waterbirth and poop ?

[liz-hippymom]

ummm kind of a weird question...but
so i have heard that anytime a mom pushes out a baby some fecal matter is pushed out too (i never saw any come out when i pushed out DS, but i could be wrong-
so if it is true- then what about water birth? does that mean poop gets in the water? wouldnt that possibly cause infection for the baby? or at the very least wouldnt it be gross cleanup?

i just thought about this for thefirst time yesterday- we are planning a home-waterbirth...

[ChildoftheMoon]

Your birth attendant will most likely have a little net and will scoop it out, no worries. If you are not being attended, get a little fish net from the pet store and have someone keep an eye out for you. It is very common for poop to come out during labor/pushing, but does not happen to everyone. Normal, don't worry, just don't let it stay in the water with you for too long.
Brandi

[annethcz]

My midwife includes 'small fishnet' on her birth supply list, for that very purpose. Although it does happen occasionally, it doesn't always happen. Regardless of whether it does, I wouldn't stay in the water too long- unless you're super careful about water temperature, there can be heat loss issues for the baby.

The only time I'd get out of a pool is if you're having diarrhea- that would be very hard (if not impossible) to clean from the pool.

[TurboClaudia]

Our midwives also list a small fishnet from a pet supply store with the supplies to have on hand for a waterbirth. Our midwives say they have become very adept poopfish catchers.

As far as causing infection for the baby, unless they inhale your poop (or their own meconium) the chance of infection is very very low.

warmly,
claudia

[Lucysmama]

Whew! I was a little worried about that too....

I really hope I don't poopy. I have utmost respect for my midwife, and I hate the thought of her chasing my poop around with a little fishy net. :LOL

[momto l&a]

I never pooped during either of my 2 hb's births. @nd was a water birth.

You just watch I just put a jinx on myself :LOL

[pamamidwife]

Even on land, when the baby's head emerges, the chin is directly with the rectum and there's always a chance of baby having contact with some poo.

With waterbirths, I sometimes go after small amounts of poo, most of the time it's hard to get and very distracting to the mother (since the poo usually emerges right as the head is crowning). I usually just leave it and don't say anything - it's typically really small amounts anyway.

The dilution in the water makes meconium or your poo much better for baby. Regardless, aspiration of meconium has been shown to happen before the birth, not with the first extrauterine breath.

I've had some clients do enemas in labor to ease their minds about this.

[feebeeglee]

I pooped with my first birth (and even in the middle of this, the most life-changing experience of my life, pushing my baby daughter out into the world, I hear someone mutter "...a little rectal leakage there, get that, Chrissy..." and I thought "poooooooop! poooooooop!" a la Beavis :LOL)

Pee but no poop the second time (notice me not saying with #2 )

And no nothin that I remember with #3, but I only pushed twice with him and had just peed not 5 minutes before.

I told the midwife I peed and she just whipped the peed pad out from under us and put down a dry one.

[liz-hippymom]

i am really not enjoying the thought of this happening... it would REALLY distract me if i noticed it...i remember with DS that i had to poop ALOT like 4 hours before having him, and i didnt eat anything else, so maybe thats why i didnt see any come out while pushing? i think i might opt for the enima just in case. i also cannot picture my midwife fishing around in the water!! plus alot of my frineds will be there and i dont want this to be the center of attention!!!

[TrishWSU]

It doesn't happen with all births. I know several moms who didn't (me being one, and I questioned my dh repeatedly about it). My sis did and her mw just picked it up with tissue or something and disposed of it before I even realized what it was. I think that most birth attendants are use to it, and its normal, so most don't care.

But if it's something that's going to seriously bother you to think about, then you might want to opt for an enema, just for the peace of mind. You don't want to unintentionally hinder your labor or pushing because you're worried about poo.

Good luck with your waterbirth!

[watermamma]

Just like the posters above, my midwives use a little fish net scoop. I know I "pooped" w/both births. I was a little embarrased(sp?) the first birth (in hospital), but 2nd birth in water I could have cared less. Frankly, it just felt so good to get that baby out, I was relieved. My DH however, is still talking about poop. It seems to fascinate him

A little funny, the birth center childbirth ed teacher was telling us of a mom that pooped in the tub during birth and apparently her midwife just wasn't getting to it fast enough, so she scooped the little flat poopie up w/her hand and set it on the rim of the tub. I can't imagine how she did this with a baby crowning, I know I couldn't have

[pumpkinhead]

I just had to post this

http://www.flowgo.com/flowgo2_view.cfm?page_id=58987

I was soooooo worried about this with ds's birth and I can totally relate. I don't think I pooped, but now I'm gonna hafta ask dh!!

[banana girl]

I'm in tears here! that's so funny!

I am strongly considering a homebirth and have been lurking here for a few days. You ladies have such a great sense of humor about yourselves and this process of giving birth! I hope to join you officially sometime soon.

I was just discussing with my husband the possibility of poop in the tub and he cracked up! not his most endearing and sensitive moment, but what can you expect.... this is doo-doo we're talking about here, isn't it. Nothing quite like potty humor.

nearly convinced to homebirth
Anna Banana