my midwife is against waterbirth, pls help - Page 2

[flapjack]

I would not have a water birth with a midwife who is not trained and experienced in them- and it sounds like she isn't. The potential risks to my baby and myself are too great.
Saying that, I've had four great dry-land births with no regrets, and most of the time I wonder what all the fuss is about.

[DCMama01]

Originally Posted by kltroy

I was thinking a bit more about this. I think the thing is, she told you up front that she doesn't like water births. Just as it is your decision to work with any HCP that you want, it is her decision to run her practice any way she wants. Ideally, you two will work as a team and the outcome will be the birth that you want. I think your plan of discussing it further is a good one. It may be that you assume she dislikes them for one reason (loss of control) and in fact she dislikes them for an entirely different reason (maybe she's had a bad outcome with a water birth?) Either way, I think letting her know up front how you feel and feeling out how flexible she will be on this is important for both of you.

I completely concur and was going to write something similar in response. It's not fair to her considering she was upfront with you. That's like all these OB's who seem ok with VBACs but then it totally goes out of the window once the mother goes into labor. Nobody likes feeling duped. How would you feel if she gave you a shot of pitocin or cut an episiotomy without your consent and it wasn't medically necessary?

The midwives I work with are all for laboring in water, but I signed my name saying that I would get out of the water once I have to push. I just assumed there might be an insurance/malpractice issue involved and decided a waterbirth was not a dealbreaker for me.

[BeckyBird]

My opinion.....

If the Midwife is not comfortable with a waterbirth, then I would honor that. She was honest, and you wouldn't want her to do something so important, if she is not confident.

I labored in a large tub, but my midwife made me get out when she felt the baby's head. She and my doula had to help lift me out of the tub, and help me onto the bed. By then, I was in the pushing stage, and the contractions were much easier to handle. I could even talk between them, which is something I coul NOT do while in transition in the tub. Giving birth on the bed, as opposed to the tub, didn't bother me at all.

Your midwife has seen lots of births, and if this is how she does it, then I would just go with it. I believe you will be in better hands with her, instead of a hospital anyways. Even though she is not 100% for a waterbirth, at least she is better than the other option--hospital! Good luck, and it won't be so bad, I promise!

[Noelle C.]

Originally Posted by tallulahma

i would have problems with the fact that she is basing her care on fears rather than facts.

just my opinion... Yes I would chose her over a hospital birth, but I would want more info from her, research to back up what she says.

My water birth was amazing and i found the water to be an incredible pain reliever... I can not imagine giving birth outside of water... personally.

Agreed. Midwives should let the mother decide what she's comfortable with based on facts rather than the midwife's personal fears.

[mooni]

Hello moms,

please don't do water birth.I had a great pregnancy and 2 healthy baby - till it suffered in waterbirth. 

The doctor did not monitored the heart permanently, the doctor gave me overdosis of oxytocine which made me and baby suffer in 7 minute mega strong permanent contraction, baby suffered imense and was pretty distressed.

The doctor did not checked vaginal and did not saw that the the head of baby had a face position - but nobody noticed this. It did not go on water at all. I needed to get out on kind of delivery sofa. No clinical intervensions has been made to get out the baby fast. The baby suffered under lack of oxygen for more then 3, 5 minutes and did not started to breath - because due the lack of oxygen the brain has been damaged. 

The baby has been 3 125 KG big and absolutely healthy - no heart problems or another ilnesses. 

This would not happen in normal big clinic. Don't trust small private clinics which only increases their statistics with unsafe but popular methods.

[katelove]

This is a pretty old thread but I'm going to reply to the most recent poster.

I'm very sorry that you had such a bad experience and that your LO is suffering as a result. However, it does sound from your post that waterbirth is not to blame. In fact, if I understand you correctly, you didn't actually end up birthing in the water? It certainly sounds like you did not get good care though and I'm very sorry for that.