Birth tub/water birthing questions

[Tizzy]

I remember swearing up and down after my last birth that I wanted a pool for the next one. I craved being in the water especially during the pushing phase.
However, it seems like a LOT of fuss to have a birth pool. Finding the right spot in the house, filling it, keeping it warm enough, emptying it, extra towels and fuss all the way around.
Is it really that much extra fuss?

Do you feel it made your labor and birth that much better?
More specifically, do you feel it helped with preventing tearing?
I guess that's one of my main reasons is because I heard it lessens the chance of tearing. Is that true?

[AustinMom]

Originally Posted by Tizzy

I remember swearing up and down after my last birth that I wanted a pool for the next one. I craved being in the water especially during the pushing phase.
However, it seems like a LOT of fuss to have a birth pool. Finding the right spot in the house, filling it, keeping it warm enough, emptying it, extra towels and fuss all the way around.
Is it really that much extra fuss?

Do you feel it made your labor and birth that much better?
More specifically, do you feel it helped with preventing tearing?
I guess that's one of my main reasons is because I heard it lessens the chance of tearing. Is that true?

I had my first birth through a birthing center and was transfered in labor for a cs as I the baby was acynclitic. They had HUGE garden tubs with jets, and I was able to labor in them for a little while, but they said that is what they thought was slowing my labor, so they didn't "let" me in them. In the tub was the only time I felt I could actually rest/doze between contractions. They gave me different tictures to rest, and two different kinds of shots, and neither worked. The tub was heaven. All I wanted to do was get in it. Your body will tell you where it needs to go. Looking back, if I had been in the water laboring, the buoyancy would have helped tremendously to turn him, and I possible could have avoided a cesarean, also the movement of getting in and out of the tub would have helped as well. We plan a home birth and are buying a 30'' deep tub to use.

As far as tearing, I hear it helps a lot. Keep in mind, if this is your subsequent baby, tear is a lot less likely, especially with midwives, as they don't advise pushing in positions that usually include tearing or episiotomies (on back, with legs to ears type thing)

Use a robe to put on after getting out, and put plastic down under the tub and towels on top around the tub on top of the plastic, it solves most problems. Buy a hose to attach to faucet to fill it, and to drain it out, great for watering the lawn with all the nutrient rich water after birth!

[LianneM]

I loved my waterbirths both of my kids were born in water, no tearing.

I really don't think it's any more hassle than prepping an area for birth on land. All mess was contained in the pool.

[smokeylo]

It's really not as big a deal as people make it out to be.

We have an inflatable pool, which takes minutes to inflate. We move our dining room table to make room for it. You need a hose and should test it out to see if you need an adapter for the faucet you'll use to fill it. That's probably the top suggestion I have: test things out at least once before the birth! once the tub is full, have a few pots of water on the stove ready to boil in case the water gets cool -- but that's easy to do, and it doesn't take much time or effort to do. I labored off an on for HOURS in the tub and it wasn't a problem for my husband or doula to refresh the water in the tub, and it never got particularly cold. My midwife has a pump we use to empty the tub afterwards, and we purchase a liner so you just toss the liner out and deflate the tub. Simple! Easy! And 100% worth it, IMO!!

I *did* tear with my first birth even though it was a water birth, but I think that was more because I'd been in labor for 21 hours and basically pushed like crazy with every contraction to get the baby out already!!! I am hopeful that this time, I will not tear.

[cchrissyy]

We have birth tubs and it's pretty straightforward - you fill it with warm water but the tub heater keeps the temp up from there. and yeah, a pump to quickly empty the water and then you just throw away the plastic liner so it's pretty both setup and easy clean up (not that it's your job anyway!)

[IAMommy]

We rented a tub for DS's birth, and it was great. They delivered, set up, cleaned up and took it away. This time we are thinking about buying, just b/c we plan another DC after this one, and renting was $300 and buying would be more like $200 total and then it's ours to use again.
Even in the water I had a 2nd degree tear, but DS was big for me. That being said, I did not feel the tear when it happened or at any time after. My midwife is a good seamstress