Water birth

[Wendy HS]

Hi I was hoping that someone could tell me of their experience of how helpful for pain management it was to labor or even give birth in water. The place where I will be going for labor and delivery has a big tub with jacuzzi jets. I'm not usually big on baths, I take showers, but it seems like it would sure feel good. I've given birth twice in the hospital. My first birth I made it to 5 cm before they started pushing the pitocin. I did just fine on my own and made it that far just walking and sitting on a birthing ball, but they said I wasn't going fast enough. My second I was determined they would leave me alone and let me birth my baby without drugs and they did!!! My early labor I walked, by active labor I pretty much sat on the ball and leaned over the bed. That seemed to be what my body wanted.
I was wondering if water birth is more trouble that it is worth. I remember in both my labors having to get up to go pee A LOT!!!!! It seems like that would be a real pain trying to get out of a tub, dry off so you don't slip and fall, go pee, then get back in the tub, all in the middle of a hard contraction. Most of the time with the other two births I would not make it back to the ball before another contraction would hit, so I am pretty sure the same thing will happen if I choose the tub. Although I've been told sitting on a toilet speeds things up I really didn't want to sit there, it made it hurt much worse. I remember I would also get hot and cold and hot and cold. How on earth does that work in a tub, do you keep adding hot water when your cold and cold water when your hot? How have other mom's who birthed in tubs handle this problem. Just looking for some natural comfortable options for getting through labor. Anyone had a natural labor and delivery on land and then done it in the water? What is your experience? Which would you prefer to try if you give birth again?

[Romana]

Waterbirth really had no effect on pain - I don't think being in the birth pool reduce the pain at all. However, it was the easiest and most supportive (thanks to the bouyancy) way to get in the position I was most comfortable in during the least pleasant part of the birth.

I plan to use one again. I consider it a good tool, just not something that has any pain relieving effect (for me).

[jenfl]

DD was "on land" (the pool didn't fill in time) and DS was in the water.

I got into the water at around 8cm (in the middle of transition) and wish I'd gotten in earlier! It did help me -- things seemed to calm down when I was feeling on the verge of losing it. The contractions spaced out a bit and I didn't feel as overwhelmed. Whether or not it was really less painful... I don't know. But it was easier.

And it was FABULOUS when DH poured water over my stomach and back. That was the best thing ever.

I was in the water for about 10-20 minutes before pushing, and then the whole time I pushed (20 minutes). The water temperature didn't need to be adjusted at all because it was a fairly short time.

I'd definitely use water next time as well (if we were planning a next time ).

[Whimsical]

I had a hospital birth that didn't allow a water birth, but I did do most of my in-hospital laboring in the jacuzzi tub. It helped me a lot. I tried to do some laboring on the birth ball, in a rocker, leaning on the bed, and even on the toilet, and the contractions out of the water were all much harder than the ones in the tub. When I started feeling pushy at around 8 cm, the sensation was a lot easier to handle in the tub than out of it.

I was only in the hospital for five hours (out of my 24 hour labor), and transition hit an hour and a half into it, which pretty much put an end to me being able to drink, so I never had to do a lot of running to the bathroom. The times I got in and out were never horribly difficult, though.

[XanaduMama]

I had a waterbirth (HB) with my second. It was a huge help with pain--at a certain point near the end, I realized I was arching up out of the water at the peak of the contractions...and that the parts of my belly not covered in water hurt WAY more. Reminding myself to stay down in the water really did provide major pain relief.

It was great for pushing too--very supportive.

As for peeing, I had a plastic bucket and periodically stood up to pee, without getting out. Then someone flushed it. No biggie.

[womenswisdom]

I labored on land to complete and pushed for 4 hours w/ my first on land and then had a water labor/birth with my second. I felt it helped with the pain a lot and allowed me much greater mobility while trying to haul my hugely pregnant self into different positions. I don't remember needing to pee a lot, but I would not hesitate to pee in the water. Urine is sterile unless you have an infection and there's going to be much "worse" things in the water before you're done anyways

[Lilygoose]

I labored in a tub at the hospital. For me it was much better in the tub than out of it. I had back labor and any of the other positions felt really painful, which was unfortunate because my DD was large and it would have helped move things along if I could have done more hands and knees, birth ball, squatting, etc. In the tub I felt much better. I did get in and out several times, and had twice where the contractions were coming quickly enough that I had to rest against my hubby and mom standing by the tub, but it was well worht it. In the tub I was more able to relax and get in tune with my body and feel the labor in a way that was intense, but not as painful-it was really cool. I wouldn't worry about peeing in the tub, the process of giving birth is pretty messy already.

[L J]

I got in the pool about half way through my 5ish hour labor with my first child. The pain relief was wonderful - it really did a lot for me. I spent the first half either standing in the shower or sitting on the toilet and although both places were nice and preferable to sitting/laying anywhere, the pool was by far the best.

I did the hot/cold/hot/cold thing the first half of labor - but, best of my memory, that stopped when I got in the pool. We kept the water warm, around 101 degrees would be my guess, and had a constant siphon pulling water out and adding the same amount of correct temp. water to keep it a stable temp. I was comfortable, temperature wise, all the way through birth to that point, until we got out of the pool after he was out.

As for peeing, I just peed in the pool. Like the mama above me said, urine is sterile. No biggie. I pooped in there, too, when he crowned. We fished that out, though. No harm done, its normal.

I also did not tear, and since he was my first, I attribute some of that to being submerged in water.

[Peony]

Water has been huge for pain management during my 3 labors.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I had a hospital water birth with my first. For my 2nd I thought I'd go dry land to try something new and because the tub seemed like a pain. I got one anyway, just in case. WIthin about 20 minutes of active labor starting I ordered my husband to go fill the tub. Labor in the tub is, for me, exponentially more comfortable than out. I know, intellectually, that I could give birth out of water if I had to, but being in water is so much more comfortable for me that I can't really imagine doing it that way. I don't remember having to pee but I probably would've just done it in the pool too.

[JennTheMomma]

I didnt' give birth in water, but I did labor in water for a little bit. I did plan on a waterbirth, but was letting my body lead. When I was in transition I couldnt' sit. I had to stand and do squats. I tried to be in the birth pool, but it had no effect. It felt good inbetween contractions, but not during one. Wasn't really a big deal to me. Standing while pushing felt amazing.