Did you plan a waterbirth but not birth in the water?

[coobabysmom]

Even to this day I am so dissapointed that I didn't birth ds in the water...

I got into the tub ready to push but immediately felt a different sensation- A BAD PAIN, kwim? (any thoughts on this?) I literally shot out the tub and made my way to a birthing stool where I pushed for 2 hours and then to the side-laying position for another 15 minutes. I did tear (3rd degree) from ds' nuchal hand, PUPPPS, perineal pressure...or who knows!?!:

I will definitely plan on a waterbirth the next time...

Anyone else unexpectantly not like the feel of the water during pushing?

[Full Heart]

I have planned a water birth each time and only had 2! One was a transfer, another time I was hot and dizzy in there (I was dehydrated), then another time my legs hurt to sit in there no matter what position I was in. Then last time I had to stand. Dh though I would give birth standing butI eventually sat down cause my legs got tired and gave birth on the bed. Still planning one for this time but won't pin any hopes on it. I know things can change.

[TurboClaudia]

yep, couldn't find an effective position to push in. as it was, i pushed for close to 4 hours.

being in the water felt good during the laboring, though, so we have the tub here again for this babe (coming sometime this month). i'm open to whatever feels right at the time.

~claudia

[Miajean]

Yep

I loved the tub, the room was warm red pink and mauve tones. There was a rope, a bar and several other assists in the room for he tub.

But I had stalled for over 24 hours at 5-7 cm and wouldn't continue and ended up with a really quick c section (45 minutes from beginning to end, total, wow, never knew it was not as awful as all the stories made out.) I miss my ideal and dream, but I shall never feel cheated or stunted by the way my Girl came into my arms.

[amydidit]

I labored in the water with DD1 and was fully planning on a water birth... but towards the end I thought I had to poop really bad... my midwife said she didn't think I needed too, but I still got out of the tub... seems she was right, I was feeling the baby... unfortunately I was in too much pain to climb back into the tub so I ended up giving birth sitting on the floor leaning against a futon.

I was really disappointed.

With DD2 I was planning another waterbirth... this time I was at home instead of a birth center though... we bought an inflatable pool... halfway through my labor I asked DH to bring it in so we could fill it up... and he popped it!!! So no water birth, or even labor this time! I was NOT a happy laboring mama! ~laughs~

[savithny]

Originally Posted by amydidit

I labored in the water with DD1 and was fully planning on a water birth... but towards the end I thought I had to poop really bad... my midwife said she didn't think I needed too, but I still got out of the tub... seems she was right, I was feeling the baby... unfortunately I was in too much pain to climb back into the tub so I ended up giving birth sitting on the floor leaning against a futon.

I was really disappointed.

With DD2 I was planning another waterbirth... this time I was at home instead of a birth center though... we bought an inflatable pool... halfway through my labor I asked DH to bring it in so we could fill it up... and he popped it!!! So no water birth, or even labor this time! I was NOT a happy laboring mama! ~laughs~

Very similar, though I wasn't planning either way for sure. Just knew I wanted the tub during labor. Midwives said "if that's where you want to deliver, no problem..."

However, the first time I kept getting out because I thought I had to go to the bathroom, and after the last time, it just seemed like SO MUCH WORK to walk all the way back over there to get back in (transition, anyone?). The second time, my water broke in the tub, baby crowned instantly, and I just STOOD UP when that happened and my brain said "no, don't sit back down" so I ended up stepping out of the tub and moving to the bed for the last push. NOt nearly as warm and peaceful for DD, but again, not thinking clearly.

[kate~mom]

yep. planned waterbirth in a hospital with a midwife. i didn't get there in time labored at home in the tub, got to the hospital, went to the bathroom (before they were going to start a few minutes of external fetal monitoring before i got into their tub - which was warm and waiting for me), water broke, ds born ten minutes later.

i can't *complain - it was a great birth, but man, i was looking forward to a waterbirth.

[sargasso]

Well, I didn't actually plan a waterbirth, but when I got to the hospital my midwife offered to run me a bath to help me relax. I labored in the water until I started feeling restless and got out of the tub to go to the bathroom. My water broke while I was on the toilet (I was pushing without realizing it), so I got dried off, got dressed, and went looking for dh and the midwife who had left the room to give me some privacy. The midwife asked if I wanted back in the tub, but I had already drained it. My baby was born shortly afterward. I was lying on my side and it was a beautiful birth (even with nuchal hand and third degree tear), but I wonder what a water birth would have been like. Maybe next time.

[Hayes]

I had an AMAZING tub at our las thouse. My midwife was in love with it. I drew a wonderful bath. I had 3 contractions in it and it was horrible! I couldn't get comfortable, I was feeling panicked. I got out. Turned out to be a good thing though as Samuel was big and got stuck for a bit.

[indignantgirl]

Yep, with my last birth I had the fishy pool filled up in the kitchen ready to go. When I sank into the water, I expected this blissful relief/relaxation. Nope. It was horrible. It amplified everything. I'm just one of those women, I guess, for whom water makes contractions stronger and harder and less tolerable. But I think I was in transition so that may have had something to do with it. My mom later told me that she didn't want to tell me beforehand, but she had the same result in water during labor.

I forced myself to stay in for a half hour or so, flopping around trying to get comfortable. When I got the urge to push, I was so out of there. I was glad that I didn't birth in the water, though, because my birth was unassisted and I felt so much more in control of things while on dry land.

[ColoradoMama]

I planned two waterbirths that failed to happen. The first was with my second birth. It was in the hospital. While the hospital staff was looking for the birthing tub, dh filled up their labor tub. However, when I got in, I started shivering like crazy and had to get out. I told them to forget about the birth tub. For a long time, I was ticked at dh. I thought he hadn't gotten the water warm enough. I'm convinced now that my body was telling me that I needed to be somewhere else. ds1 got stuck coming out, and things would have been a lot harder in the water.

I planned a waterbirth with my last birth as well. I labored in the water for nearly an hour and it was great. But all the sudden I started feeling very weak, so I got out. Again, I think my body was telling me that I needed to be somewhere else. ds2 came out sunny side up. I needed to move around A LOT during transition and pushing to be able to get him out. So, I have no regrets. I would love to have a waterbirth, but it's very empowering to have your body tell you what to do in order to have a successful, beautiful birth.

[cchrissyy]

planned it but both births the water didn't feel good!

with #1 I stayed and labored there anyway, pushed 2 hours, but had to get out at the end, I was too exausted to push one more time, I asked for an episiotomy to just end it. I really had nohthing left to give. I thought I was dying and fading away. then I hemoraged on the bed.

with #2 I got in the tub, hoping again it would feel better. when it didn't after 10 or 15 mintues, I got right out.

So, water doesn't work for me. maybe a shower would. or maybe it needed to be hotter? i dunno.

[TurboClaudia]

update on baby #2, born 4 days ago:
labored in water some
pushed while in water some
then suddenly didn't want to be in the water anymore and got out
squatted next to tub and birthed our baby boy within 15-20 minutes
no tears, just minor abrasions

~claudia

[Red Sonja]

With DD I labored in the tub. When my MW arrived she asked if I wanted to be checked and I agreed. I got out of the tub and as I started to lay down on the futon my water broke. DD crowned with the next contraction. MW asked if I wanted to get back in the tub but I had the overwhelming urge to lay on my left side. DD's head (and arm ) was born with the next contraction, her body the one after that, less than 10 minutes from water breaking to her lying on my stomach.

I really enjoyed laboring in the water (though my labor was only about 2 hours) and listened to my body when it came time for her to be born. I'm glad I had the tub there even though she wasn't born in it. No regrets here.

[sun-shine01]

I arrived and the birthcenter at 9cm and got into the tub, pushed for an hour and had to get into the bed because of my heart rate being too high. I THINK that the midwife was afraid that I was going to pass out inthe tub (???) I pushed for another 1.5 hours before she was born.

[Ooey]

Yep

After pushing in the water for 2 hours, I just couldn't get any leverage. I tried hands and knees, and I tried sitting with my dh supporting me, but I was just pushing with my abdomin. I got out and sat on the toilet and she was born within 15 min. I am a little dissapointed she didn't come out in the water but mostly just glad I finally found a position I could push in. If I were to do it again I would want a birth stool in the tub LOL

[DayDreamer]

I planned a waterbirth for my DS. I labored in the water for 5 hrs. When it finally came time to push (my DH says I screamed) I looked at my MW and my eyes got huge and I said very seriously "I WANT OUT OF THIS WATER!" She said "OK, where do you want to go?" and I said "My bed!" So that's where I went. I just laid down, got real comfy in a semi-sitting/laying down possition, and pushed.

I don't know what came over me but I wanted out of that water. It felt wonderful to labor in it and I really wanted DS to be born underwater, just didn't happen.

I want to try again, my DH thinks it is a waste to prepare for b/c I didn't do it last time. He doesn't understand that even if the baby isn't born in the water, the water was very relaxing to me. Ugh, men. haha.

[MamaRabbit]

I planned on laboring in the water and staying in for the birth if I felt comfortable there.

HATED the water. I'm a much happier land-birther.

[LoveChild421]

I'm glad that I planned a water birth even though I ended up birthing ds on the birth stool in the middle of the living room....I cannot put into words how much the water helped me during labor but when I got near transition I wanted to get out and get on all fours. After my midwife checked me whenI got out I just didn't want to get back in. I wish ds had been born in the water for his sake- he seemed upset by the harsh transition from the world of water into the dry world after my long and hard labor. I will plan waterbirths for any future children but if I'm not feeling it at the time I'll just go with the flow and do what feels best.

[Peppamint]

No... I planned two waterbirths and had two waterbirths. Both times I've very glad that I labored/birth in the pool... in fact both times I wonder if I might have torn if I hadn't waterbirthed. Ds came very quickly, it felt like he roared out so fast and dd2 was born with nuchal hand/arm (couldn't tell exactly in the water) and was a bit harder to get out... only a skidmark with ds and no tears at all with dd2 (btw, I had an episiotomy with dd1).

Certainly- if you feel the need to get out of the water, you should and there may be times when a midwife would ask you to get out. I know I loved my waterbirths and someday down the road when I'm a midwife I'll definitely encourage my clients to consider waterbirth, though I know it doesn't appeal to everyone.