so they will be fine in the time there heads out to the time the rest of the body follows .

[Deleted User]

Did they say why delivering in the tub is not recommended?

My water birth was in a hospital, and they had no problem with it at all.

crogers19

overture:

Did they say why delivering in the tub is not recommended?My water birth was in a hospital, and they had no problem with it at all.

my midwife is all for labouring in water but the hospital will not let stay in there once your water has broken. For them it's a liability thing, even though they clean it between patients you are at a greater risk of infection once your water has broken.

Mrs.AmyDylan

We had a water birth. It was fantastic! The water is soothing and really provided a distraction from the pain. 

In my Bradley class our instructor told us about a water birth where the midwife was delayed and the baby was stuck head out, underwater for 15m. Baby was completely fine because baby went from water to water and was still connected by the cord. Baby cannot go from air into water. 

 I highly recommend a water birth. I will do it again for subsequent births.  

A37licia

I still remember first seeing the below video of a water birth, which showed me how a baby can go from womb water to tub water and not take a breath until their head is above water. It's no different for them until they hit air. I think this illustrates it beautifully. Probably NSFW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkKcLGycwQU&playnext=1&list=PLAAC018CF2A1A8DB2&feature=results_main

emilykathleen511

I also had a water birth. Like pp said, water birth is safe because baby doesn't breathe until they reach the air. OBs often don't allow you to deliver because they can't catch the baby that way or just because they don't know much about it.

Smartie26

Mrs.AmyDylan:

We had a water birth. It was fantastic! The water is soothing and really provided a distraction from the pain.nbsp;In my Bradley class our instructor told us about a water birth where the midwife was delayed and the baby was stuck head out, underwater for 15m. Baby was completely fine because baby went from water to water and was still connected by the cord. Baby cannot go from air into water.nbsp;nbsp;I highly recommend a water birth. I will do it again for subsequent births.nbsp;nbsp;

I second all of this! I gave birth to my first baby 6 days ago and had an unmedicated home water birth and I cannot recommended spending active labour and delivering your baby in a birth pool. It was such an amazing, impowering, incredible experience. I will definitely be birthing tgis way witg every subsequent birth for all of our future babies.

Smartie26

Mrs.AmyDylan:

We had a water birth. It was fantastic! The water is soothing and really provided a distraction from the pain.nbsp;In my Bradley class our instructor told us about a water birth where the midwife was delayed and the baby was stuck head out, underwater for 15m. Baby was completely fine because baby went from water to water and was still connected by the cord. Baby cannot go from air into water.nbsp;nbsp;I highly recommend a water birth. I will do it again for subsequent births.nbsp;nbsp;

I second all of this! I gave birth to my first baby 6 days ago and had an unmedicated home water birth and I cannot recommended spending active labour and delivering your baby in a birth pool. It was such an amazing, impowering, incredible experience. I would not change a thing for any subsequent birth of any future babies