Water births anyone?

Suzanneymarie · October 2014

I'm considering a water birth. I haven't talked to my doctor yet, but it's something I'm interested in. Has anyone experienced this or considering this? :-?
I've watched water birth videos and every new mom seems so calm.

fatcat11188 · October 2014

I am not considering it, as the hospital I am delivering at does not do them, however they have a large tub you can LABOR in. Its a small possibility I will use it but its nice to have the option. Only downfall I see is that you can not have an epidural in it. I am going for the epidural!

BabiesEverywhere · October 2014

I was on the fence on having a water birth up until the moment we got to the birth center. My midwife asked if I wanted to try getting in the tub to ease contractions, and I said, "sure, why not." Well, once I got in there was no getting me out. So water birth, it was

I thought it was great & plan on doing it again with this baby if possible.

mrsmopar67 · October 2014

I preferred labor ing in the water with both of mine. I had an epi for the last hour with #1 & none for #2 and I won't do an epi again. I slept in the water through transition in a tub with #2.

Everybody is different though. Works great for some, not so much for others.

kitc101 · October 2014

I live in Iowa and waterbirths are actually illegal. The hospitals have large tubs you can labor in, but I've been told they won't let you in them if you're really close to delivering... juuuust in case.

Best of luck to you!

catlover790 · October 2014

I think I would like to do one if I can, but I'm not sure yet how to go about looking into it. The hospitals have the tubs you can labor in, but I'm not sure if you can give birth in them or not. I have to ask at my next appointment (I'm going to a new doctor).

For me, it's so hard to know what doctor to choose when I've never met them before, and what hospital when I've never done this before! Also, idk if I should change things to try to have a water birth/ look into s birth center and then later find out i need to be in a hospital. It's so hard to know!

OneLastRefrain · October 2014

I would do one in a heartbeat if the hospital I'm delivering in had one. I'm actually really disappointed I don't have that option. I've watched a lot of videos and it seems so much more comfortable than strapped to a bed.

MitoRachel · October 2014

Water birth is my first choice, but we shall see. With my 1st water sounded terrible (and I always love water) and with my 2nd everything went so fast there wouldn't have been time to set up the pool had that been my plan.

catlover790 · October 2014

@Audrey1787‌ Thanks for the info! There is a midwife group associated with one of the hospitals here, so maybe I will call them and ask. I think for me it's just tough to know what will work/what I'll want when it's later in the pregnancy. I will have to get going on my research and everything!

yanaortiz · October 2014

I've had 4 kiddos, my first in the hospital, my last 3 I did homebirths, I labored in the water with my second but ended up not liking it, I gave birth to my 4th in the water and it was amazing, I'm now prego with number 5 and I will have the birthing tub just in case. All my births have been so different. That's the beauty of birth, they are all so special I'm every way. It would be nice for you to have the option just in case. Good luck to you and congrats

joanakunzler · October 2014

One of my best friend had a water birth and it was amazing! But she was in labor for 4hrs only (only? This sounds so long for me). I try not to think about the birth, fx until then they invent a new way to bring baby to the world. (C section doesn't count I am so afraid of it too).

doysauze · October 2014

Im definitely having a waterbirth i seriously cant wait for it. Im actually als goig with a midwife in a birthing center. I think its definitely aomething to consider once you read the research. Im a researcher for a living, and the information ive found out on my own by reading studies has been completely eye opening. Facts that made me realize a hospital birth wasnt for me:

The US has a much higher infant and mortality rate than almost every other developed country across the globe. Just google it youll see. 98% of women give birth in hospitals here.

Epidurals slow labor waaaay down and so usually you must be given synthetic hormones to get it goig (most common being pitocin) again but that makes contractions much more intense than they naturally occur so you end up needing a c section bc baby is in distress. C section rates in hospital birth have been around 30% for last couple years. Natural birth is around 2%.

Natural birth almost never requires an episiotomy (cutting perenium) . Hospitals many times do it without knowing first if youll need it and many times bc baby comes fast and hard bc of synthetic hormones. Natural birth recovery time and pain is significantly less than hospital birth.

Success in breastfeeding btwn mama and baby are at 98% in natural birth. They are significantly lower in hospital birh. ( dont have thatstatistic in front of me but googlw google google!)

Your brain actually creates natural hormones that work as anasthesia during labor- however these are interrupted if the mother is fearful or anxious, drugged(epidural), ashamed (think male doctors that dont bond with you in the way a midwife does poking around your wide open vagina with metal instruments)

Hospital birth costs around 18k on average double if you need a c section. Natural birth at home or at birthing center is around 3-5k

There is so so so much more than what ive written here. I support women in whatever choice they make, but i couldnt not tell you what i learned; being educated changed everything about my choice and i couldnt believe things that i just assumed were safe sometimes were the opposite. My top choice for a book is Ina Mays guide to childbirth. Shes one of the oldest and most respected midwives in the world. She even has a maneuver named after her to solve shoulder dystocia during birth(that doesnt hurt and requires no c Section!) her success rates with safe births, successful latching to brestfeed and pain free natural birth really speak for themselves. I hope this helped in some small way, and congrats and good luck in whatever decision you make.

Mushibamboo · October 2014

I want to do it! Never saw it with twins, though. I had a tub with my daughter but I didn't get in and I regret it.

crazychickenlady · October 2014

Planning a home water birth

Mel&John2013 · October 2014

Before my son's birth I had thought id be interested in a water birth. Then while I was laboring with him, after my water broke, he got distressed and his heart rate started dropping drastically with every contraction. I didn't have any induction drugs, was progressing nicely on my own, then ended up with an emergency c-section.
Is there a way to monitor baby while in a tub, in case something like that happens?

*edit to add I wouldn't have had the option to birth in tub at my hospital anyway, but could have labored there.

Anicole14 · October 2014

I've been reading up on it. I just learned last week that due to a spinal condition that I have, I cannot have an epidural. My original birth plan was hospital, epidural ASAP. This is my first, I was scared before, but now after learning this, I'm terrified. I've heard laboring in water helps, I think I'm leaning towards it.

MaMa~MoOrE · October 2014

Had a waterbirth with my DD at a birth center. I used Hypnobirthing and will be doing the same this time around as well. It was a much better experience all around than my hospital birth with DS (which was not bad either btw).

jmhansen11 · October 2014

Ok, maybe some of you who have done this before can help with my totally ridiculous fear of.... poop in the birthing tub! Also, basically any other bodily fluid leaking out of me and into the water. I love the idea of a relaxing, natural birth in water. But I am horribly grossed out about the idea of poo/fluids swimming around in the water with you (yes, I know you "scoop" anything icky out, but for me even a few seconds with yucky stuff in the water would make me want to drain the whole tub and start over.) What can ya'll tell me? Maybe it's just not the right choice for me??

miahbelle · October 2014

Nope, no water births for me. I can't do all that icky stuff in the water with me, plus I preferred being on the bed. I did labor some in the bath, but I had a hard time relaxing in it. I think it's hard to know what will work until you are actually in labor. I actually like laboring in a rocking chair more.

@doysauze‌
I know those are the official stats, but I labored naturally and had a 74hr labor( as confirmed by my midwife), I had an episiotomy, my baby went into distress (which is what required the episiotomy). I had nothing close to a pain free labor. And I didn't heal quickly either. Yes, the statistics say all of the things you said it does but I think people need to be aware, no matter how you plan your labor, things don't always go the way you plan.

lneice0160 · October 2014

More power to anyone who can do water births...I had to have a c-section and it was actually not bad and quick recovery, I loved it. I agree with a couple of PPs on the icky water, a spot of poo or blood and id have to have clean water, plus I have an insane fear of the few second of the baby coming out until out of the water and drowningor getting water into the lungs...irrational Im sure but I have water fears...and nothing ever goes the way I plan

MaMa~MoOrE · October 2014

jmhansen11 said:
Ok, maybe some of you who have done this before can help with my totally ridiculous fear of.... poop in the birthing tub! Also, basically any other bodily fluid leaking out of me and into the water. I love the idea of a relaxing, natural birth in water. But I am horribly grossed out about the idea of poo/fluids swimming around in the water with you (yes, I know you "scoop" anything icky out, but for me even a few seconds with yucky stuff in the water would make me want to drain the whole tub and start over.) What can ya'll tell me? Maybe it's just not the right choice for me??

This is hilarious because I was SOOO freaked out about this, I was even recorded while crowning asking about it :P
I did poo but they literally caught it with this fish net looking thing like they were waiting for it haha
So yeah, on the pro/con list this was definitely NOT that big of a deal and I will give no shits about it this time

taahira · October 2014

I had an amazing water birth, I would highly recommend it!

BigAppleBiggerBelly · October 2014

I thought I would love the birthing tub, but I found it incredibly uncomfortable, and my contractions felt far more amplified pain-wise in the water. I had back labor, and the only thing that helped was having someone pound on my lower back and shake my hips while I was on all fours, which we couldn't do in the tub.

I'm not saying water births are bad - I'm planning to try it again this time - just know that there's no possible way of knowing now what will feel right to you during labor.

doysauze · October 2014

I agree we cant control everything- im going with the opion in which i hve the best odds.

BabiesEverywhere · October 2014

jmhansen11 said:
Ok, maybe some of you who have done this before can help with my totally ridiculous fear of.... poop in the birthing tub! Also, basically any other bodily fluid leaking out of me and into the water. I love the idea of a relaxing, natural birth in water. But I am horribly grossed out about the idea of poo/fluids swimming around in the water with you (yes, I know you "scoop" anything icky out, but for me even a few seconds with yucky stuff in the water would make me want to drain the whole tub and start over.) What can ya'll tell me? Maybe it's just not the right choice for me??

Haha I was kind of grossed out by that before labor, too. But for me, I didn't care at all in the moment. I know not everyone is like that though. I have no idea if I pooped or not (I probably did, but I have no plans to ask anyone to confirm or deny). And honestly, looking back, I enjoyed getting to hold DD immediately without all of the birth goop on her. I know I would have been just as excited if she had been covered in blood but I get the heebie jeebies when I see pictures of other moms holding their babies immediately after birth and the babies haven't been washed off yet.

ETA tag - @jmhansen11‌

lneice0160 · October 2014

mbm1983 said:

lneice0160 said:
More power to anyone who can do water births...I had to have a c-section and it was actually not bad and quick recovery, I loved it. I agree with a couple of PPs on the icky water, a spot of poo or blood and id have to have clean water, plus I have an insane fear of the few second of the baby coming out until out of the water and drowningor getting water into the lungs...irrational Im sure but I have water fears...and nothing ever goes the way I plan
Plus if mom or baby is in distress obviously they rush her to a hospital to have the baby there. So those statistics are skewed a bit for my liking. But if you have a normal labor and nothing goes wrong, home water birth can be a great option. Good luck to all the mamas that go that route.

True, I'm to much of a what if-er to do anything but go to a hospital lol. Plus being on the rescue squad that would have to take me to the hospital if something went wrong I know it takes a bit to get there and I wouldn't even want to tempt having to ride in pain down our curvy back roads. i was lucky that i never went into labor though im sure that the water could ease the pain since swimming makes you feel like you dont have the pregnancy weight...best of luck to all that go water way!

MamaLZ · October 2014

Had an amazing birth center birth where I labored in the tub midway through labor (which was my most relaxed), then returned to the tub to push/deliver. Only had to push 45 minutes and really loved the experience. The water doesn't get cloudy until baby comes out and by that time, paid no attention to it. Midwives got me out fairly quickly to deliver placenta on a birth stool. My baby was bright eyed and alert as I pulled him to my chest from the water and we wrapped him in warm dry blankets. Seemed to be a positive experience for both of us

2nd time around envisioning another water birth if that feels like a good fit in labor. Would be great even if just to labor in a while.

rosemama116 · October 2014

I think it is a wonderful option for those choosing a med-free birth, whether you just labor in the water or actually deliver in the water. However, I am not a med-free birther so this is not an option for me.

Want a personalized experience?

Water births anyone?

Re: Water births anyone?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards