Questions about water birth... « Back to Group Discussions

[Just1More]

Okay, so I keep thinking about water birth. 

I was sure I wouldn't like it because...

... even going to the pool late in pregnancy (well, anytime in pregnancy) makes me feel like I am suffocating.  The pressure of the water just feels so heavy.

...I like the privacy and sound of the water in the shower.  My last 3 births, I've spent most of the time in the shower, coming out right before they were born.

...I don't think we could fill a birth pool in time to be of any true use to me.  I think it would be about a 3hr window max, and we can't even fill the kids pool outside that quick.  We have a well and it gets too low.  So, we fill it part of the way over several days. Not to mention, I really don't think the hot water would last.

...the only place I could put it is the basement.  Which isn't cozy, but not awful.  Definitely not the "closet" feeling I seek in labor, though.  And, I'd have to go upstairs after the baby is born.  And there's a toliet down there, but not a full bathroom.

...I just have this feeling I'm going to be here by myself with the kids.  They'll all be laying down at quiet time, and I'm just going to quickly have a baby, and then dh and the mw will show up.  Is it nuts to plan on this?

So...

...is it possible to work around the water heater/well issue somehow?  I am a little concerned that if my labor is longer than it was last time, I'll be stuck for longer than I'd like waiting for the water heater to catch up.  The last time I had to wait 15-20 minutes a few times, and really didn't care for that!  And, each time the water wasn't quite as warm because I was really only waiting *just* long enough for there to be *some* hot water.

...is it likely I won't like it anyway?

...is the basement thing a big deal?

...since I keep thinking about it, should I just try it?

[KM84]

Is there anywhere nearby you could rent a 55 gallon water drum? That would help with the well water issue (though it sounds like you'd want to start filling it now). They're pricey to buy ($100), but a party rental store might have them available. I know when I worked in event services we used them to weigh down tents.

Depending on how your house is laid out, and what climate you're in, you could keep the water drum outside which would (assuming you're currently in spring/summer) likely keep it warmer than what comes out of the well. That way your water heater doesn't quite have so much to compensate for.

The other issues seem more like showstoppers for something you're not all that into. If you really like the shower, not having one handy in labor seems like it could be really frustrating.

Can you picture yourself birthing comfortably in the basement? When I was briefly considering homebirth, I kept trying to imagine myself birthing in various rooms of the house. Ironically enough the basement wast he only room I could imagine it in.

[cristeen]

I spent the last 2 in the shower.  The pool really didn't do anything for me last time, so I got out and got back in the shower.  This time I decided not to even bother with a pool.  I had to wait for the water to heat up each time too, but it's only about 30-40 minutes for the tank to reach temp.  DH is trying to convince me to replace the water heater before I go into labor though. 

The water issue would also be a deal breaker - filling it over a few days could work, but then you're going to have to heat water on the stove to get it to warm up.  You really need the water right around 100F for ideal birthing conditions, and that's tough to accomplish with a pre-filled pool.  And you're going to have to keep the kids out of it for all that time.  You'll also have to use some chemical in it because stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria. 

Why would you have to put it in the basement?  The stairs could be a problem also - where's your bedroom, first floor or second floor?  How sturdy are the steps?  Are they wide enough for someone to help support you as you're going up them?  Are they well lit? 

Honestly, if your previous labors have been quick, and the shower has been good previously, I wouldn't even bother futzing with a pool. 

[Kamiro]

Hmm..I used the shower for most of my labor with all the kids and then during really active labor (sometime before transformation/transition) I would get in the tub and be there for an hour or two and baby would be born.

I love water birth, ever since I was 8 years old and saw a special on 20/20 about it -- I knew I would.

I don't know if I would bother with it to be honest if I were you - doesn't sound like you are that into it? kwim

Think the shower is what I would focus on since it has done so well for you.

[Just1More]

Originally Posted by KM84 

Is there anywhere nearby you could rent a 55 gallon water drum? That would help with the well water issue (though it sounds like you'd want to start filling it now). They're pricey to buy ($100), but a party rental store might have them available. I know when I worked in event services we used them to weigh down tents.

Can you picture yourself birthing comfortably in the basement? When I was briefly considering homebirth, I kept trying to imagine myself birthing in various rooms of the house. Ironically enough the basement wast he only room I could imagine it in.

Would the water get all plastic-y in there?  I'm not sure I understand the vision here?  Would we fill it up and then run it through the water heater?

Yes, I think I could be okay in the basement, with a few curtains over the windows.  It's not finished, but it does have carpet, and it's our workroom/laundry room/play room.  It's nicely set up and familiar to me. 

Originally Posted by cristeen 

  I had to wait for the water to heat up each time too, but it's only about 30-40 minutes for the tank to reach temp. 

Why would you have to put it in the basement?  The stairs could be a problem also - where's your bedroom, first floor or second floor?  How sturdy are the steps?  Are they wide enough for someone to help support you as you're going up them?  Are they well lit? 

30-40 minutes is a significant chunk of time to me. That sounds like an eternity.  My labors are generally 3ish hours long, and lately the shower has been lasting about 20 minutes, 30 max.  So, that would mean that 2/3 of my labor the shower could be unavailable.  I remember getting frustrated last time, but I did manage. 

As far as the basement, our house is on the market AND we rent.  And any room big enough (excepting the kitchen) that is big enough is carpeted.  And, I remember there being something in the lease about "no indoor water tanks of any sort".  But, our landlord is cool.  The basement couldn't be damaged by a problem, and he wouldn't even worry about it.  (And...I wouldn't be telling him...at least not until afterwards.  He doesn't know we are having a homebirth.  He'd be okay with it.  I just don't want the publicity.)

Originally Posted by Onemoreontheway 

Hmm..I used the shower for most of my labor with all the kids and then during really active labor (sometime before transformation/transition) I would get in the tub and be there for an hour or two and baby would be born.

I love water birth, ever since I was 8 years old and saw a special on 20/20 about it -- I knew I would.

I don't know if I would bother with it to be honest if I were you - doesn't sound like you are that into it? kwim

Think the shower is what I would focus on since it has done so well for you.

Mmmm...yeah.  I think I should just give it up.  I did mention it to dh last night and his eyes got big.  It was just something he's never considered.  He recovered nicely, though, and just told me to tell him how much, where, when, etc. :)  I dunno. 

How many gallons are those things?  Like, how big are they? 

Sorry...you don't have to reply...I can google, too. :)

[thedenverduo]

This may be a totally "Yeah, duh!" comment, but do you have your water heater turned up all the way?  I didn't realize that there was a gauge on it until recently when I was complaining to dh about not being able to take reaallllllly long hot showers to ease some of my back achiness.  He was like "Uh, well we could turn the water heater up." and he did and now I can take much longer hot showers without the water running out.  Only downfall is I keep turning my sink on all the way hot like I'm used to and scalding my hands!

Sorry if this is well known to everyone else, I just thought I'd mention it in case you're in the dark like me. (:  And I don't think it would make enough of a difference to make a tub feasible, but it would definitely help the shower last longer.

[Just1More]

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[Just1More]

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[Just1More]

Originally Posted by thedenverduo 

This may be a totally "Yeah, duh!" comment, but do you have your water heater turned up all the way?  I didn't realize that there was a gauge on it until recently when I was complaining to dh about not being able to take reaallllllly long hot showers to ease some of my back achiness.  He was like "Uh, well we could turn the water heater up." and he did and now I can take much longer hot showers without the water running out.  Only downfall is I keep turning my sink on all the way hot like I'm used to and scalding my hands!

Sorry if this is well known to everyone else, I just thought I'd mention it in case you're in the dark like me. (:  And I don't think it would make enough of a difference to make a tub feasible, but it would definitely help the shower last longer.

Yes!  We were just talking about it at suppertime.  We aren't going to do it until labor, though, because we don't want the kids to get burned.  And, dh is going to get a super effecient shower head to make less water last longer.  I think we have a pretty good one, but I'm hoping I'm wrong about that. :)

A quick google search and some math says that I'm going to need a minimum of 450 gallons of water.  There is NO way our well can handle that, and me still have the option of a shower, or even to flush.

 am officially giving up the pool idea.  I think I'm okay with it.  :)

(and sorry about the multiple posts.  I don't even know what happened.  It posted this before I was ready, and 9 times!  I refreshed, and it only left 3 of them up.  Weird.)

[LuNaLu]

We rent a tub from our midwife.  She charges $150.  The tub is delivered before the birth and we can keep it filled; we just have to change the water every 3 days.  It has heaters so we don't have to worry about the water heater issue except for if I end up in the shower a lot.  But being in the water makes me feel weightless and amazing, not suffocated at all.  If you don't like the water, then I wouldn't worry about the tub thing.  I should add, our last birth took place upstairs and my bedroom is downstairs so I did stairs shortly after the birth and it wasn't a big deal, although I was going down instead of up.

[BlessedOne]

When you say shower....are you meaning standing in the shower like you normally would to shower? Man I wouldn't want to do that!
Have you considered just birthing in the bathtub....instead of a pool? That is what I did with my first UC. I just lined the bottom of the bathtub in towels to give some softness and then just laid in there with a blow up pillow. I could turn the water on as needed. To me that would take up less water than showering...because showering your hot water goes down the drain as opposed to filling up the tub. When the water would chill, I would drain a little and fill it up some more.
The only things I didn't like about birthing in the bathtub was~
1. The cleanliness of it. I am a germ freak and felt like I must clean the tub before birthing in it...since it is used daily for showers. So I was in there having contrax and trying to clean the bath tub....which wasn't cool. But if you are not as much of a freak about that as me, then you probably wouldn't have an issue.

2. The tub couldn't get full enough to cover my belly.....which was a bummer. I did figure out that if you have other towels or wash clothes available you can get those wet in hot water (you could even have hot water on the stove if needed) and put those hot towels where water doesn't cover. I really enjoyed that.

3. Once you drain the tub, you might want to get out any chunks......that is not good for the pipes......perhaps a strainer of some sort over the drain might work?? Or strain it as it drains.


The good things about birthing in the tub~
1. is that you have the shower there constantly, so you can use it without really doing much movement.
2. Plus the toilet is close if you need to go.
3. And clean up is not too offerly bad.
4. You don't have to worry about it taking forever to fill up a pool
5.or the cost of buying  a pool.

6. filling the bathtub instead of shower should help reserve hot water
7.You can always get out and move if you decide it is not for you.

I personally prefer the pool to the tub. But I prefer waterbirth hands down...no questions asked.

If you do go with a pool, do not fill it too much ahead of time. I made that mistake and had to empty and re-clean it because it had developed a slime.
It really doesn't take much more than a couple of days (maybe less) for this to happen. So I ended up filling it the night before. The water was cold and was hard to get heated up. We ended up having to bucket in warm water and the temp never got to what I wanted.

As for concerns about water damage. We just put a tarp under the pool......since I am not one to move around a lot during birth it wasn't a deal, but I did have chucks lining the walk way to the bathroom so I wouldn't ruin the carpet. You could probably do the same with tarps and towels.

[Just1More]

I'm still throwing the idea of water something around.

Blessed- I do prefer to stand for my entire labor.  And, I have thought about the bathtub, but they aren't very big, and aren't very deep, so I think it would just be more frustrating than helpful.