Water birth?? Please help

Question

I've been hearing a lot about water births and how they are amazing and help with the pain, but I don't know much about them and would like to look into it. If you have done a water birth, or know someone who has, can you please share your story/opinion? Also if there are any risks, pros/cons, etc. Thanks!

Answer

I've had two "water labors" where it came time to push and needed to get out to help the midwife have better leverage to help me out. The first was just because I was a first time mom and pushing was tough, the second because baby's head was asynclitic (tilted in a non-ideal angle). The water felt so good during contractions. I will definitely be trying for a water BIRTH this time. It's supposed to help with that ring of fire sensation and I am looking forward to testing  that part out!

If you're nervous about pushing baby out in the water but want the benefits of pain control, you can do what I unintentionally did and just get out when it's time to push. It's not a big deal and actually great for baby to work with gravity and move around some while you get out of the pool.

I did mine at home but my midwife also works out of a birth center where I something like 80% of their births involve water. I've never heard of an infection and also doubt the water caused it if that case is true. It's possible they didn't have a clean liner in their pool, but that goes against common sense. The k my thing you need to monitor is the temp of the water, which a competent caregiver will do.

Good luck!

Answer

I did a home water birth with my first. It was amazing,  I found it really relaxing ss my contractions were intense for a long period of time. As for cons..... honestly the only thing i could think of is if you need to get out it might be a bit harder although even then your midwife and or doula will help anyway. It's also a much more easier ans relaxinf entrance into the word for bub as they can enter into water similar to the fluid in the uterus before gentlt coming into air and needing to breathe. Also less mess :) haha it seemed so much less messy than if i didn't give birth in the water. Also because my son had pood in me and it all came out into the water after he was born instead of onto the floor.
I very strongly advocate for water births :)

Answer

The only con I can think of is you have to make up your mind before hand. I adamantly did not want a water birth with my first (just because I was scared of it; never really educated myself on it) but come labor time, all I wanted was to be in the water. I labored in the shower a lot, but never thought to set up the tub (in my birth center, labor tub is at one side to the house and a regular tub and shower on the other side). It came time to push and I asked for the tub. They could only fill it with about three inches of water before I pushed the baby out. Should have been prepared and more open minded. 😪 Oh well. I'll be doing a water birth and labor with this one. It is great pain relief. Delivered my baby all natural. Only time I had meds was for my stitches after.

Answer

I recently heard a case where a woman had a water birth and the tub / water wasn't properly sanitized. She got a bacterial infection and needed to have a hysterectomy. Be very careful that everything is properly sanitized at home or find a hospital or facility that does this.

I'll be at a hospital. Safety is my number 1 desire.

Water birth?? Please help

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