How did you decide on water birth?

[amitymama]

I am planning a HB for DC2 and am wondering if I should go for a water birth or not. I wanted to have a water birth with DD1 but I ended up getting out after only an hour or so and laboring mainly on my side in bed, or squatting. I want to try it again but I also don't want to go to all the trouble and expense if I don't even end up using it. On the other hand, if I wish I had it and don't, that would be horrible. My bathtub isn't very deep so I can't use that as a good substitute.

So how did you decide and was it as useful as you had anticipated?

[zoe196]

I labored w/ ds who was posterior for about 4 hrs at home/ en route to the birthing center...when I got there I tried a birthing ball etc but ended up getting in the birthing pool before it was even full-- I have to say I don't think I could have been drug-free with out it-- it really helped with the pain and being able to get into a meditative kind of space--

that said I think it would have been different w. out the posterior labor and if you didn't use it before maybe you would prefer not to again?

I wouldn't want to give birth w. out a pool available to me though

Good luck whatever you choose!

Zoe, mamma to Thomas 01-06.

[kerikadi]

In my first two water births I didn't use the tub much for labor. The first time I was afraid to get in too early and didn't get in until after my water broke and I was pushy I was in maybe 15 minutes before the baby was born. The second labor was so fast, 45 minutes, and I was in the tub about 35 minutes of that. My third homebirth I was probably in the tub about an hour before the baby was born.
I think I would go batty sitting in the tub during active labor. I like to walk around, sit on the ball, birth stool, dance, all 4s etc. I don't get into the tub until I feel birth is iminent and I am really called to get in.

I am done having babies but if I were to do it again I would have most my labor on land and then get in the water when I was feeling pressure/getting pushy.

[Shelsi]

I never could totally decide if I wanted a waterbirth so I went ahead and did it the cheapest way possible. I figured that way I wouldn't feel bad if I didn't use it. I got a cheap pool from Target for like $25 and then the hose to run from my sink. In the end we probably spent $50 total for the set-up.

In the end I went super fast and I had dd while dh was in the middle of filling it up. I guess there was about an inch of water in it when dd was born

I think I would have tried to get in it...I remember at one point about an hour before having dd, I was going to the bathroom and I remember staring at my bath tub and thinking it would be nice to take a bath (I was still in very easy labor at the time) and then I forced myself not to because I didn't want to use up all the hot water.

[lc81002]

I definitely wanted the birthing tub as an option for laboring and giving birth. I didn't have my heart set on any particular kind of birth, but when it came time to push, I did NOT want to get out of the tub. I had a long back labor, and the water didn't really seem to make much difference for the contractions, but I was so tired at the end that it was nice to not have to support my body weight as much with the buoyancy of the water. I can't imagine not even having the option to get into water, so I'd recommend having a tub of some kind available. If you are worried that you won't end up using it, it can be an inexpensive setup like the other poster recommended.

[mommyminer]

For my last birth, I wanted a pool to be available in case I wanted a waterbirth. That changed after I attended the Waterbirth International conference during my pg. After that, I was determined to have a waterbirth for the benefit of my baby. Of course, if it hadn't ended up being a waterbirth, then that would have been fine too.

[teachinmaof3]

I knew I wanted to have the water available to labor in. I wasn't sure if I wanted to birth there.

Once I got in, there was no way I was getting out!!!! LOL

[DisplacedYooper]

Originally Posted by teachinmaof3

I knew I wanted to have the water available to labor in. I wasn't sure if I wanted to birth there.

Once I got in, there was no way I was getting out!!!! LOL

:

[flower01]

During our research on homebirth, my DH actually thought waterbirth would be best for me. I was timid about that, I figured if a homebirth worked for my 1st, I'd try water the 2nd time. However, when we asked my midwife about it, she actually said that most of her clients ended up delivering in water. A regular bathtub was fine for her. So we started out in bed and when the contractions got unbearable I moved to the tub. It was awesome - immediate relief. I stayed there for 6 hours. I can't imagine doing it without the water.

[Singfourever@yahoo]

Originally Posted by teachinmaof3

I knew I wanted to have the water available to labor in. I wasn't sure if I wanted to birth there.

Once I got in, there was no way I was getting out!!!! LOL

yep, me too.

[Treeof3]

With my homebirth I labored in the water but was too hot towards the end and got out. It turned out that standing up to get out helped dd engage into my pelvis (I felt her lock and load lol!) and pushed her out squatting by the bed. That said - I did plan to give birth there too but didn't want to in the end.

This time I am going to get a cheapy pool to set up as the "garden tub" we used last time wasn't deep enough to make me feel less heavy or allow me to really change position and stay covered with much water. I may or may not give birth in it (last birth was in Oct and this one is in June - if I was hot in Oct chances are I may be too hot this time too).

But I can't imagine not having the water for pain management. I was at the hospital for my first birth and didn't have water as an option. With birth 2 it really helped the "sucky" part of labor go smoother for me.

[watermama05]

I knew I wanted the water option the first time, and we rented a tub. I got in at 6cm, it was fantastic, and got out 20 minutes later when I was fully dilated and my body was pushing DD out! I got out because I was too hot, and also because I'd gone from 6cm to pushing so fast I wanted my midwife to check me to make sure it was really okay to go with the pushes. At that point I didn't want to get back in and was happy to push DD out in our bed.

This time we borrowed a fishy pool and hose from a friend, and will be doing the setup ourselves. I absolutely want it for relaxation during labor, and for an option during birth, but I'm not wedded to actually birthing in it. However I feel in the moment is what will be right.

[amitymama]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I will go for the pool. I think the last time the reason I got out is because I was having back labour and the midwives didn't suggest alternative positions and my back was in agony and just kneeling in the water wasn't helping. Only side laying seemed to help so I got out and was never encouraged or asked if I wanted to get back in.

ETA: oh, and meant to ask as well -- which room did you have your pool in, what was the setup like in the room? Did you put something down underneath of it to prevent spillage from ruining the floor? I'm worried about the floor in my dining room (the only room it would fit in) because it's got quite old floor boards and there are cracks between them. I worry about the weight and also about water ruining the real wood.

[beanmakes3]

w/ my 1st HB, DS was posterior and I got "stuck" at 7 cm...the only position I could tolerate to get him to turn was side lying in my bathtub (didn't get v. full, either, b/c craptastic apartment tub). I had 2 contractions in there, he turned and i was instantly 10 and ready to push. I wanted to stay, but the backup MW hadn't arrived yet, so I had to get out b/c MW wasn't comfortable managing a WB on her own...

DS #2 we were in a house, and had the rented birth pool. We set it up beside our bed on the 2nd floor. We put a tarp down underneath, and weren't too worried about weight (and it was v. v. full!).

this time around we'll use the same set up. it's soo good for me in terms of pain control...the only bugger is having to get out of the warmth to go pee :

Good luck w/ your plans for the birth pool!

[Oliver'sMom]

I've always found the water to be very relaxing for me, and my midwife had a fishy pool and most of the supplies needed at no extra expense to us, so I thought it was really a no loose situation My water broke very early on, but my labor was over 24 hours. I probably spent 12 of those hours in the pool. It was a wonderful thing that helped me deal with the pain, but looking back, I wonder if that contributed to my long labor. I ended up having to get out and stand up to deliver my son. I think with my next baby, I would definately have the pool available, but maybe try to limit my time in it.

[Belle]

With dd#1 I labored four several hours in the hospital tub. I had to get out for the birth. When I was in the water it was much better.

DD#2 at home. This labor was much faster. I didn't really get in the tub until I was pushing. I can't say that it helped with the pain this time but it was much easier to squat in the water. It was totally worth it.

[free2beme23]

I loved my waterbirth and after having 4 land births and 1 waterbirth i'd say buy the pool !! Everything seemed less instense int he water even the ring of fire feeling .