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February 2015 Moms
aybo
member
Home Birth
aybo
member
Has anyone done a water birth? Tips, do's and don't please! I'm considering it!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Home Birth
IVF FET - BFP, due April 2017
Waterbirth Class Key Points
Check out waterbirth international for good information. Their FAQ section is helpful.
Get in the water now. Start using water before labor as a means for relaxation or exercise.
Stay hydrated and take in calories (my hospital makes everyone NPO (nothing to eat) but they still recommend protein shakes and juice along with water hydration (plus most nurses at my hospital will look the other way if you are low risk and want to eat small snacks in labor, just totally depends on your nurse though).
As long as you're in the water you'll more than likely be required to have your nurse or midwife/OB in the room. Most facilities won't leave you alone.
If you have a sweat stash then the water is too warm. Labor actually progresses better when temp is 96/97 F vs pushing it up to the hotter acceptable range of 98/99 F
They don't have to use the bulb syringe to get goop out of baby's mouth. They've found that baby's clear that junk way more efficiently on their own.
Don't panic if baby doesn't cry after waterbirth, very common for them to be silent the first few moments.
Baby doesn't need an immediate blanket/hat because they were born into warm water vs an air conditioned room.
****IF you decide to get an epidural wait at least 1 hour after getting out of the water. Women commonly have their blood pressure drop when they get out of warm water. Add that to a drop in blood pressure from an epidural or IV pain med and you increase your risk for a c-section. Additive pressure drop from meds an temp change results in baby not tolerating labor as well. One step at a time.
Have cool rags for forehead or spray bottle to mist your face or back, nice distraction sometimes
Don't worry about pooping in the water (aka poop soup as my H referred to it in class....) since naturally started (vs induced) rarely have a bowel movement during pushing
Incorrect info that is commonly shared regarding waterbirth and water labor:
1. there really isn't a too soon in terms of getting into the water once admitted to the hospital. If your labor stops then you probably weren't in labor to begin with. The hospital hasn't ever seen (in the 12 years they've offered waterbirth) a well established labor stop, they've seen things slow a little but position changes usually help. Then again, you aren't admitted usually until at least 4-5 cm so anything earlier may respond differently.
2. The temp is not what results in baby taking vs not taking their first breath. It's the pressure of the water. Once their face is exposed to a lower pressure (ie air) their chest expands and they try to breath which is why shoulder dystopia potentially happens more often in out of water births - bc they expand their chest to breath while their torso is still in your vag.
3. Providers need to be hands off and allow baby to rotate after the head is out. Do not push baby out quickly, you still can tear but chances are less likely after being in water.
Team Purple!!!!
IVF FET - BFP, due April 2017
F15 Siggy Challenge: What You're Looking Forward to Most After Baby Arrives: BELLY SLEEPING!
I considered doing home birth, but my apartment walls are so thin it makes me self-conscious just thinking about it. I purposely nixed the idea of a water birth at home early on because I didn't want to risk flooding the apartment below me. (The lady above me used to have a large aquarium. When it leaked it resulted in a bunch of ruined dry wall and an electrical fire inside of my wall. Yikes!) My advice would be, if you are in an apartment, be sure to talk to your community manager to make sure you aren't breaking any rules, because it you are you are liable for damages!!
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But I agree that if you are going to be in a hospital over a home birth fin case of emergencies, which is what it comes down to for many women, why would you choose one without a NICU? That seems counter intuitive.
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I came across a website called hurt by home birth - the title says it all. These stories while very sad and tragic did not sway me against home birth. I only read a few but it seemed to me that the issues were a result of the actions of the midwife/nurse, people who came highly recommended and were trusted. If you are considering home birth it may be good to read some of these stories, not to sway you against it, but so you can gain some additional information and the signs to look for when things aren't going right. Like with any medical issues we need to be able to advocate for ourselves and not just blindly trust those in charge.
In the state of Nebraska it is a felony for a midwife to deliver a baby at home. I wish I could have a home delivery!
CNMs, midwives who are also registered nurses, can legally practice in all states. CPMs are licensed to practice in only 28 states. CPMs are trained to practice in home births, but some CNMs do as well. Regular direct entry midwives, CMs, are only legally licensed in 3 states. If a woman is not a CNM in those states, even if home birth is legal, she can still get into booku (sp?) trouble for attending births as a medical professional.
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