Water Birth

MaryBunnyy · December 2013

What are y'all's thoughts on it? I'm a first time mom, really want to do water birth, I'd love to hear y'all's experiences.

headgear03 · December 2013

I have had three . They are awesome . The water helped take the edge off the pain for me and helpes me to relax in between contractions . I know many moms who have had water births and not one has regretted it .

iris427 · December 2013

My second was a water birth and I'm planning another one this time around. The warm water really helps take the edge of the contractions, and the buoyancy of the water is helpful for upright or squatting positions while you push. And I think the warm water might help your perineum relax and therefore tear less. I basically spent my whole labor with #2 in the shower or the tub and it really helped me cope without an epidural.

barnwife · December 2013

I have had 3 wonderful HB. Only one (LO2) was a waterbirth. With LO1, I wanted nothing to do with a shower or water. It sounded like torture.

With A., I couldn't wait to get into the water. And once I did, I didn't want to leave. So even though I hadn't planned on birthing in the water (only laboring there if I wanted), A. ended up being a waterbirth.

And with S., well, there wasn't time to get the birth tub ready. So while I planned on using the tub for laboring or even delivery again, by the time things got serious enough for me to want it, I was a handful of contractions away from holding him.

I definitely recommend doing what works for you while in labor. If laboring/delivering there sounds good, go for it! But it's also okay to not do so even if you plan on it ahead of time.

alliejoe · December 2013

I felt way too "floaty" in the tub, but spent pretty much my whole labor in the shower on a birth ball.

sschwege · December 2013

My hospital does not do water births, only lets you labor in a tub. But the water was a huge help to me, so much so that I chose to 'labor down' for 1.5+ hours with my first. I was just too comfortable to get out and push. So yeah, I would have loved to have a water birth!

rooftop · December 2013

I loved my water birth! It was so much easier to get into a comfortable position for pushing and really helped to relax between contrax

MaryBunnyy · December 2013

Thanks to everyone! I really want to try it. I'm not planning on having any pain medicine either so wish me luck!

KrisM86 · December 2013

My son was born in the water. I actually didn't intend that, but his labor progressed very quickly and while I was laboring in the tub I knew I needed to push and I obviously wasn't getting out at that point! It was amazing. He was out in 2 pushes, and I really think the water helped me not to tear. I'd recommend it for sure!

ElTrain5 · January 2014

Silly question...doesn't the water get cold? Is there some sort of heating element in most birth tubs to keep it warm?

wintersong · January 2014

Don't they just keep heating and adding warm water?

J&Jaggies06 · January 2014

Yes, they will drain some and refill with warm water to keep it at the right temp.

The only thing was I had trouble finding a comfortable position in the tub. I liked the feel of the water so I did stay in but was constantly moving trying to get more comfortable.

Vanellope · January 2014

I originally wasn't planning a water birth but now I'm so excited too!

mrsblueeyes · January 2014

The hospital I was at didn't let you deliver in the tub, but it was nice to labor in and I actually started pushing while I was in the tub. If the nurse wasn't yelling at me to get out I would have delivered in the tub. The water took the edge off the contractions for me, but it didn't feel as wonderful as I thought it would.

L0L0 · January 2014

Just had my second water birth on Friday/Saturday! I find birth extremely painful, but I would say being in the shower cuts the pain by about a third, and being in the tub by about half. I really didn't like my nurse this time, mostly because she believed there was a rule that you have to be dilated to an 8 before they will set up the tub. The midwife finally showed up and corrected her. This time my midwife and doula were shocked when I pretty much skipped transition and switched right into pushing because I guess I seemed calm and quiet in the tub, and so they had no idea how quickly and fully I had been progressing. 5.5 hours of active labor, including 8 min of pushing. My first birth was 11 hours, including almost 2 of pushing. I didn't tear at all either time, which I credit to the water. My new baby was almost 2 weeks late and 9lbs 4 oz! I must say the freakiest moment was when his whole head was out, underwater, and I felt like he should be breathing. Also after he was out and on my chest I tried to hand him to DH forgetting that we were still connected by the cord. Getting in the water did space out my contractions a bit, but I think it shortened labor anyway because I could stand to be in the squat position, which I couldn't bear either on the bed or in the shower. Birth is so insanely intense!! Sorry for this jumbled collection of thoughts, hopefully some of it may be of interest.

RedPeppah · January 2014

I love hearing about these experiences, but I won't be having a water-birth, but maybe laboring in the shower/tub, we'll see.

emmyfreeman27 · January 2014

Ha! My first birth was a water birth

MW arrived with about an hour left to go and when she got there, I asked if it was too early to get in the water (I didn't want contractions to stop). She listened to me through one contraction and said it would definitely help and certainly wouldn't stop, as I was pretty far along.

So I asked my husband to start filling up our bathtub and add some body oil, since it smells good and helps me relax, and I felt I was nowhere near having baby yet. He dumped a LOT of oil in the tub, but I just laughed and got out of bed and made my way to the tub.

OOOPS. Urge to push right beside the tub. OHMYGOSH. I thought I was having the worlds largest, most intense poop coming out of me and I nearly fell on the ground, while DH was trying to hold me up. I panicked, because I had NO IDEA I was ready to push. I hadn't let my MW check me, because I was afraid I'd be really discouraged by her answer.

DH managed to get me into the tub (ahhhhhh, it felt great), and MW said, "Can you just raise one leg up for me?" ...."Okay, you are definitely ready to push." hahah

Too late to let all the water out and add new clean (oil-free) water... I was slipping and sliding all around that tub! Hahah! I still laugh at the thought of it. Also, our dog came in once when he heard me pushing, shook himself, and dog fur was EVERYWHERE. I was sticky with bathwater and oil, and all the fur was just floating around on the top of the water, and on me. DH told me later, "I was trying to hard to be serious, but gosh, you were COVERED in dog hair."

But. Overall, it was a WONDERFUL experience. I didn't get in until I was ready to push, but it definitely felt great.

GerardSyreeta · January 2014

emmyfreeman27 What an awesome story!! LOL I am planning on a water birth at a birthing center. I hope it helps and I don't completely change my mind once I get in there.

jeirin8 · January 2014

I had a water birth with my daughter and it started out amazing. It felt great and eased the pain but by the time it was time to push I couldn't get out of the tub it was so painful! She came down and literally got sucked up the birth canal 3 times until her 9 lb butt came out. I would really like to go natural this time and I know it's probably unlikely for another monster baby to come out of me lol but still scared. Can't stand those epidurals though they didn't work for half my kids- this is pregnancy 6!

vintagejjane · January 2014

My water birth was amazing. The one thing we didn't plan for was a 2 day labor and we kept having to pour hot water in the pool over the course of those 2 days. Other than that, it was amazing and if we are blessed with anymore children, I'll have one again!

Verstej2 · January 2014

I never had a water birth although I did labour in the water for both my DD and DS. DD was a hospital birth and they don't allow water births there. But they did let me labour in the tub. Even after both I am not sure I loved it all that much but I get so into myself I really don't pay any attention to anything around me at all. I normally love baths so I thought I would find it relaxing but I think I have just been so far along and so concentrated on my body doing it's thing I never really noticed the difference. To be honest I never noticed anything going on around me, didn't care what position I was in or feel anything other than the pressure waves. If anything with my first the water intensified the contractions but that was fine with me since I assumed they should be intense.

With my second I had a HB and we set the tub up in my dining room. The tub was filled with hot water for almost a week and a half before he was born. We filled it once and never did anything more to it except kept it covered and monitored the temperature. It didn't come with a heater or anything but the midwife had to cool it significantly before I could get in. My DS came so fast (65 minutes from first contraction to holding him) that although I got in the water I really can't tell you if it helped or even if I liked it. He arrived before the second midwife could arrive (they require two midwives at the pushing stage if you want a water birth) so I had to get out, which I was actually fine with anyway.

I am planning another HB for this baby in June and we will be getting the tub again and I will probably labour in it. I figure at the very least it helps with positioning since I generally squat or kneel in the tub and that can only help things move along.

I would recommend at least trying the water if it is at all possible. You never know, person to person, or pregnancy to pregnancy what will work best for you or what you will want or like. It may be super helpful and most women find it relaxing. Worst case you don't like it you can get out and try other things but if you don't have the option to try it you may be missing a useful tool!

1stComesLove421 · January 2014

This is my first pregnancy and I'm planning to have an at home water birth, I'm so excited! One of my good friends had one and had such a wonderful experience

1stComesLove421 · February 2014

I'm planning an at home water birth. One of my friends did one and said it's very relaxing. This is our first baby, so I'm not sure how I'll like it or not. But I do look forward to it!

Water Birth

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