Water Birth question updated

lindslalala · April 2014

A little background on me. I'm pregnant with my 2nd. DS was born med free at the hospital. I labored the entire time in the tub, but had to get out to push due to hospital policy/liability/etc. My water had broke, and was greenish in color and they still allowed me to labor in the tub.

Flash forward to now, and we are planning to have this baby at my MW's birth center (she is no longer delivering babies at the hospital, birth center only). In doing some internet research I came across a few sites which said if meconium is in the amniotic fluid then laboring in the water/water births/non hospital births aren't recommended. I'm confused, since the hospital had no problem with it 2years ago...have recommendations changed? I really want to have a water birth and would be crushed to not have my MW deliver my baby if we had to transfer to the hospital. Obviously there's no way of knowing if my water will break this time or if meconium will be present, I'm just trying to prepare myself for the possibility. I have an appointment with my MW next week and will obviously talk about this then, but I was hoping you ladies had some experiences or information on the topic.

Thanks!

UPDATE: I spoke with my MW and she said it all depends on the appearance of the meconium. Thinned out and greenish she would still be fine with an out of hospital water birth. Darker color and chunkier texture would require a hospital birth since it may indicate the baby is in distress.

rooftop · April 2014

I don't understand what difference the presence of meconium would make on a waterbirth. The baby doesn't begin breathing until after they surface so there isn't any increased risk of inhaling it. The water would help to wash some off the face as the baby emerged and would only be inhaled if the baby is "double dipped" meaning brought above water and dunked again which they are very careful about since it would be bad whether or not there was meconium. When I gave birth (in the water) the entire tub turned green when baby came out with mec in the amniotic fluid. She had pooped during crowning so it had been clear until then but I don't think that would have made much of a difference.

barnwife · April 2014

A lady on another board here just had a baby. She was planning a home waterbirth. but had to transfer after her water broke and it was green/brown. It left me wondering why that was so.

I have had 3 HB. Thankfully this wasn't an issue for me.

I do know that my MW does/has HB even with meconium staining the water. So it never occurred to me that other MW might not.

Sorry that I can't really be of help...here's to hoping this isn't as issue for you at all!

headgear03 · April 2014

there was maconium present in both my first and fourth births . the first was a water birth at a free standing birth center , the fourth at the hospital on the bed. Both times all they did was moniter my kids to make sure they didnt inhale it . My midwife doesnt change her procedures either way since the babies generally dont take their first breath till they come out of the water and even if they did inhale it babies. ( at least all of mine) spend the first day or so coughing up the gunk that has lined their throats . In hospitals they generally suction thr baies right away but in our birth ceneter my midwife allows the babies to cough it up on there own.

jenn43 · April 2014

Hospital policies often have little or nothing to do with actual recommendations, so I would just find out what your specific hospital's policy is. Good luck!