[MamaMayme]

Are there any hospitals or CNMs in Utah that do waterbirths? I had someone ask me about this the other day and as far as I knew the only way to have a waterbirth was at home or at a birthing center. But now I'm wondering if I was wrong..... Any CNM I have talked to won't allow you to birth squatting or in the water b/c they can't see what's going on. I have heard of some that labor in the water and then when baby begins to crown they have to get out and on the bed for the mw - to me that is not a waterbirth.

Any input?

I would also love to have a waterbirth but figured I was SOL considering I live too far away from all the birthing centers, and can't convince dh of a homebirth.

 

[dogmom327]

I was living in SLC when I became pregnant and thoroughly looked into my options because I thought I'd be giving birth there. St. Marks, LDS and maybe the U will let you labor in the water but you can't give birth in there. The CNM we spoke with at St. Marks commented that if you were to suddenly start to give birth, the nurses would pick you up and put you on the floor. Doesn't that sound like fun?

: Anyway, the reason she cited was that the tubs aren't big enough for them to get in too if necessary. I also heard some concerns (from people who didn't work for either hospital) that the tubs aren't cleaned as well as they should be and so there is potential for infection but I don't know any numbers on that or anything.

We went with the home birth option. However, DH was not keen on that idea at first and we had to meet with a hospital-based CNM, go on the hospital tour (scary!), meet with the birth center and meet with several home birth midwives before he realized where I was coming from. Maybe your DH will come around?

 

[lhowlett]

I figured it wasn't an option as well after delivering in 2 different hospitals, the last with a wonderful CNM who would have let me deliver in any position, but it was against hospital policy to deliver in the tub. She basically said if there wasn't a nurse in there or she was a really good one and you were pushing quick, she'd do it, but didn't sound promising.
We interviewed Julie Jones who practices at Cottonwood and she said Cottonwood does not have a policy one way or the other, so she'll allow a birth in the tub. After talking to the birth center though, cleanliness does sound like an issue at the hospital, they just don't clean the jets well enough. Sounds like the birth center (birth and family place) spends 2 hours cleaning each tub.

 

[utahfeminist]

So what I don't understand.... if a CNM at the Birth Center can see what is going on when you are in the tub, why can't they at the hospital?!!

I had a fantastic water birth at the birth center. I hope you manage to get your water birth. I had wanted one with my first but was told it was a no go. I had only been here a few months so didn't know better.....

 

[delfuego]

You could try renting a birth pool and setting it up at the hospital. That's what I did, although I didn't give birth in Utah so I don't know if the hospitals here would allow it. The tubs are big... I think 5' in diameter. It was big enough for me and my boyfriend and probably the doctor and a nurse if they had wanted to jump in there with me!

Here's the website:

http://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page.do...38546&orgId=wi

I used the Spa-N-A-Box and my doula set it up for us... which was nice... but dp easily could have done it too.

 

[Veritaserum]

I've heard rumors about Davis hospital letting moms bring in their own tubs with a CNM there. I've heard of "accidental" water births a CNM at Cottonwood. The hospital tubs generally are not well suited for waterbirth, though, since they are generally not very deep. PM me for that CNMs name.

 

[marlygf]

I delivered my first at Salt Lake Regional and I remember my midwife telling me I could have an oops water birth but I made the mistake of telling them I felt the urge to push and then I got out and onto the bed. But I will say, I pushed him out squatting so they will do it. I don't see why they can't. The hospital has the squat bar too so that seems silly you've heard that.

My second I did do in the birth center and it didn't work out for a water birth but they have awesome tubs!

I know in LDS they have big tubs, you just have to request a room with a tub.

This time I'm doing it at home and am hoping I can finally get my water birth

 

[delfuego]

can't wait to hear about how it goes!

darius misses the boys!

 

[lhowlett]

FYI - we went and toured the new Cottonwood (well I guess it isn't Cottonwood, but the big IHC complex in Murray) and the tubs don't seem big enough at all to birth in. They are deep, and would probably cover your belly if you're sitting, but that's the issue, all you're going to be able to do is sit, not roll over or anything. And they had the big mechanical stir-ups out in one of the rooms, yuck!!!! They really made me sick. Oh and they had 2 rooms set up, 1 with the bed normal (so not a normal or big bed), and the other set up for "delivery" with the big surgery light out, and the bed broken down and as the nurse put it about the bed "so you can deliver however the Doctor wants you to" Grrrr.
I really wasn't that impressed with their rooms, not bigger than anything I'd seen and still very sterile.

I think a couple CNM's I talked to said Salt Lake hospitals will not let you set up a tub, but you could always ask individually.

 

[prettymom]

We went on the tour too and the tubs aren't any bigger than what is in my apartment. In the room with the stirrups out the nurse said "Half the physicians like the bed up, and half like it like this. So it's just whatever the physician wants." DH said, "What do the mothers like?"

 

[megadoula]

About the cleanliness of tubs: I used to work at a birth center in Seattle. As a cleaner, we would clean the tub with a virus killing cleaner, then fill it up with bleach and run the jets for half an hour. Then drain it, then rewash with hospital grade cleaner. When a mother went into labor, the student midwife would go into the room and fill the tub and bleach it again. This is because even with the first bleach, there is a bacteria that can hide in the pipes. Bleach kills it immediataly, but it can grow back. At a hospital, they just clean it once. If you are worried, bring some bleach and have your doula or other labor support fill the tub with hot water and run the jets.

About the hospital tubs: If it doesn't cover your belly, it is not going to help much with the labor. If you decide to do a hospital birth anyway, use the sprayer to go back and forth on your belly during the contractions. This helps some women.

 

[livnanismama]

There was a CNM in Davis County that was supportive of water births. Of course she's gone now. They never stay long

 

[MamaMayme]

Thanks for all the info and suggestions - it seems that the best luck is in SLC. I just found a fabulous CNM in South Ogden (Cathy Jones) who seems willing to let me do just about anything I want.

Anyone know how Ogden Regional is about a waterbirth in their big tubs? I forgot to ask her about it. I would need to make some insurance changes quick if I decide to go there as opposed to McKay-Dee. She told me they just made it policy to have to get a heploc... so something tells me they may not be so open to other things.....

 

[marlygf]

Just remember you can say no to policy's

This was actually why I switched from an OB to a midwife with my first one. He felt I had to have a heplock and I said no (I figured if we were arguing about something so little, what else would we be arguing about)

Good luck with who you end up with. You can call the hospital's and see what they have to say.

 

[MamaMayme]

Yeah, you definitely can sign the waiver, but I was thinking like you... if they have policy on something as stupid as that, something tells me they will have lots other policies and won't be too open to other 'questionable' things.

I thought about calling the hospital but I'm pretty sure they will tell me 'no' regardless of the situation. I think I will call the mw office, they could probably give me a more unbiased answer.

 

[A&A]

Ogden Regional does waterbirths.

 

[lhowlett]

Quote:

Originally Posted by A&A Ogden Regional does waterbirths.

Like you can push a baby out in their tubs without objection, or you can bring in your own tub?

 

[livnanismama]

I have never had a client "allowed" to give birth in the tubs at Ogden Regional. I've attended a lot of births there and even with one birth we had some really sweet nurses they pulled mom out of the tub.

Cathy Jones is a pretty good midwife. If I had a hospital birth she would be someone I would consider.

 

[delfuego]

Has anyone talked to Barbara Harper (Waterbirth International) or an OBGYN who is agreeable to doing waterbirths?

In my particular case, I was the second waterbirth ever at the hospital where I gave birth. Fortunately, the couple who did it before me called around until they found an OBGYN who would support them. He then talked to the director of Labor and Delivery who agreed to allow them to try it. I also had to go talk to the director before hand, probably so she could ensure that I wasn't some wacko

, and then she approved my waterbirth. I believe that both of the deliveries went so well the hospital now allows it without question.

I know that Barbara Harper has worked on behalf of many mothers who wanted to do waterbirth to get their local hospitals to allow it. It's such common practice now, I can't really believe that there would be a huge amount of resistance. I think it's all about talking to the right people. If you know what I mean.

Someone will have to do the legwork... but I can guaruntee that it will be worth it and that everyone after that will be thankful!

 

[delfuego]

BTW, I conceded to have a heplock in order for them to allow me to do a waterbirth in the hospital.