calling all water birthers

[mom61508]

I'm 30 weeks and have just recentty became more interested in a water birth at home. This is my 2nd pregnancy but first home birth. Do you think the tub is worth it? I can labor in the shower but I've heard the tub really makes a huge difference with the pain.  Can you mamas give me your experience with a water birth and would you do it again?

Thanks!

[momtoalex]

yes, yes, yes, the tub is worth the investment. i had 2 birthing center births. the first one was 4 years ago, 12 hours of active labor, about 30 minutes of pushing, without access to a tub. i used the shower at times but did not find it particularly helpful. with my second birth, which was almost 3 months ago, i planned a waterbirth. my active labor was 2 hours 15 minutes, with the last 1.5 hours in the tub. i did not have a pushing stage, i breathed her out in one breath.  being in the tub made so much difference. i was able to relax and move around. the midwife did not check me while i was in the tub. i must have managed labor well because right before my daughter slipped out, the midwife suggested that i get out of the tub because my contractions seemed to be slowing down (water may slow down contractions, especially if you get into the tub too early). i had an absolutely fantastic experience with water birth. i would only birth in the water next time. wishing you a positive birth experience, whatevr you choose. 

[Mamatoabunch]

I have had 8 home waterbirths, would not want to birth out of water and will again next June. I have always used a kiddie pool.

[beckyand3littlemonsters]

i had a home water birth for my youngest son and am planning the same again for this one too

[womenswisdom]

Loved it and would not do it again without!

[goldingoddess]

I was not planning a waterbirth with my first, but happened to live somewhere with a deep (heart-shaped:) jacuzzi tub, and once I got in that tub, there was no getting out until after baby is born.

My bathtub now is rather small, and even though I'm not sure I'll want to be in the water again, I'm getting the tub because I don't want to regret not having gotten the tub while I'm in labor.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

I was wishy washy when pregnant about going to the trouble of settling up the pool. 

I'm SO GLAD I had that silly pool to sit in.  It made my (VERY LONG) labor (almost) bearable ;)

[NuzzleNudge]

The ONLY thing that turns me off is the bleeding afterward. That grosses me out to be in there. I think I will want out as soon as I can stand up. And also it will be better for the Midwife to gauge how the bleeding is.

 Other than that, the weightlessness, the warmth, the cushioning....I wanna get in right NOW! (I'm about 10 weeks!)

The logistics of keeping the water warm wont really be a factor for me cuz it will be July. But you may want to think about it. It shouldn't be too big of a deal though. Either having a heater equipped pool, or using your hose or keeping large but carry-able pots of water boiling. Keep a 5 gallon bucket near the pool to bail water out. Use a clean bowl or pot to scoop it into the bucket. Then it can be dumped into the tub or outside. Obviously YOU won't be doing this. Helpers or DH will. It is important to keep the water warm though.

[Schae]

i have given birth in water twice, it makes a definite difference to the pain levels. i wouldn't choose to give birt out of water

[Sharlla]

Originally Posted by womenswisdom 

Loved it and would not do it again without!

ditto that

[kawa kamuri]

I can't imagine birthing without a pool. 

[mom61508]

Thanks mamas! That really helps in my decision. And ya the blood part I was wondering about too hope that doesnt freak DH out. Water birth it is!!!!! :)

[georgia]

I've had both land and waterbirths, and I can say that I would choose waterbirth hands down! To me, the blood wasn't a big deal at all, and I'm pretty squeamish in the blood and guts department. 

Here is a list of Mothering articles on waterbirth: http://mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/waterbirth

Have you seen Barbara's site? Lakshmi Bertram's book is also excellent. Best wishes for a wonderful birth and happy new baby! 

[goldenwillow]

Originally Posted by NuzzleNudge 

The ONLY thing that turns me off is the bleeding afterward. That grosses me out to be in there. I think I will want out as soon as I can stand up. And also it will be better for the Midwife to gauge how the bleeding is.

 Other than that, the weightlessness, the warmth, the cushioning....I wanna get in right NOW! (I'm about 10 weeks!)

I was actually happy that there was hardly no clean up from birthing in a tub.  The afterbirth wasn't even an issue for us..  which wasn't a lot.  We watered our garden with the water... best garden we have EVER had!  I strongly suggest the tub for birthing!  I was in and out throughout labor.  Tub and exercise ball were my best friends besides DH!

[MarineWife]

My 3rd was a home waterbirth. Honestly, I didn't find that it helped with the pain. I was in extreme pain the last 2 hours. I don't know if I'll labor or birth in a tub this time but I am still planning to have one available so I have all the options. I'm thinking this time I might do better lying on my side so that I can relax my entire body as much as possible. I think one of the problems for me with being in the tub was that I either had to sit up or be on my hands and knees, which is how I birthed. Because of that, I had to use some muscles to support my body.

[phathui5]

With my second, being in the tub was a big help.

With my third, I used the tub but the water was chilly and I wish I'd just gotten out.

With my fourth, I was in the shower during transition and it was a good thing for me.

[~Katie~]

I've had two waterbirths and honestly can't imagine giving birth any other way. With my first birth I spent about half of my labor in the tub up until he was born. With DD I would mostly get in for contractions and then walk around, then jumped in again right before pushing started. The best way to describe it is feeling like the water is protective of everything and helps keep it private, kind of like a little water sanctuary for baby and I to do our thing. The idea of pushing out a baby out of water just doesn't feel right to me. I'll be having another waterbirth with this baby. 

[Oregonicmama]

DD1 was not born in the water, but I did get in a tub for a couple hours and found it so relaxing that my contractions just about stopped!  So I had to get out (this was after 10 hours of labor).

DD2 was born in the water (in a rubbermaid horse trough!) and it was sooooo much better than DD1's birth.  I was in the tub for about 7 hours.  It felt so good I refused to get out!  I wouldn't even let my midwife check me.    I stayed in there for a little while after the birth, but she did eventually make me get out.  I had pretty bad back labor with both of them and found the water to be very helpful with that intense back pain.  The midwife hooked a hose up to my washer's hot water spicket to fill the tub initially then she just added large pots of hot water from the stove to keep it warm.  DD2 was born in December, so keeping the water warm was definitely important, but it was not a problem. 

We are planning to rent a full size birthing tub for the baby, due in April.  It will be nice to have a big enough tub for DP to get in there with me.    As the previous posters said... I would not consider doing it any other way!

[hennaLisa]

You can get a kiddie pool (preferably one with an inflatable bottom as well as sides) for about $30 and use it for the birth and then use it for play in the summer. We did that for my first birth, which was a home birth. I do think it really helped. I loved being in the shower, but I also think the immersion in water probably made a difference for the actual crowning and birth.

[peainthepod]

Water birth is awesome! I had a birthing pool for my first but the water slowed my labor down (I got too comfortable, I guess) and I ended up pushing for two hours on the bed, with a nice tear to show for it (DS had a huge head and a nuchal hand--painful combo!). With DD I had a precipitous labor (90 minutes start to finish) and found it quite painful until I climbed into the birthing pool. I pushed maybe three times, in the water, and didn't tear at all. The difference was incredible and I'd never voluntarily birth without access to some sort of pool or tub.