water birth « Back to Group Discussions

[jbk21]

So, I'm not set on having a water birth and haven't really looked into it too much.  I'm not sure if there is much I'd need to know really- I'm sure my MWs would just guide me through it if that is what ends up happening.  I am basically just planning to labor/push wherever I am most comfortable at the time as long as baby is doing well in that position, so if I end up in the tub so be it.  I'm flexible.  But I'm starting to wonder if there are any tips or things I need to know.  Any questions or anything I should discuss with my midwife beforehand?  All you water-birthing mamas, educate me :-)  Ready, go.

[Butter is Better]

I am also planning for the option of a waterbirth. My hospital recommends people bring the following:

Floaties - Kids Size (to help you position yourself in the tub)

Fish Net (in case you have a bm to help scoop it out)

Swim Shorts for your husband or partner

[jbk21]

Originally Posted by Butter is Better 

I am also planning for the option of a waterbirth. My hospital recommends people bring the following:

Floaties - Kids Size (to help you position yourself in the tub)

Fish Net (in case you have a bm to help scoop it out)

Swim Shorts for your husband or partner

Hmmm I wonder what supplies my birth center has.  I'll have to ask.  Thanks!

[Abraisme]

Hmm, I never considered floaties, might be a good idea to add to my birth kit!

I really liked delivering in the water, it's really nice to feel weightless while in labor.

The only real issue I had with #2 is that I got into the tub when it was too hot.  My BP spiked really fast, my labor stalled and I had to get out for a while..  I got back in around transition and my DD was born in the water. 

I suspect that your midwives have a fish net on hand, but I doubt they'll have swim shorts for your dh.  ;)

Over-all I think your thoughts on it are good.  You should be open to the idea, but labor and deliver where you feel comfortable at the time.  You'll know when you get there.

[jbk21]

Yeah, I think DH will want his own shorts :-) lol!  I think I'll like the weightless feeling too.  I'm excited to try it at least!  I think I'm just so excited to not be in a hospital that I don't care if I have him in the tub, the shower, the bed, the staircase, the couch, whatever!   

[meesh933]

I second the recommendation for a fish net! I'm sure your birth center has something for that though - you won't be the first one to have popped in the tub! Other than that, I don't think there's any preparation necessary. If the water feels right, get in, if not, don't.

Personally, I LOVED the water. Every time I got out to pee, I thought I was going to DIE, lol.

[Jaimee]

I would doubt you would need to supply your own fish net!  That would be something they would be prepared for, I would assume!  So definitely ask what water birth supplies they already have.  Mine had boards you could sit on or float with (like kick boards at a swimming pool), but you might prefer some of those blow up bath pillows that you can rest your heat on or sit on.  I do recall sometimes having difficulty staying comfortable on the hard tub floor.  Dh forgot his swimsuit and they just gave him a pair of scrubs to wear.  I'm sure that would be an option, but he may prefer to have a swim suit and t-shirt (or not) instead of scrubs.   You might as well- especially if you want non-nude pictures taken while in the tub.  I know a lot of mamas opt for a bikini top, tank top, or sports bra.

Personally, I LOVED the water. Every time I got out to pee, I thought I was going to DIE, lol.

I just peed in the tub!  My mw actually encouraged it.

[LiLStar]

I can't visualize how the floaties would be used? My mws have always put a fish net on the birth supply list for those planning water birth. This time its not on the list (but then, no water birth specific supplies are on the list? *shrug*) but we still have one, new in package, from the last birth. I do need to figure out what kind of adapter I'll need for the hose. midwife suggested unscrewing the shower head and hooking it up there might be the easiest way. 

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by LiLStar 

I do need to figure out what kind of adapter I'll need for the hose. midwife suggested unscrewing the shower head and hooking it up there might be the easiest way. 

Are you getting a submergeable pump?  If not, you'll need to use reverse pressure to get the water back out of the pool.  For that you'll need the Python reverse adapter and if you're hooking it up to your shower, you'll need a second, short hose that goes from the adapter down to the tub so that the dirty water is not pouring down from your shower head.    Plus I wonder how well the reverse pressure works if the water has to go from pool level to shower head level?  Might not work well at all.  Anyway, we decided against it and opted to attach it to the kitchen sink with a super long hose.
 

[LiLStar]

i.... have no idea? I just figured it'd be siphoned out the window *shrug* I have no idea how the tub got emptied after ds's birth. Went upstairs to bed with the pool filled, came back downstairs later to it empty! Midwife magic. I figured the pool would magically empty while I sleep again this time :P

[meesh933]

I need to ask about hoses, etc at my next appointment. At my last birth, I just used my garden tub, but I'm borrowing my MW's La Bassine this time. She told me all I needed was a disposable liner, so I'm assuming she has it all.

As far as peeing, they told me I could pee in the tub, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it! My toilet was like 5 ft away, but the contractions I had while cold, wet, shivering on the toilet were the worst. I just couldn't bear the idea of sitting in my own pee for the 3-4 hours I was in the tub, though!

[Abraisme]

Yup, that's what happened with my last birth as well.  I'm pretty sure they pumped the water out the closest window.
 

Originally Posted by LiLStar 

i.... have no idea? I just figured it'd be siphoned out the window *shrug* I have no idea how the tub got emptied after ds's birth. Went upstairs to bed with the pool filled, came back downstairs later to it empty! Midwife magic. I figured the pool would magically empty while I sleep again this time :P

[willsmomm]

I am planning on a water birth and I'm really excited about it. The only thing I worry about is how hard our floors are. I'm using the fishy tub so the bottom is inflated but it doesn't really make much of a difference.

I know how I am in the water and I don't plan on wanting to get out at all. It seems like most of my MWs births are in the water. At least the ones that I hear about.

[Jaimee]

You could buy or borrow some mats to put the pool on.  I'm thinking gymnastics mats or sleeping/camping mats would be the best, but in a pinch something like yoga mats would help some, especially if you could stack a few on top of each other.  Another idea would be blankets or towels that you lay under the tarp that the pool is on.

[Abraisme]

The tub that I've rented from my midwives had a hard bottom (and we put it on a wood floor).  I never noticed it being a problem.  There was enough water in tub that the bottom didn't really matter.  As far as I know, birthing tubs at hospitals all have hard bottoms too..  If the bottom of your tub has a tiny bit of inflation, I bet it's fine all on it's own.  Or, as Jaimee suggested, you could put a few layers of something soft under it.
 

Originally Posted by willsmomm 

I am planning on a water birth and I'm really excited about it. The only thing I worry about is how hard our floors are. I'm using the fishy tub so the bottom is inflated but it doesn't really make much of a difference.

I know how I am in the water and I don't plan on wanting to get out at all. It seems like most of my MWs births are in the water. At least the ones that I hear about.

[meesh933]

Originally Posted by willsmomm 

I am planning on a water birth and I'm really excited about it. The only thing I worry about is how hard our floors are. I'm using the fishy tub so the bottom is inflated but it doesn't really make much of a difference.

I know how I am in the water and I don't plan on wanting to get out at all. It seems like most of my MWs births are in the water. At least the ones that I hear about.

My last birth was in a regular bath tub, which obviously, had a hard bottom. It wasn't a problem that I remember. I mean my butt/tail bone was sore after, but I think that was from sitting in basically the same position for like 4 hours straight, not necessarily that the tub was too hard.

[TalkToMeNow]

I have a water birth question/ issue: Isn't it icky?? I'm planning to labor in the water and get out to push. The idea of sitting in a tub of water filled with, well, all that stuff totally grosses me out! And then you are pretty much stuck there until you deliver the placenta, right? At least when I birthed on the bed, they can just kind of clean up down there. Plus, the mess is localized. Am I just a weirdo for worrying about this stuff? I feel like I'm just going to be desperate for a shower the second the baby is out.

That said, I know if it feels better to be in water, I am not going to be able to make myself get out to push!

[meesh933]

Originally Posted by TalkToMeNow 

I have a water birth question/ issue: Isn't it icky?? I'm planning to labor in the water and get out to push. The idea of sitting in a tub of water filled with, well, all that stuff totally grosses me out! And then you are pretty much stuck there until you deliver the placenta, right? At least when I birthed on the bed, they can just kind of clean up down there. Plus, the mess is localized. Am I just a weirdo for worrying about this stuff? I feel like I'm just going to be desperate for a shower the second the baby is out.

That said, I know if it feels better to be in water, I am not going to be able to make myself get out to push!

The tub wasn't gross until after the birth, IME. I remember reading before that it goes from "miracle" to "cess pool" pretty quickly, and it's true, but it wasn't gross while I was in it. There was nothing at all in the water until my water broke, just a few pushes before he was born. And then it was just amniotic fluid and vernix. It got a little bloody once he was born, but I didn't stay in long. I was so busy with baby that I didn't notice for maybe 15 minutes, and then yeah, it was kind of gross. And I may be the exception, but it was about 45 minutes before the placenta came, and the MWs were a little concerned about it, so once the cord stopped pulsing, we cut it, DH dried the baby off, and the MWs helped me out and onto the toilet and ultimately the bed before the placenta came. Even if the cord wasn't cut, someone could hold the baby while you get out of the tub if you wanted/needed.

[TalkToMeNow]

Originally Posted by meesh933 

The tub wasn't gross until after the birth, IME. I remember reading before that it goes from "miracle" to "cess pool" pretty quickly, and it's true, but it wasn't gross while I was in it. There was nothing at all in the water until my water broke, just a few pushes before he was born. And then it was just amniotic fluid and vernix. It got a little bloody once he was born, but I didn't stay in long. I was so busy with baby that I didn't notice for maybe 15 minutes, and then yeah, it was kind of gross. And I may be the exception, but it was about 45 minutes before the placenta came, and the MWs were a little concerned about it, so once the cord stopped pulsing, we cut it, DH dried the baby off, and the MWs helped me out and onto the toilet and ultimately the bed before the placenta came. Even if the cord wasn't cut, someone could hold the baby while you get out of the tub if you wanted/needed.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's what I meant: how it is after the birth. I guess I could get out of the tub before I delivered the placenta. Didn't think of that. 

[Abraisme]

I agree, it wasn't icky until after the baby and by then I didn't care what-so-ever..   No, you're not stuck in there until you deliver the placenta.  I got out within a few minutes of birth because my DD's cord was short and I was struggling to keep her head above the water.  I got out when I was ready, no one argued with me.  Oh, and it took me a least 45 minutes to deliver my placenta as well.
 

Originally Posted by TalkToMeNow 

I have a water birth question/ issue: Isn't it icky?? I'm planning to labor in the water and get out to push. The idea of sitting in a tub of water filled with, well, all that stuff totally grosses me out! And then you are pretty much stuck there until you deliver the placenta, right? At least when I birthed on the bed, they can just kind of clean up down there. Plus, the mess is localized. Am I just a weirdo for worrying about this stuff? I feel like I'm just going to be desperate for a shower the second the baby is out.

That said, I know if it feels better to be in water, I am not going to be able to make myself get out to push!