Labor in a swimming pool?

[georgia]

I took an aquanatal class last night, and I remembered how much I being in the water. We recently moved into a new old house with a backyard, in-ground swimming pool. I'm not a big fan of chlorine, but I love to be in the water. Has anyone *labored* in a big outdoor pool?

Thoughts?

[pamamidwife]

it sounds dreamy! I'd definitely do it! Talk about buoyancy!

[cottonwood]

I'd say no to birth, because of the chemicals, but I don't see why you shouldn't labor in the pool.

[morgan's_mom]

You are reading my mind -- I was in our pool today and was thinking how lovely it would be to labor in it (we're in Houston, and I'm due in July). I was going to post the same question!

I don't know how the chemicals would come into play if your bag of waters had already broken, but I don't see why you couldn't be in it at least until that point. We have a salt-water pool (so no chlorine -- just salt; it's about as salty as your tears) -- I wonder if that would be considered more labor-friendly than a chlorine pool.

Of course, whether I'd be comfortable laboring vocally in my backyard pool while the neighbors are out walking their dogs (our house sits on a peninsula so that our backyard faces the street on two sides -- hard to explain) is another issue!!!

[2+twins]

I don't think it would be a problem to labor in the pool even if her BOW has broken. I know I read about the test done with red dye in the water & tampon inserted in the vagina to see if any of it (the dye and/or the water) reached the tampon (it didn't). So chemicals shouldn't pose any risk. As for delivering there, I don't know for sure but I'd think that if you lifted the baby out right away it probably wouldn't matter much. They do have very sensitive skin though, so perhaps not the BEST idea in the world.

[georgia]

morgan's mom---oh, i would have the baby right in the saltwater pool! have you ever seen any of the russian waterbirth videos? i've also read that some mws/birth centers PUT salt into the birth tubs to simulate the uterine environment. a woman here in town birthed outside in the backyard in a hot tub (unheated but in the heat of the summer). they arranged a clothesline-like fence draped with white sheets for privacy. the photos were gorgeous!

i'm having a hard time figuring out *if* i could get out of our chlorinated pool to switch to the little pool....my last waterbirth, i wasn't leaving the water for anything! oh, well....i'll keep my options open

thanks for all the input so far!!!

[mountain]

We got one of those 25 ft pools & set it up on a tarp in my spare room. Right before, we filled it with really warm water from the laundry room--so there was no chlorine & it was clean. It was the best thing to do (and to have something to do, with so many positions to change to) !!! I set up candles and hung out there for a while---almost didn't make it back to my room for the birth!