Birthing Tub

[naturegirl]

I am in the process of deciding on a birthing tub or not. I have heard of women having the tub and never using it or hating it and I have also heard women loved it and would never birth without it again.

What do you think?

[clevah girl]

I'm interested in this, too. I had my last baby in a birth center, but arrived so late in labor I didn't have a chance to use it. So, now I'm wondering if I should even bother to look into getting one for our homebirth.

[cottonwood]

I didn't vote, because none of the options applied to me exactly -- we had a birthing tub for the last two of my births and I loved it and would not choose to labor again without one. BUT, neither time were we set on having a "waterbirth". The first time it just happened to be a waterbirth because I didn't want to get out of the tub. The second time I got to the point where the tub didn't feel right, so I got out and gave birth on dry land.

[Chi-Chi Mama]

i was supposed to birth at a birthing center... planned a waterbirth..

i got to labor in a tub for a while, which was SO nice

i have a picture of me in the tub sipping a drink; all smiles

so i think even if you decide in the end that you don't want to actually birth in the tub, you'll have it to help with labor (i have heard of some women not 'feeling right' - exactly as blueviolet said)

in the end, i was transferred to a hospital, so i didn't get to birth in the tub. so now i'm dreaming of a home waterbirth.

hope you have a wonderful experience!

[melamama]

I had a home water birth and wouldn't do it any other way, and am due in march and planning for another one. I was 8 days past my edd the first time and my dh had to set it up and fill it twice, but that was ok.

It was a great pain reliever for my back labor, I didn't tear (which was one of the main reasons I wanted to birth in the tub), and my daughter had a quiet gentle birth.

I think the tub is worth having as an option Good luck.

[BusyMommy]

Yes, have it as an option. I got in at transition and it was heavenly. I had a long pushing and didn't tear at all plus it was wonderful for back labor.

I would suggest settting it up ahead of time. Ours is all set up in our bedroom just waiting for us to pop in the liner and connect the hose.

[Megs Mom]

Is a birthing tub similar to a hot tub? If so, my experience may be useful to you...I couldn't wait to get in the tub during labor since I had found baths so relaxing while pregnant. But I could not tolerate being in the water - partly it was to warm and partly I wanted to move. I spent most of my 18 hour labor pacing!

[naturegirl]

I would think a hot tub would be too warm for both mom and baby to be comfortable. I could hardly sit in one for more than 5 minutes before getting pregnant! I would think a birthing tub would be cooler than a hot tub. Am I wrong?

I am leaning towards getting a tub. I have another question though...Where did/do you set it up in your house. Is it okay to set up on carpet? Any suggestions or words or wisdom?

[RachelGS]

The tub saved my sanity. I had a very long and hard labor with a posterior baby, and the relief I got while in the tub made it possible for me to have an unmedicated, non-hospital birth. My midwife calls it the "aquadural." If there's any way possible for you to have a tub, get one! It's also a really soothing way for a baby to enter the world. Water babies seem pretty serene about the whole thing. And since it's impossible to know beforehand what kind of labor you will have, it's worth leaving your options as open as possible.

[EmmaJean]

Oh, my goodness, I loved it!!! I wasn't able to stay in the tub for the whole labor process b/c my labor kept slowing down while in it. But I LOVE swimming and baths and water in general, so whenever I would step into the tub, it was such a big relief. I liked swaying back and forth, moving around, hanging off the edge, etc. I was in and out of the tub probably 5 times or more and when I hit transition stage, I was in the hot shower, got out, and went to labor and push on the bed in various positions and ended up on the birthing stool, which was very empowering! The pool was the furthest thing from my mind at that point. They had to convince me to just scoot to the end of the bed to get on the stool! Haha.

Ok, specifics for us, since someone asked. Whenever I see waterbirths on TV, they're always in a jacuzzi or a big, rented birthing tub thing. Our midwives suggested getting a blow-up baby pool that had a high rim, like 2.5-3 feet high. Here's a pick of it on the "One Step Ahead" website (we didn't have the big cover like in the picture!)aquarius pool.

You can get the same one at ToysRus for MUCH less. And you can use it as a pool in the summer!! You get a new water hose and connectors for the kitchen sink spout, and you're ready. Squirt a GOOD amt of iodine in the water to kill anything that you may have missed in cleaning it beforehand.

We set ours up in the living room with a shower curtain under and around it to catch water from getting in and out. My husband set it up when I was definitely in labor, and started filling it when I was about 5cm. During my long labor, my midwife would scoop out buckets of water and refill with nice, hot water--but I do enjoy cool baths. So anyway, it wasn't a big deal, and after it all, the midwives emptied it out and cleaned it and all, so that was a big help. Anyway, that pool we used was nice b/c the bottom of it is inflateable, so it's a nice cushion!

Good luck with your decision. I'd definitely have it as an option to use as, if nothing else, a relaxation tool during labor. Totally works and helps tone down *some* of the intenseness of labor.

Emily

[Gagesmom]

My first birth, I had a large-ish whirlpool tub available to me, which I liked until I got to 5 cm. At that point, I started having a premature urge to push and I needed to be on my feet or knees, not sitting in the tub. I wound up walking/dancing thru the rest of my labor and pushing on a birthing stool till DS was nearly crowning, then getting into the tub again to deliver. The water was wonderful on a burning perineum and provided counter-pressure that helped the area stretch w/out tearing. I had no tears/no stitches with my 1st birth.
My second birth was at home (first was in a natural birthing center) and we rented an Aquadoula. This time I had an achey back-labor along with contractions that I didn't have with my 1st birth (babe wasn't posterior-but the back labor persisted). I couldn't have been without my tub! I was in it more than out of it for the entire 9 hours of labor. It was warm and gave me counter-pressure for my low back ache-I nearly didn't feel the back labor in the tub but could barely stand it out of the tub. I would never go thru labor in a smaller tub or pool again. The Aqua-doula is 2' deep and about 4' across, it gives you plenty of room to move. I was up on my knees grasping the side of the tub thru most of transition, it allowed me to move and be active to help my baby come down but still be submerged in the water to help ease the pain & pushy feelings of transition. While pushing I was able to squat and hold the side of the tub-a most effective pushing postion!! Baby was out in under 20 mn and again, no tearing/no stitches, even tho this time my DD emerged from the birth canal with her left hand pressed against her face. Having warm water available to you during labor and birth is a right every woman should have!!!!! Both of my births were beautiful and wonderful and both of my recoveries were fast and I give a lot of the credit for that to the water birthing experience.

[myrrhmaid]

I loved my water birth almost 13 yrs. ago! I told my hub we had to have a line on a tub before we get prego. Fortunately my midwife has 2 loaner tubs that I have first dibs on for my June due date. I can't imagine birthing out of the water! It is so much more private & comforting. Since I felt so heavy at 9 mos. along the weightlessness of the water was so comforting & like a big hug! We put a piece of plywood on the livingroom floor that was covered with a blue tarp to keep the condensation off the rug. We also had the tub in the house 6 weeks before my due date so there was no anxiety around set-up. We got a heat proof hose and connected it directly to the hot water heater. I guess I should say we used a 8x3x2 galvanized horse trough that was equipped with a jacuzzi jet the first time around! I don't know what kind we are using this time-just that it is a must for me to manage the sensations of birth. If I remember right, we had the water temp at 99 degrees F. (it's just natural for a myrhhmaid to birth in water!)

[magdala]

Anyone have any info about sterilizing a hot tub (sans chemicals!) for labor? Also, how was laboring in a tub outside? I would like to do this for our homebirth but wonder if any of you have had issues with weather or neighbors (we live in close proximity - definately within labor moaning distance) and what you've done to resolve them? Thanks!
magdala

[EmmaJean]

After thoroughly cleaning the tub with whatever cleanser you use, a good squirt of iodine while filling the tub should be all you need. Our midwife was concerned about algae growth, since we had a few mildew stains on the pool, so she used a bit of bleach in it, but it wasn't even enough to bleach my dark green towel that I had in there with me. So it was pretty simple for us, but I'm sure there are other approaches!

I'm no help with the outside situation. We did it during winter, so that wasn't an option, plus I was very vocal, and would have felt embarrassed/inhibited outside in the middle of the night!

Blessings! Emily

[joymum]

Had the tub ready for both Hbs "just in case". I went into both births with out any preconceived notions. I wanted to do whatever my body told me to do. First birth was 30 hours (so typical for a 1st birth) and the tub gave this tired Mama some much needed relaxation in the later stages of labor (spent 4 hours in it!). Second labor (as expected) was only 13 hours. When I got in the tub I was close and knew it. When I got in all labor backed off to almost nothing for a good 15-20 minutes giving me the chance to have my 3 yo dd in the tub with me and I was able to mentally prepare for the last bit off work to get the baby out. When things revved up again dd was whisked out and less than an hour later she saw her baby sister being born. I'm glad I had the tubs and on a purely superficial level it makes for a very tidy birth

Hope you have a beautiful birth!

[GB's Mom]

We rent birth tubs so I get to hear all the great waterbirth stories. Every mom that has used one of our tubs has said they would never have a "land birth" after having a water birth. One mom said that she felt weightless in the water and like an elephant out of the water. Most say that if they get out of the tub for a while, they get back in after the first land contraction -- there is that much difference.

(We've had one land birth and are planning our first waterbirth in January, so I didn't vote either.)

[lorijds]

We don't offer water births at our facility, but we do have a big deep tub that many women labor in and some push in (and then either lift up, push baby out, and sit back down, or get out at the last minute, squat and have the bean). Wish we could have water births, but it just isn't an option at this time.

Water is GREAT! It helps reduce tears, it lowers a mom's blood pressure (especially if that mom is having some issues with high blood pressure), it relaxes, and it definately takes the edge off of the pain. MOST moms rave about it.

Everyone once in a while, we will get a mom who gets into the tub and HATES it. Everyone is different during labor, and for some, the all-over-your-body sensations are too overwhelming and distracting. This is not something you know until it happens. Sometimes moms like the tub earlier in their labor, but not later, or vice versa. And some moms, especially first time moms (in my experience) have a hard time pushing in the tub. It is as if the tub is too bouyant for them, that they need a little gravity to help them figure out the pushing thing. Not all first time moms are like this by any means, but occasionally someone is. So my advice there is, if you are feeling pushy, but can't get your groove on in the tub, try one contraction where you squat in the tub and do the purple pushing---where you hold your breath and push with all your might. Just one contraction like that usually gets the baby down enough to really trigger than overwhelming pushing urge, and helps you and your body figure out the entire pushing thing. Then you push however your body feels like pushing, and staying in the tub works. If not, get on to dry land and see what happens.

Oh, and one other piece of advice....either rent a tub that has sturdy enough walls for you to be able to lean on them (or for your partner to be able to lean on it) or get one that is big enough that you can put a chair in it, to lean on and use as support in getting in and out, while pushing, while changing position, etc. When I think back to how we use the tub, we use the *sides* of the tub as much as we use the inside!!!!

[homebirthing]

I had a home water birth and I wouldn't ever do it any other way. Even if you don't feel grounded during the pushing stage, it is a great pain reducer for the end of active labor/transition. It is a wonderful tool to have at your disposal. The problem with just buying a kiddie pool is that you might not be able to regulate the temperature, which heaters will do in a birth tub, and you might not be able to strech out. A birth tub is nice because your whole body and belly are covered. Make sure that you have a lot of cool water to drink in-between each contraction. And a birth tubs temo is usually set to 98% which is warm but not too hot. I loved my water birth!! Loved it loved it loved it! I have three moms giving birth in the water in December! I think a good decision would be to have it available to use during labor and decide not to birth in it, then not to have it available at all.

[Chloe]

I can finally respond!!! I voted waterbirth- wouldn't do it any other way. My second child, just newly born, was born in the birthing tub, in a hospital... but it was a completely drug free labor. I will never birth on land again. It was a four hour labor, and I got to the hospital 1 hour before I had the baby!!! I was at 8 cm, with contractions about every three minutes. The water helped slow the contractions, while at the same time relaxing me. I was actually having conversations in between contractions. When it came time to push, my water broke about 15 minutes before I had the baby. I think i pushed about 4 times.

I had a minor tear over my previous episiotomy scar, but I am healing so nicely. And I feel great. I felt great after he was born, too.


I loved my waterbirth- trying for a home waterbirth for #3!

[EmmaJean]

Wow, a waterbirth at a hospital?? That's amazing! Did you have a doc or a CNM? And was it a special birthing center part of the hospital or what? I'm just so curious. And I'm SOOO glad you were able to have a POSITIVE and FAST birth!

Emily